Pinion assembly installation

3

31 RPU

Senior Member
Does anyone have an old torque tube flange I could purchase to press in a pinion assembly? Picture below I borrowed from Tom Endy.
 

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You don't need to press it in. Get a hot plate and 3/4-1" thick chunk of steel. Put the steel on the hot plate and set the housing on it. Turn the hot plate to high and allow the housing to get good and hot. The pinion bearing race will drop right in. Allow to cool. Install the first bearing on the pinion, then install that assembly on the driveshaft, torque nut to specks. Slide into the race and install 2ed bearing and set to 18" pounds using the lock nuts and washer.
 
Thanks redmodelt but all I am doing is changing the driveshaft to install a Mitchell OD.
I don’t want to disturb the pre load. All I want to do is mount the pinion assembly on the stub shaft and then press the pinion assembly/stub shaft back into the banjo. The flange off of a torque tube (like in the picture) looks to be the simplest way to do this.
 
where are you located. there should be someone close by that have what you need. I just through five torque tubes in the scrap pile. the question is how are you going to remove the bearing.
 
I think I used a "bridge puller" using a pair of 1/2" threaded rod 6 feet long. The bridge was oak.

I later used the oak/cut rods as a bridge pull to compress the rear spring and remove it from the axle. (I don't own a spring compressor - yet)

You only need it once - and all-thread ALWAYS finds another use with a mechanic.

Joe K
 
I made some tools like Tom Endy does his with.
I am not a machinist but I am learning.
 

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Ok I see what you are doing. How far would the stub shaft stick out of the shorten Mitchell tube? You could use the Mitchell tube and turn the shaft or turn the axles to rotate the ring gear to get your alignment. With no lube in the rear, turning the axles should rotate the ring gear.
 
Heat the case with a torch, concentrating on the front end. It should take a minimum amount of heat before the bearings will slip in place.
 
Stub shaft won’t be very long as this is in a Victoria and will be very close to the rear end.
I think I will have to use all threads and nuts to draw the pinion in because the threads are very shallow for bolts. I guess I could heat it up but I liked the idea of using the flange off of a torque tube.
 
As far as I know Mitchell only makes one base unit for the A's. The shafts and tubes are adjusted in length for what car it installed in. You could use the connecting sleeve to get extra length.

Bolts would not work. You would need ether bolts with full thread with nuts and washers run up them before installing in the flange or all-thread cut to length.
 
I suspect that you removed a torque tube during the process of installing the Mitchell overdrive. Use the torque tube to pull the pinion assembly into the banjo. You will need to make some threaded studs as the bolts are not long enough.


The only reason I cut the end off a torque tube is to make an easier tool to deal with. A full length torque tube works as well.


Tom Endy
 
redmodelt said:
As far as I know Mitchell only makes one base unit for the A's. The shafts and tubes are adjusted in length for what car it installed in. You could use the connecting sleeve to get extra length.

Bolts would not work. You would need ether bolts with full thread with nuts and washers run up them before installing in the flange or all-thread cut to length.
Click to expand...



The Mitchell company makes three different overdrives for the Model A. Their standard fits most Model A's. The one for the Victoria has a stub shaft that is 4.5 inches longer to locate the overdrive housing forward of the dropped floor pan. The third has a shorter stub shaft to accommodate later town sedans that have a floor pan for tool storage under the front seat. You can also order the overdrive with a 26% gear ratio and a 33% gear ratio.


Tom Endy
 
Tom Endy said:
The Mitchell company makes three different overdrives for the Model A. Their standard fits most Model A's. The one for the Victoria has a stub shaft that is 4.5 inches longer to locate the overdrive housing forward of the dropped floor pan. The third has a shorter stub shaft to accommodate later town sedans that have a floor pan for tool storage under the front seat. You can also order the overdrive with a 26% gear ratio and a 33% gear ratio.


Tom Endy
Click to expand...
Tom,
I guess I got that one wrong. The overdrive is positioned 4.5” towards the front of the car so the stub shaft is longer.
I still like the idea of a torque tube flange to do the job. So far it doesn’t look like anybody has one they would want to sell. I will hold on a little longer to see if one turns up.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
 
I will need to press this pinion assembly back into the banjo.
Does anyone have an old torque tube I could buy the flange off of?
 

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31 RPU said:
I will need to press this pinion assembly back into the banjo.
Does anyone have an old torque tube I could buy the flange off of?
Click to expand...


I see your banjo housing is the 28 style. They were disconntinued as they were a two piece with the front flange welded on and they commonly leak and are weaker than the ribbed reinforced style. I would recommend just going the extra distance in work to disassemble the rear axle since you have that style housing that will have some extra weight on it, and do not know the condition of the rest of your bearings,races, and components.

Just my suggestion. If I don't know who or have knowledge of what the rear axle is like and you're installing an overdrive to go a little faster I believe it is very prudent to ensure the rest of the rear is top notch.

Have done many myself and the worst rear axle I tore apart condition wise was on a "restored" car.
Just my take.

Larry Shepard
 
Larry,
Thanks for the information. I was not going to use this housing. I have a 31 rear end I was going to put the overdrive in. I appreciate the information, I didn’t know that.
 
Re: Pinion assembly installation-What does restore actually mean?

Larry,

Restored is ALL about a guy's definition of the term!!

A couple of years ago a friend was asked to help and take a greasy engine and transmission to the quarter car wash.

While at car wash this guy bragged that he had restored 25 Model As.

When they returned to this guy's shop with washed and still assembled engine/transmission my friend asked "do you want to put it on the work bench?"

Old guy:

Oh no I am behind schedule ... let's put it in the paint booth ... I am going to paint it in the morning and install it in the chassis the next day!
 
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