towed home again

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Ingram 33vicky

Senior Member
Have major trouble with the "adapter" coupling for the driveshaft to the pinion. Seems that the coupler (10 spline to pinion, 6 spline to driveshaft) spins out where the two are connected. Can anyone give me a "proper" fix?

Have set the coupler up in the lathe to assure it being true, then welded around the center. Original appears tp be a tight fit and then "friction welded". Which failed. My fix to weld the two at the center joint has also failed.

At nearly 80 working mostly by myself and slowing down a bit I am tired of pulling the rear axle assembly, and then re-installing it only to find that my "fix" failed me again.

Having fun with my recently restored 46 Woodie with a Columbia, HOWEVER leaving home under good 6 cyl. power only to be returned on a tow truck or tow strap is embarrassing to say the least.

Any ideas for a permanent fix are welcome and appreciated, Please respond on the forum or private message.

Paul
 
If the welds are failing there must be some issue with the weld to begin with. In most cases the metal next to a weld should fail before the weld itself. I would suggest having it welded by a certified welder or checking to see if there is a reason the metal is not welding properly in this application. Because the couplers is almost constantly exposed to oil it may take some extra measures to get the oil out of the metal before welding it. Something is interfering with the welding process.
 
Hi all; apparently the adapters are machined as two parts and then assembled. They spin inside at the joint when they fail. Newc
 
The reproduction 6 to 10 adapters are made from a single piece of steel. Unfortunately they're out of stock right now but we're hoping to have more by the first of the year.
 
Clean the coupler really well of oil and grease. Glass bead it if you can . Remove all of the old weld , V the weld area and Tig weld it. If you don't have a tig machine take it to some one that does.
 
Normally, if welds in a driveshaft or coupler are failing, it is due to misalignment. There are no welded parts in a stock application. There are normally only welded parts when adaptions have been made, and if a hot rod application, a shortened driveshaft is normally accompanied by a shortened, welded torque tube. If the shaft fails, it normally from fatigue caused by a misalignment in the welded torque tube.

If a 10 to 6 adaptor was welded, it sounds like a home brew job, unless there is someone selling them like that, but genuine ones are one piece, like Mac says.

Is this a stock or non stock application? (Has the torque tube been modified?)

Mart.
 
If this is in your 46 it probably had a 6 spline pinion originally, perhaps it has a 12 spline pinion because the ratio was changed to 4:11 which is more common in 12 spline

since the coupling has been welded and broke there is a problem with the pieces, as has been mentioned --alignment, it is hard to butt weld 2 heavy pieces and not have distorsion, perhaps machining for a sleeve with a press fit then welding the sleeve to each piece will improve the alignment

or find a 1 piece coupler----perhaps change ring/pinion back to 6 spline so it cakes a normal 6-6 coupler
 
Thanks for the information and possible solutions.
I have three couplers and all are two piece spline sections either welded, friction welded, or maybe just a press fit (unlikely).
The adapters that I have seen have the 10 spline end machined out to accept the six spline sleeve. The six spline is sleeve is then fitted into the 10 spline and somehow prevented from spinning.
My solution will be to true up the two sections, Machine the two for a solid fit (six spline into the 10 spline)and alignment. Then weld at joint. Then machine a new sleeve that will fit over both the 10 spline section and the six spline section, and then weld this larger sleeve to the two splined sections. Maybe even drill a couple of 1/2" holes in large sleeve and weld to the splined sections. Then after all this heat and treat the entire lash up.
Any comments?
Thanks again, Paul
 
It's possible they are two piece, pull broaches could be used, making for a very quickly made part. I don't know for sure but the one piece would be made on a shaper, generating the required spline on either end, more costly, but would make for a stonger part, they should then heat treated for toughness.
 
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