Register now to get rid of these ads!

Technical Torque tube centre bearing

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by novaskilling, Oct 18, 2021.

  1. novaskilling
    Joined: Jul 8, 2018
    Posts: 150

    novaskilling

    Im currently getting ready to mock up my 40 banjo in my model A chassis. I will need to shorten my torque tube and driveshaft to fit behind my 39 3 speed and flathead. My question is, can i shorten my torque tube at the centre bearing and eliminate it all together? or will eliminating it cause more problems than replacing the centre bearing? Also wondering when running Bruces rod shop rear seal is it necessary to replace the front seal in the torque tube?

    chris.
     
  2. rusty valley
    Joined: Oct 25, 2014
    Posts: 3,883

    rusty valley
    Member

    Model A's are short enough to run a solid shaft, no bearing. You need the seal at the front to keep the grease in the front bearing and u joint area. replace the front bearing race while you are in there
     
  3. Glenn Thoreson
    Joined: Aug 13, 2010
    Posts: 928

    Glenn Thoreson
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    Not sure on this but I have seen info on using an earlier (34 -36?) rear end to do what you want to do with no modification. The toque tube is shorter it seems. You can still use your '40 brakes.
     
  4. novaskilling
    Joined: Jul 8, 2018
    Posts: 150

    novaskilling

    Perfect thank you so much! This was the answer I was hoping to find on here.
     

  5. novaskilling
    Joined: Jul 8, 2018
    Posts: 150

    novaskilling

    Sadly banjo rears and torque tubes are rather hard to find here. Took me a while to track down this one. Most that are around are open drive parallel leaf banjos. I’ll keep my eyes open until I get to the point of cutting though! Thank you
     
  6. Glenn Thoreson
    Joined: Aug 13, 2010
    Posts: 928

    Glenn Thoreson
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    An added thought - the stock Model A rear is strong enough to handle a '39 engine for most uses. Not the thing for high horse modified engines,of course. My avatar car is running a Model A rear with '40 Ford hydraulic brakes behind a strong running but stock '49 V8. No problems.
     
  7. dmar836
    Joined: Oct 23, 2018
    Posts: 357

    dmar836
    Member

    I'm new to all this but am building an AV8 with '39 trans and a '40 rear. When mocking everything up to find motor mount position I decided it better for me to drop a Model A rear end and torque tube in so that I have a standard that I could always come back to. Later with the engine and trans mounts set I can shorted the '40 TT to replace the A rear end. Not sure if the rest of your drive train is in and set but if not I figured if I build it all around the engine position with a shortened '40 TT and blow out the '40 rear I might not be able to drop in the easier to find Model A rear end for a quick repair. Having everything shortened to a Model A standard simplifies it for me. Hope that makes sense but may not apply to your scenario.
    D
     
  8. novaskilling
    Joined: Jul 8, 2018
    Posts: 150

    novaskilling

    that makes a lot of sense to me actually. Im completely new to this also. I was looking at millworks hot rods bolt in motor mounts that use the stock shock location. was going to base everything off of mounting my motor there. Can i ask did you get your motor and trans placed using the model A banjo? if so where did it end up in the chassis?
     
  9. Actually - listing your where abouts on your profile - where you live - often nets a HAMB'r that might be close by - with the parts you need......
     
    rusty valley likes this.
  10. novaskilling
    Joined: Jul 8, 2018
    Posts: 150

    novaskilling

    Done! Thanks!
     
  11. lodaddyo
    Joined: May 5, 2002
    Posts: 1,250

    lodaddyo
    Member

    I eliminated the center bearing when I shortened the torque tube and driveshaft on my Av8 build. no issues so far
     
  12. dmar836
    Joined: Oct 23, 2018
    Posts: 357

    dmar836
    Member

    I did get mine set just this week thanks to some members with parts I was missing. I made my motor mounts from 2”X 3” tubing I had. I am using an 8BA so space is even more at a premium. The mounts are just about touching the front crossmember. Plan to add ears to the rear side of the mounts to bolt to the frame web and weld the front side to the front cross as well as welding across the top. I will likely be moving my radiator forward a bit unless I go with an electric fan. I’ll also need to notch the 28/29 firewall a bit.
    In my case the choice was either to decide where I wanted the engine(and whether to use one or two belts) or decide where I wanted the 40’ rear with shortened TT. I wanted the drivetrain all bolted together before I committed to the engine and radiator location. Using the 28/29 rear and TT, which works with my 39 trans and v8 clamshell/u-joint, just leaves me with more options. I might just run that at first and add in the 40 rear later.
    D
     
  13. Russco
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 4,327

    Russco
    Member
    from Central IL

    I also shortened my ‘40 TT for my old AV8 coupe with a quick change rear. I used a shortened 40TT and I made the drive shaft from a kit that Spadaro used to sell. It was behind a pretty healthy 286 Flathead. I did not use the center bearing in it either. I did twist the driveshaft up like a pretzel once. I rebuilt it with heavier wall 4130 after that. and never had any more issues.
    AE5E60AD-6C5F-4428-B1C6-49955143AADB.jpeg
     
    kadillackid and rusty valley like this.
  14. dmar836
    Joined: Oct 23, 2018
    Posts: 357

    dmar836
    Member

    No offense but that ERW tubing almost looks like exhaust pipe.
    Wonder if that, as it was, was much stronger than stock?
    D
     
  15. rusty valley
    Joined: Oct 25, 2014
    Posts: 3,883

    rusty valley
    Member

    There was some talk on the barn. about those kits that Dick sold a while back, and yes it was discovered that the tubing was slightly thinner wall than stock ford. They seemed to work, as I had not heard of one failing until @Russco showed us his
     
  16. Cliff Ramsdell
    Joined: Dec 27, 2004
    Posts: 1,343

    Cliff Ramsdell
    Member

    @novaskilling I shortened a 42 torque tube and solid driveshaft for my model A build years ago and I removed the center bearing and have had no issues running it over the years.

    Cliff Ramsdell
     
  17. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    No offense but that ERW tubing almost looks like exhaust pipe.
    Wonder if that, as it was, was much stronger than stock?
    D

    <<Out west we call that "Muffler Moly!">>:cool:
     
    rusty valley likes this.
  18. Russco
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 4,327

    Russco
    Member
    from Central IL

    Yeah , I don’t remember the specifics, but seems like it was .064 or something close to that. There was a big discussion on here when it happened, Dick was a great , very smart man I didn’t blame him at all on that deal. Seems like I rebuilt it with the same ends and used 1.250 OD 4130 tube and it was bullet proof after that. I’ve never been accused of being easy on my hot rods when I drive them either. Dick had a theory that if the Torque Tube wasn’t perfectly straight the shaft would flex and get weak. I don’t think that’s what happened on that but who knows?
    I had put many miles on the car both before and after this happened on the same torque tube. The car was all over the Midwest back then.
     
    dmar836 and rusty valley like this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.