Technical Narrowing Rear End Question

Yes, I will concede that design does work ‘well enough’......I changed out a set of axles and bearings on an elderly friend’s older Lincoln Town Car (8.8” axle) a few years ago but it had at least a 100k as I recall. Conventional self contained bearings would have been about as much labor, but less money for parts and less scrap metal.

 

As I mentioned earlier, Sprite/Midget (42" track) and Triumph TR3 (45") are the only stock rear ends that you have a chance of finding in your local scrap yard, which can take maybe 3 and 5 times (respectively) the Crosley's torque. Another possibility for a rear you can easily narrow at home is from an old Jeep, which I think are Dana 44s. The differential is substantially offset, and the axle housings are pressed and welded to the diff case. The long side components can be replaced with a second set of short side pieces. I haven't measured these, but I'm guessing you could reduce the already narrow track by almost a foot. These rears commonly had two piece axles (separate hub attached to a tapered/keyed axle). I'm pretty sure later version had single piece, flanged axles.

To go off on a tangent:

Not only does the W196 engine have desmodromic valve gear, but is fabricated from sheet steel, like an early post-war Crosley.

I see that the roundcase you passed up goes for around $150,000, in concours shape.

I believe Crosley made a few motorcycles. Several home-made specials have been built.

 

My wife was thinking the very same thing.

 

I believe some forklift had 9 inch ford rear ends.

 

^^^^^ Golf Cart's

 

Older Taylor Dunn electric trucks have 9-inch rear ends, 5-on4-1/2" bolt pattern, and all.

They are chain-drive, to an over-axle motor, that bolts on to the pinion support bolts.

 

They used the keys hub on Jeeps until they built the J series in '63 or 4 on the trucks. They were still using Keys hubs after that on the CJ.

You won't find any of the mentioned Brit cars in any scrap yard around here. Way better off to just narrow a rear and be done with it.

 

Speedway Motors sells axles with extra long splines you can measure and cut to fit.

 

Not to bring back an old thread but more less a update and end to this. Got the vega rear shortened and stock axles resplined at Moser it was no problem has plenty of meat left on old axles to spline and cut c-clip into them. It's sitting in car and awaiting pinon angle adj and brake job.

 

I missed this originally. Glad to see you sorted it out. Now if only it was a Quickchange