Torque tube shortening recommendations

N

nb141fd

Senior Member
I am putting a 39 trans behind an 8BA and 1940 rear end in an aftermarket 32 chassis and looking for a shop to shorten my torque tube and drive shaft in the Southern California area. If anyone has any recommendations on a shop in Orange County or south LA county it would be appreciated.

I know that many of you have done your own, but with my limited skills and concern for safety I would rather have a pro do the work. Thanks in advance.
Tony
 
I don't have a shop recommendation, but also make sure you're very clear on what you want to do with the radius rods, where the speedo turtle shell needs to be indexed, etc.. I would also make sure that IF your setup has a bearing in the middle of the TT to support the driveshaft, that you determine IF it needs to be replaced and consider that as part of the whole deal. For some years, the required bearing assembly is extremely hard to find, yet needed.
 
I was prepared to replace my bearing when I did some work on my Columbia a couple of years ago. I was lucky, it was in good shape after I cleaned it up.


I found that Skip Hanley, the water pump guy, sells a kit. the catalog sheet attached has old prices.
 

Attachments

  • Skip Hanley Torque Tube center bearing.jpg
    Skip Hanley Torque Tube center bearing.jpg
    67 KB · Views: 132
Bored&Stroked said:
I don't have a shop recommendation, but also make sure you're very clear on what you want to do with the radius rods, where the speedo turtle shell needs to be indexed, etc.. I would also make sure that IF your setup has a bearing in the middle of the TT to support the driveshaft, that you determine IF it needs to be replaced and consider that as part of the whole deal. For some years, the required bearing assembly is extremely hard to find, yet needed.
Click to expand...


In addition to what Dale (Bored&Stroked) says above, you need to make sure the six-hole flange at the REAR end of the torque tube is also properly indexed. There is a slot (in addition to the six BOLT holes) for oil drainage in the torque tube rear flange that must line-up with the additional hole (SEE where pencil is pointing) in the 'banjo' center section next to the bottom BOLT hole. DD


355975
 
Thanks for the tips guys. I think that the TT will have to be shortened so much that most leave the bearing out of the tube. Also, thanks for the indexing tips.
 
In Southern CA I'd check with Eric Vaughn/Vaughn Machine 626-358-6413 or Eric at Scandinavian Street Rods 714-841-6181.
 
Last edited:
Krylon32 said:
In Southern CA I'd check with Eric Vaughn/Vaughn Machine 626-358-6413 or Eric at Scandinavian Street Rods 714-841-6181.
Click to expand...

Good tips. And, also, maybe search for old threads. Someone on here (in socal) went through this, and found a local shop. Also, another possibility, Blair's in Pasadena, used to do this. Not sure about currently.
Both 'Eric's' have done work for me, and I can recommend either or both of them.
 
.

No matter WHO ends-up doing the shortening....one of the most-difficult parts of shortening a t-tube or d-shaft is PRECISELY determining how much to remove (from each), as well as WHERE to remove it from.

Probably the most-important dimension to consider is going to be the distance between the center of the speedometer gear at front of drive shaft....and the center of the lock-pin hole on the splined pinion shaft, once your transmission and rear end are mocked in permanent place. That speedo gear should NEVER change it's relative position (fore or aft) with any measurable point on the transmission.

The only way I know of to get an accurate measurement for the torque tube is to first bolt-up the t-tube's bell and clam shell assembly at the transmission. With the front of t-tube steadied at transmission, place the rear of t-tube directly next to the flat face on the front of the banjo housing that the t-tube bolts to. Make a mark on the UN-CUT torque tube. Now, the t-tube must be shortened by a measurement that will ultimately fix the REAR FACE of the 6-bolt t-tube flange at the mark you just made on the UN-CUT t-tube. NEVER assume that whatever dimension that you shorten the shaft, will be the same dimension that you NEED to shorten the t-tube.....or vis-a-versa!

Always shorten the torque tube at REAR. And the same pretty-much goes for the drive shafts, too, especially when shortening the early, tapered, tubular shafts. And it makes no good sense (at least to me) to shorten either a tube OR shaft in the middle.

And just one more little tid-bit for anyone fooling with a '33 or '34 d-shaft or t-tube. V8 tubes and shafts are a different length than 4-cylinder tubes and shafts. The difference is about 1-1/2". DD




.......
 
Last edited:
PeteVS said:
There's also a difference in torque tube lengths for early and late '32s.
Click to expand...

They're a completely different animal - as the early 32 Rear is really kind of a carry over from the Model A era - and the torque tube flange that bolts to the banjo is round. You cannot use the early 32 torque-tube with a later rear end - and the driveshaft is also different. Most 32's that I've seen have the early style rear end.

The late 32 rear had a scalloped rear torque-tube flange (like a 33 - 34) and the internals are exactly like a 33-34 rear.

It is quite hard to find an original 32 rear end with the later torque-tube, driveshaft and 33-34 style of pumpkin - but they are out there. Lots of guys have taken 33 - 34 rears and shortened the torque tube and driveshaft to fit a 32.
 
Thanks for the advice gentlemen, I'll give Eric Vaughn or Eric at Scandinavian Street Rods a call. Thanks to V8Coopman for the help on measuring the TT before surgery. Tony
 
A buddy has an AV8 with a B/W O/D installed in the torque tube. The drive shaft broke at the rear end coupler. He was referred to Rick Williams in Pomona by the Early Ford Store in San Dimas. Rick understood exactly what needed to be done and how to go about it. The Model A is back on the road good as new.
 
Thanks 51504bat, if I don't have any luck with someone closer I'll call Early Ford Store and see if they can put me in touch with Rick.
 
Just out of curiosity, are u building it to look period correct except for drive chain or modifying other things as well I.e., body interior etc...?
 
If a person uses no damper bearing, I would hope that they have an early tube driveshaft. The solid shaft has a tendency to whip where the tube type won't plus the tube type is easy to shorten. Cutting splines on a solid shaft could also be problematic.

The late Dick Spadaro used to make a tube drive shaft kit for this type conversion. A person can remove the front fitting of the odd shaped tube drive shafts of the mid to late 30s and have a drive shaft shop weld it to a straight tube shaft like the ones of the earlier 30s.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top