Ok, here is the scoop on the drag link (or center link as the flat rate manual has in parentheses). Both the Windsor and NY series use the same drag links, but there are two types: 1) No coupling type #1407997, 2) Coupling type #1328198. So if you can find a Windsor, or even a 54 Desoto(crosses) drag link, your in business. Just be sure it is the same as yours (coupling or no coupling). I would think the 53 Windsors, NY's, and Desotos might be the same. There you go, have fun! Don't know if Speedway might carry these items too.
Mitchell Motor Parts shows both those part numbers in stock. You're on your own for getting a price though. It won't be cheap... It's Mitchells... but they have it. http://www.mmpar.com/StoreVBVS2011/default.aspx
There's your answer. But you might want to look into whether or not the coupling types are used on both Gemmer hydraguide and Chrysler Coaxial type steering. Some of those older models did not use a coupling for the steering wheel shaft.
I called Mitchell Motor Parts and they told me one part number was for 6cy and one for 8cyl both about $350 each. Dont have that much cash so we are gonna make our own. Thanks for all the help. Still not sure if I have the hydraguide or coaxial type. any way you can visually tell the difference?
Has anyone ever put a more modern rear end in one of these cars. I have a sure grip 9 1/4 laying around and would like to up grade from the tapered rear end. What have you done to match the drive shaft to the 9 1/4? Thanks Eric
IF the oem shaft was a perfect fit in length and the u-joint was the only issue then you would have a slightly different 'repair' as opposed to a shaft length that needed fixin and the need to modify the shaft to bridge the gap and also include the new u-joint. .
Here is a pic of the coaxial unit. The hydraguide unit has two round cylinder type pieces side by side.
Thanks D2! I will have to check that out. On a side note all I have left now to get the car on the road is exhaust and back brakes, in which I need to decide between keeping orig axle and rebuilding the wheel cylinders (if we can get it to come apart) or putting a 9 1/4 in and adapting a drive shaft to work. I did get plates for the car this past monday.
all i have laying around is the 9 1/4. I will see if I can get my hands on a rear hub puller to get to brakes. If it fights us too much I imagine the 9 1/4 will go in. It is a 276 sure grip and so that would be a great cruising gear for the car.
Anyone know the track width of the 54 rear axle, off hand? The original drive shaft rear u joint looks like the bearing housings are screwed into the the pinion flange. Those "caps" looks to be a lot larger then the modern u-joint caps, does anyone know if the caps in the drive shaft are the same size as modern u-joint caps? Am I crazy to think maybe a modern u-joint will fit into the original driveshaft end? Gene
It's a lot easier to rebuild the brakes than change rear axles. The parts are available thru your local NAPA or other good parts store. If you want to skip pulling the hubs you can just take the drums off like a modern car. This involves cutting off the rivets, the first time you do it. The hubs will come off but you need a serious puller to do it, especially after they have been wedged on there for 50 years.
Tell me about it. I worked on my rear brakes back in 2002, and the left side was a cinch, but the right was downright awful. I rented a hammerhead type hub puller, and after hammering on the damn thing, I almost gave up and just for a joke hit the center of the puller, and the drum and hub came off. But that was the easy part, the axle was even more difficult. I ended up making a puller using some galvanized pipe couplers and cap. Drilled a hole in the cap and used the axle nut itself as a puller. It would still not come off, so I bought an eight foot long pipe to put over my breaker bar. Heated up the housing with a propane torch and then used the pipe/breaker bar and finally the pop was heard! I got the axle and bearing off. Putting it back together was pretty easy. In place of the pipe/breaker bar, an impact wrench might work also.
I will probably end up biting the bullet and having the local shop do the exhaust for $450. I have one shop that is suppose to come buy and give me an estimate, so Im kinda waiting to see what they say.
For that price, I can buy a tubing bender, along with pipe and mufflers and do it myself. Probably save a lot of money too.
It is a fairly straight shot to the back of the car with very little in the way. The issue we have is we cant get the bolts out of the manifold. The only way we can get them out is by torching them and for some reason my dad doesnt want to be laying underneath where he is cutting lol. If we had a lift we would cut the bolts and probably get a universal exhaust kit for $150 off ebay or something.
