I doubt if you will find a limited slip banjo. But the Ford banjo is strong enough for normal driving. If you plan on dumping the clutch at any time forget it. I've had one in my roadster for twenty + years with no trouble but then I don't get on it until I get it rolling.
There apparently one once available, probably from Getz. My first Honest Charley catalog, probably around 1963, had a partial listing for one in the early Ford Getz gear section. It wasn't all there; someone had simply done a sloppy clipping job and left about half the information on whatever it was attached to the clip art of the Getz R&P listings. I have never run into any further information on the thing.
I think they just welded things solid since dragsters didn't spend too much time turning corners. Charlie Stephens
Winters can hook you up. Just get the big cash out. They use a Dana 8 3/4" Wedgelok in a quickie case. I did one a while back for a roadster I built where I reworked the same guts to fit in a stock Ford center by relocating the pinion sleeve using the Mopar bearings/ collars etc. It wasn't that tough to do. I haven't heard back from the guy that bought the car in about two years or so which either means it worked or it didn't and he's no longer talking to me. I did use the Mopar axles and some Strange outboard bearing and brake cups. I used the Mopar axles and Ford brakes. I then took the original Ford hubs and axle stubs, cut them out and used them like a weird pair of wheel spacers to retain the exposed axle look. I had to make a special coupler up to use the torque tube with the Dana guts. Bear in mind, I was employed by Dana at the time so I had access to some engineering drawings and the like that helped greatly, (not to mention some "donated" parts). The machine work wasn't anything any reasonably skilled operator with a mill and lathe couldn't do. Not that hard if you're reasonably creative. I did need to set the preload and lash the same as you would do a stock Ford, playing with gaskets and jerking with the crush collar. I'll look if I still have any pics in my Photobucket if you're interested.
Very interested. I want a stock-looking banjo, no quick change, open driveshaft. I have an axle from a mid 40s truck.
I don't know about Ford torque tube rear ends, but the torque tube rears in the old Chevies I've owned always behaved like a posi rear, with both tires digging when put to work.
Winters and Champ have banjo type quick change rear ends that will handle horsepower. They cost less then converting an banjo with posi and better axles.
Heathen is onto something, here. The torque tube is part of the discussion...it is simply a huge ladder bar without the binding issues, and serves to plant the tires pretty well. On Fords with cross spring and on the old Chevies that had the axle attached to springs via a pivot the tube is the total torque control, so no worries about spring wrap and twist breaking tires loose, as happens with typical 2 spring truck type suspensions.
I very much agree. I'm a huge fan of torque tubes when set up properly. The Ford guts can be made to be pretty durable with the addition of a "slider" bolt to keep the ring gear from riding up over the pinion. I often wondered if you could retrofit a Richmond full locker in place of the Ford spider assembly using a set of 9" axles? Possibly the best of both worlds. The weak link for me in the Ford drivetrain has always been the universal joints. Anybody have any thoughts on that? I always use a long brake hose so I can pull the universal without dropping the brakes. This used to be the drivetrain of choice in the old days running in back of everything from Hemis to nailheads. I'm putting one in back of my Olds in my new roadster so I'm all ears here.
This was touched on in a different thread. This is what I learned. Post 72 and 73 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=822469&highlight=fed+crash&page=4
I'm looking at this one: http://www.wintersperformance.com/2013 Street Rod Catalog.pdf Would this look, on the outside, to all the world, like a true early axle, but with stronger guts hidden inside? "Please Note: Assembly uses Late Model style 28 or 31 Spline Axles & requires late style bearing ends machined and welded to Early Ford style tubes." Does this mean I can't use '39-'48 Ford hydraulic brakes? Finally, who sells just the center section? I can only find complete rear axle setups, to the tune of about $3000-$4000.
Hot Rod Works has a new axle conversion that is totally hidden inside the original brakes. Other than missing the old hub sticking out the center of your wheel, you can't tell it from an original banjo. This would be the solution to your "hidden" conversion.
I saw that. $1200. Plus $550 for the locker. Need late axles as well. I can see where a complete rear end is over three grand. I'm beginning to think I need to research what other rear ends were used in the late 50s...
I run this combo all the time. Just make sure the rear and trans are in good condition and you won't break a thing. I think this stuff gets a bad rap because guys grab a rear and trans with about a million miles on it and think they have a 9". You drive them a little different than a Camaro but no other combo is more fun to drive around town or on the open road. This used to be the drag racing setup that everybody used. If it will take a built Hemi or Nailhead that 283 ain't gonna' hurt it. I'm using this in my new roadster in back of a '56 324 Olds. My old beastie.....
The Jalopy Journal
