Orange/LA county recommendation for Diff. Rebuild

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daltonathomas94

Member
1937 model 77 flatbed pickup
So my diff blew on the way home and I can't work on something that big at my apartment. At least I hope it was the diff and not the trans since I can shift freely, roll freely and the speedo shows movement but it won't budge on the gas. No outside signs of damage but when I was pushing it I could hear metal clunking around the rear that sounded like a nut rolling up and falling in the hubcap.

Any shops out there that tackle work this old? At a reasonable price preferably? Or could I grab the parts and take it to any trans shop?
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Maybe just sheared a key way? Might be worth jacking it up and doing a little investigating before fearing the worse. I've got a KR Wilson repop hub puller you can borrow if you want to pull a rear drum but I'm inland from LA/OC.
 
Just completed similar. Had a drive output failure. turned out to be a broken LH drive shaft just after the keyway. Left the diff in place and just pulled the LH side bell only.
Phil NZ
 
I did feel a bit of a clunk when I would release the clutch going into 2nd and 3rd but I chocked that up to poor clutch control on my part. It smoothed out after a while and though nothing of it..... until that final, fatal clunk. I guess it doesn't seem catastrophic since it doesn't appear to be touching anything when I step on the gas. Just rolls freely all gears, no strain on the engine. Again I just assume it is the rear given the speedo still moves. I'll give it a try myself. I may have found a spot to do the work and I may take you up on that repop puller.

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The speedometer drive is at the front of the driveshaft so if the shaft has sheared behind the speedometer drive gear it would still operate the speedometer.
 
Supposing it is one of the axle drive shafts, is this a repair that can be made without removing the whole assembly from the vehicle? Just listen to which side the clunking is coming from and pull that one?

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Yes you can do on side of road if you had to. The left side of axle housing has to come off no matter which axle is broken. You may also need a hub/ drum assembly also if it is just a key way broken as that can damage taper in hub gear
Cheers
Tony
 
Does anyone know what year I will be looking for on this hub? It looks to be the shoulder type as opposed to grooved and I can only seem to find the grooved online. Not sure if this has any bearing on the matter, but the truck had been converted to hydraulic at some point in its life.

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dang... what kind of engine are your running? Looks like someone took a sawsall or grinder to it. Grenaded it.


Never seen that before... thanks for the picture.



Hope someone decides to make wide 5 drums some day.


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The key was bent like a j and sheared at the end as well. My guess is I ran it too long without checking (600 miles?) Since purchase and the last guy left a little wobble on the shaft. I may have felt it when engaging the clutch with a little thump (and that's when it finally popped, luckily not on the freeway) but it might have just been cracking at that point or peeling away.

Stock 59-AB by the way, single carb, stock exhaust, nothing really special.

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Rear drums should be torqued tight to at least 150lds on old fords. There is also a correct way to install the key way too.

Is the axle okay? or damaged? axles usually give way before the drums in my thinking. and maybe did causing the later.



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Haven't pulled apart yet, just finally got it home today after being stranded for two weeks. I'll check out the axle for cracks and discoloration but from what I see it looks good. Maybe a little scoring, but I didn't try to move her long. The hub just lets the axle spin. Can't see the actual keyway as it sits though. Any idea in the year I should be looking for? Or would it be better to just get the 40 style since it's so common?

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Id pull the drums on the rear first. Maybe the fronts also.

Check the keyway on the rear axle.


If you want you can put later drums on it.



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Never mind the newer hubs, I found originals to match with the drums attached. Anything else that would be standard to replace I might overlook?

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I have a set of '37 rear drums that are a little rusty, but measure 12.000". They are part of a complete '37 mechanical brake setup I have (the fronts have been turned once and are slightly less than 12.060"). I have been trying to sell it to a restorer, but shipping costs seem to be a problem. Just so you know.
 
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