If we cut off the rivets, what will center the drums on the hubs? Unlike the newer stuff, there is about a 1/4" gap between the center of the drum and the axle register. With this still having the screw in wheel bolts, I don't see anything that will keep the drums in place except the wheel lug bolts, the rivets are what centers the drum to the hub from what I see. I'm thinking I really don't like the idea of the screw in wheel bolts taking the load of the stopping power on the rear of the car. If there were pressed in studs, that might be OK, but with screw in bolts? I suppose we could remove the rivets and drill and tap small holes to bolt the drum to the hub, the combo of the drilled and tapped holes and the screw in wheel studs might work but I'd be concerned. Gene
Get a hub/drum puller at a rental yard. I used the hammerhead type and it works ok. Use a good sledge hammer on the puller, then hit the center and it should pop off. Getting the axle and bearing out is a little harder, but do-able. I can take some pics of the removal tool I came up with for axle removal. (If you are doing the brakes, do the axle bearings and two seals (each side)).
We just found a hub puller this afternoon. Tomorrow we will probably begin beating on things! So am I to understand that the rear wheel bearings are not lubed by the axle lube? Sounds like your saying after we get the hub off we need to pull the axle and repack the bearings and replace axle seals? How often are you suppose to repack the rear wheel bearings? What do we have to do to pull the axles to get to the bearings? That modern rear axle is sounding better everyday..........Gene
To grease the rear wheel bearings there is a plug on the axle housing between the backing plate and the spring, pull the plug and screw in a grease fitting and give it pump or two (the FSM says 1/2 ounce of grease every two years or 20000 mi) dont over do it or you'll push grease past the seal and contaminate the brakes.
Why, well what do you think the brakes are going to look like after getting the drum off? Might be full of axle oil. All I am saying is you are half way there, why not do the complete job and put new bearing and seals in? Your choice. Mine was leaking and I like to do as much as I can, especially when the hub/drum is a bear to get off. BTW: I lubed my rear axle bearing using a rubber nose cone type fitting for the grease gun. Just remove plug and press the nose cone up against the hole and fill with grease, then replace plug.
I've never done it myself (I have a factory hub puller) but have heard of guys doing it. I suppose you would thread the rivet holes and fasten the drums with machine screws. Once the drum is squeezed between the wheel and hub it shouldn't move no matter how hard you use the brakes.
We used our borrowed hub puller tool this morning. The main reason for pulling the rear hubs was because one of the rear wheel cylinders was leaking. About a week ago, I loosened the big nut a turn or two on the side that had the leaking cylinder, and we have driven the car up & down the street (about a block from the shop and back). I was told that driving it would break the hub loose, but it had not yet. We installed the puller on the hub with the lug bolts and screwed the big screw against the axle shaft. The big screw has a 1 1/4 hex head that the pounding lever slides onto. I snugged up the screw with my 1/2" impact gun and the hub popped loose! The second side put up a bit more of a battle, I had to drag out the 8 lbs sledge. Beat the lever around a bit, smacked the end with the sledge, and repeated the process. On the 3rd round the second hub popped off Once the drums were off we discovered 1 leaking wheel cylinder and 1 set of shoes that had the loose lining running around inside the drums, free from the shoes, on one side, and a fairly new (it was still bare metal color) and paper thin lining still bonded to the shoes on the other side. We have discovered that none of the auto parts supply hoses can get replacement shoes (including NAPA and the local old paper book guys). We are waiting for a quote for relining our shoes from the local paper book guys. We have located 2 sources online for shoes, Roberts Motor Parts and Andy (whatever his last name is). Both of those are suppose to have shoes in stock for around $80 shipped to us (both places quoted about the same price, neither wants the cores!), then we still have to rebuild the wheel cylinders (about $20 each kit, O'Rillery's has the cylinder kits about 1/2 the price of NAPA). The shoes will take about a week to get here, once ordered. With the Jefferson swap meet going on this weekend, he will probably hold off making a decision until he sees if he can find anything there. We have that Mopar 9 1/4 rear axle sitting here, and I have a buddy that has offered us a Ford 8" rear axle from a Maverick. The only cost would be whatever the U bolts and rear U joint would cost. Now we are sitting on the fence again. Fix the existing brakes or upgrade the rear axle to something modern. The car is rear brakes, exhaust, and tires from being drivable, but we will probably replace the wiring before he gets serious. He did buy plates, and only needs to call his insurance guy to be legal. Gene
It feels like you are trying to make everything as hard as possible! i just replaced the wheelbearings seals and brakecylinders and brakeshoes on my 1956 dodge, i got all the parts from Kanter, I can promise you that it´s much easier to fix the original axel than to replace it with something else that involves a lot of fabrication. Do it once and do it right! Sigge
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