Speedway Gears

LeroyM

LeroyM

Senior Member
Is anyone using the gears from Speedway in their banjo rears? I was reading some older post on the H.A.M.B forum that they required some machining. Has anyone bought a set recently and can confirm or deny this?

I'm planning on putting a set of 3.25:1 into a 35 rear, and I know they are 6 spline and I have a 10 spline shaft. Basically all I need to do is get the 6 to 10 spline coupler to make this work?
 
Running a set in mine, no machining was required and looked good. About a 1000 miles on them, very happy thus far, using the 3.78's.
 
I've put together a rear with the 3.25's. The car, however, is not yet up and running. The only problem I had with assembly was that the pinion shaft was a press fit for BOTH the inner and outer bearings, which made pinion preload difficult to attain. After I got the rear assembled, I read in a HAMBone post that I should have reduced the diameter of the outer portion of the shaft a bit to get a slip fit for the outer bearing. I am glad to have read in this thread that someone else is happy with theirs.
PS: I really don't understand how that 6 to 10 coupling was originally intended to be used. Mine was turned down to be pressed and welded into a shortened '34 driveshaft.
 
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The 35 driveshaft has a 10-spline FEMALE at the rear, so it is not a matter of using a coupling, but IS a matter of removing the 10-spline "bung" and replacing it with a 6-spline... The 6x10 adaptors are intended/suitable for rears with the solid driveshaft to install a 10-spline pinion where a 6-spline once resided...
 
Richard (EV8G) said:
The 35 driveshaft has a 10-spline FEMALE at the rear, so it is not a matter of using a coupling, but IS a matter of removing the 10-spline "bung" and replacing it with a 6-spline... The 6x10 adaptors are intended/suitable for rears with the solid driveshaft to install a 10-spline pinion where a 6-spline once resided...
Click to expand...

Thanks Richard!!
 
Richard (EV8G) said:
The 35 driveshaft has a 10-spline FEMALE at the rear, so it is not a matter of using a coupling, but IS a matter of removing the 10-spline "bung" and replacing it with a 6-spline... The 6x10 adaptors are intended/suitable for rears with the solid driveshaft to install a 10-spline pinion where a 6-spline once resided...
Click to expand...

Who sells the 6 spline "bung"? This rear will be going into a Model A so it will need to be shortened. Would I be better off to just get a later drive shaft and use it? If so what will I need to change to run a later drive shaft?
 
LeroyM said:
Who sells the 6 spline "bung"? This rear will be going into a Model A so it will need to be shortened. Would I be better off to just get a later drive shaft and use it? If so what will I need to change to run a later drive shaft?
Click to expand...

Several vendors list the 6 to 10 spline coupling. I used one (with the large end turned down) in a shortened '34 driveshaft. Dick Spadaro has a "kit" which pretty much duplicates this arrangement. Speedway sell a very similar unit and I'm assuming that they get theirs from Dick.

Personally, I'm wondering if a driveshaft could be made from an original 'A' driveshaft by cutting off the back end and welding on a bored out 6 to 6 coupling. It would be the same length and diameter as an 'A' driveshaft and thus able to sustain the same RPM without whipping?
 
I've used a 32 (4 cyl) driveshaft when fitting a later rear in a 32 by welding the coupler in the end of the tube. The 10 spline end piece from a 35 driveshaft fitted direct to the tube, but I did need a short extension piece on the 6 spline one I did. Not too difficult if a lathe is available. So I would imagine an A shaft could be used in an A.
Mart.
 
Re the spline adaptoir,
I have a 46 r+p in my 33,I used a new 6 spline adaptor,after about 8000klms it has worn on the splines and is loose on the pinion,
My best fix is to use a NOS ford 6 spline coupler, bore the 10 spline one out in the shaft and fit the 6 spline coupler in and weld it.
Lawrie
 
The rear I'm using in a '32 came out of a '48 Merc back in the day. My brother harvested it back in around '59 or so. When I opened it up, the pinion and the coupling were seriously worn! How does that happen? The rivet, on the other hand, put up a good fight when I tried to remove it! Now, I've got a nice 3.54 r & p, but the spline will have to be welded and remachined.
 
Here's what's confusing me. The Speedway pinion is 6 spline male, the 35 driveshaft is 10 spline female. This doesn't work. Now I'm told to weld in a "6 spline female bung", but where do I get a "6 spline female bung"? The 35-38 drive shafts are hollow tubes and all the same, late 38-48 is solid driveshafts.

So what are my options? Can I run a late 38-48 drive shaft in a 35 torque tube if so what do I need to make this work?
 
I think I'd go with the tubular driveshaft that Dick Spadaro sells. It can be cut to any resonable car type banjo torque tube length, it has brand new front splines (no rust), and I believe it comes with a six spline coupling that is welded on after the length is settled. The 35 through 38 use the double taper tube set up that is hard to modify.

Most early Ford parts places do sell a 6 to 10 spline adapter that can be machined to fit the end of a tubular shaft as long as you don't get into the tapered part. So if that's the way you want to go then Mac's has the adapters P/N 48-4684

Oh yah, I was one that ended up with one of the speedway gear sets that they forgot to machine the quill down on. Its actually a 3.55 since it has a 9 & 32 tooth count. It's made really well, they just spaced out the fact that that big 9 tooth pinion won't go through the bearing retainer bore in the banjo. I got it pretty cheep so it was no sweat to me. I'll just have to take it to the machine shop and have them whittle the wide portion of the quill down a bit.

Kerby
 
I have the speedway 3.54 gears in my 35 tudor sedan. the 3.25 are a bit tough in first gear with a stock transmission
 
LeroyM said:
Is anyone using the gears from Speedway in their banjo rears? I was reading some older post on the H.A.M.B forum that they required some machining. Has anyone bought a set recently and can confirm or deny this?

I'm planning on putting a set of 3.25:1 into a 35 rear, and I know they are 6 spline and I have a 10 spline shaft. Basically all I need to do is get the 6 to 10 spline coupler to make this work?
Click to expand...
Thats a pretty tall gear for a stock 35 to pull unless its in a real light car. Hilly country dont like tall gears?? ken ct.:)
 
I'm using Speedways gears, 3:54s in my 41. Also have 26% Mitchell Overdrive, only way to go. No problems with either, 70mph @ 2100 rpm.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I've since changed my plans and went and picked up a 70 bronco rear last weekend. It's a Ford 9" with a stock 3.50 ratio. It's 58" inches from wms to wms and has the 5 on 5 1/2 bolt pattern which makes it a perfect fit for a Model A with fenders. I'm going to to change to open drive.
 
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