I'm wanting to gather parts for a one day quick change....Plan on using a Winters centre with 9" axles and brakes.The bells i've come across(42-48) are too wide,so my question is seeing as i'll be fitting new bearing housings,am i able to shorten the bells to the earlier type width.I'm unsure how much they taper at the ends.Cheers!
IMO, if you want to use 9" rear axles and brakes, you should check out what Winters, Frankland, and the rest offer in the way of side bells with axle tube set up for what you're wanting to use. No way without a completely tooled up machine shop are you going to accomplish your goal. And trust an old dirt tracker who used QCs and is also a retired machinist with 50 years of experience, if you find a shop that can/will do the job properly it'll cost way more than what they're selling already made up and semi-mass produced, at least partially on automated equipment. Dave
The 42 -48 Ford bells work just fine. I use the 37 - 48 on all of the QC's I do. There are many shops in the LA area that can do it for you or you can do it yourself. I use big bearing ends from a nine inch axle or billet ends from Dutchman. You can cut the ends off of the axle tubes to meet your specifications and using an axle alignment bar weld the ends to the housing. You must have an alignment bar to do the job correctly. Frantic Fred has the tools and charges $150 for the job. Dutchman charges $200 for the complete job. If you are a good welder you can do it yourself. Speedway and Winters sell the completed unit as mentioned above but I prefer the early Ford axle tubes for the "look". Here are some photos of each. Enjoy the noise!
OK Pewsplace, looks as if you and I are talking apples and oranges! You are referring to V8-6 spline units, and I had Champ type 10 splines in mind! With the V8 unit, I agree with you, piece of cake. However, if he's talking about a Champ type unit, he'll need adaptor plates to adapt down to the V8 size side bells. And by the time you buy those, then do the work you outlined to a set of V8 side housings and tubes, you would come out better to buy the side bells and installed tubes that are all ready to use from the people who offer it already made up to fit their rear center section. Dave On edit: I see that the QC in the far right pix is of a Champ type, and has those adaptors I mentioned added to each side.
On my Model T project I used the Winters/Spadero V8 QC with 46 axle housings and the late axle kit from the Hot Rod Works. They sell two kits. One that retains the stock brakes and spring hangers. And one that uses new axle housing ends and requires new spring hangers. The complete kits includes splined side gears, axles, seals, hardware, and new housing ends or bearing adapter blocks. They will sell the parts individually. The splined side gears are a real problem solver. A pair of the axle ends and a set of the side gears could go international parcel post. The 46 axle housings that I used are about 1" longer (2" overall) than the earlier housings. These housings, with the stock hangers, also work with the Posies narrow Model A style spring. Here is a link to some pictures of my project and my QC/late axle adaptation. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ratpoison/sets/72157601679531790/
Thanks for the info.I probably didnt make myself clear enough,i'd like to use the V8 centre kit that enables 28 or 31 spline axles.At this stage the cost is a big factor(these things aint cheap huh?)So while my chassis is in the build stage i'd like to mock up and make the neccesary mods so i could bolt in a QC at a later date.I think 42-48 will be to wide for a 32,hence my query.But after reading maybe i should just wait for the right width to come along? Nice pics Pewsplace!
Hang on to that wide axle. If you are going to build a QC rear you will need a donor ring, pinion, and carrier. And with old parts, it is best to have a couple of options to chose from. Also, I suggest you mount up some wheels and take some actual measurements. The later axles are about 2" wider overall. That is not much. You might find the additional width beneficial.
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