I have an opportunity to use a great 40 rear end with 3:74 gears , and it would be going into 30 A' coupe. Currently there is no torque tube or drive shaft and I am looking for one - yes - I know I'll need to shorten both to work. Granted an open driveshaft would be somewhat easier, but what have you all come up with to keep the rear end from rolling forward and wrapping the stock style radius rods around the axle tubes? The solution doesn't need to be all that traditional, just that it looks right, works well, and can be fabricated at home in a well equipped shop? I'm open to suggestions, so school me please
I have a build thread named 39 ford conv build. I’m adding two more bars to triangulate the rear radius rods. I’m not done yet, so I haven’t run it, but I think it’s going to work well. Check it out.
Sorry, but I did - the problem with the search feature is that if you don't use every word exactly, the there are no search results, so after trying several combinations with no luck I decided to ask the members for their help. I apologize if I offended you or took up some of your time.....
If you are using an early Ford three speed, there is no easier and stronger combo than a torquetube. Ridiculous to redesign the perfect drivetrain. There's absolutely no bind, and the thing is stronger than any locating arms you can build or buy.
Without knowing every single detail of my build & my situation, often times answers come to questions never asked..... I'm building an A' coupe; OHV on a new Burtz engine, and a T-5 with a torque tube adapter, and a Kwi-Wi quick change rear end - or - a done B' block with a flathead, a rebuilt 39 trans, and a done 40 rear end that currently has no torque tube & driveshaft (presently looking for them) I already know that the torque tube and driveshaft will need to be shortened, or I can buy a Speedway 40 open drive line adapter and work on that. It probably appears that there are 2 builds going on at the same time, but the Burtz is not even shipped & probably a year off, so I am looking ahead to the situation of the rear end, long before I would ever be needing it. I also have a second frame on which many of these modifications / changes / up grades can and will be used, if and when I decide to just swap out the body rather than just build a different car. There are literally hundreds of years of experience and knowledge here for the asking, and I'm always amazed at the approach to problems that people will take to solve problems we present.
Sounds like a waste of time and money if you already have the torque tube adapter for the T-5 in place. I'd just go with a properly shortened torque tube and then radius rods of choice. That may be what you find as being easiest to fasten to the rear end as they don't have very serious work to do when you have a nice solid torque tube. More of a keeps the axle from wanting to twist at the torque tube thing then.
That’s one of my pet peeves. Threads that are not identified properly that have great info when you read them the first time but when trying to do a search for them later due to a great how-to, for example, has a title like “ Look what I did on the weekend”! I try to be specific in my thread titles but sometimes screw up none the less.
Truthfully If I were running an open banjo and I started another post because I am still confused as to what you really want I would go with a set of rear ladder bars From Rjays or another chassis parts builder and have something that worked. Rjays Speed Shop - Ladder Bar Kit, Ladder Bar Kit, Hot Rod Chassis The Banjo rear I have out in the shed with the A or T spring on top is set up for a similar set of ladder bars. I traded my buddy a Nova 10 bolt for it 40 years ago and it will probably go under a T modified.
I'm running a T5 behind my flathead and a open drive converted 37 banjo. I used the stock bones plus a third link that mounts to the top passenger side of the banjo and pivots from the same front mounting point as the radius arms. In my application that point is a heavy duty crossmember that also serves as the transmission mount. They are held by a 3/4" high grade bolt in double shear. The third link uses a hiem joint at each end of an either an inch or inch and a quarter length of tubing and can be adjusted. The radius rod ends are bushed and grease able at the pivot. The third link mount on the banjo is made from a steel plate that catches 4 of the banjo side housing bolts. These three links create a triangle of sorts that allows the rear axle to move thru its suspension arc but not wrap the axle. A side benefit in my case is that you never see the 3rd link unless you crawl under the car. I have had this setup on a 27 T roadsters for over 10 years with no less than 30k miles with no problems. This includes my early 20's when I was pretty hard on the old girl. Having said all that... The original torque tube design is stronger and has a more free range of motion. I did it so I could use the T5, but beings you already have a torque tube adapter for the T5 I would use it.
I agree with mr48 chev in that if you already have the torque tube adapter for the t5, the most logical choice would be to modify the torque tube and drive shaft to fit. If you’re going to use the stock 39 trans, again, the most logical choice would be the torque tube route. I’m only going the route that I am because I’m using a Tremec t170, and it’s much cheaper for me to modify some radius rods and mounting than to adapt the t170 to accept a torque tube.
Both of these would use a torquetube rearend. Why would you consider anything else? Installing any old Ford rearend into an A except for the original is going to require a shortened torquetube and driveshaft. So just find any torquetube from 37-48 and shorten it. If you can find a tube driveshaft from a 32-34 they are easy to shorten by machining the coupler from the later rears and welding it into the shortened tube. Any competent machine shop can handle it. The parts might cost you $100 if you have to have them in a hurry. If you can shop around, they could probably be found for free. The labor might cost another $100, or if you have a buddy (like I do) it's probably a short afternoon's work and bring him a case of beer (or a bucket of golf balls like my buddy likes).
Thanks for the help and references to posts and also pictures, as I can see the locations and attachments now. It eventually allows me another option that I can choose from.
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