Can anyone ID what this came out of? It is evidently a Dana 41, and from the old speedometer/tire diameter/ RPM test it has about a 4.50:1 gear in it. Also curious why it has these little dimples that are seeming to "weep" fluid. I noticed it when I replaced the gear oil and hit it with some brake cleaner and wiped it down, but now it looks like this. I guess if I have to I can just put a few tacks on them...any thoughts?
Those dimples are welds. I don't think they are supposed to weep oil. Probably need to clean them very well and reweld them.
Those are the plug welds that keep the tubes from turning in the center section. As has been mentioned, they need to be re-welded. Your gear ratio is 4.27:1. That ratio is commonly found in the International Scout 80 and the Ford F-1 pickup.
To my recollection, the Scout had two-piece axle shafts, with the hub portion bolting on. I cannot remember what the F-1 had, although the interwebs seems to indicate that they were one-piece.
If you show us the whole thing, we might be able to figure it out...Dana rears were used in most makes of vehicles, so knowing it's a Dana 41 won't get us too far. But if it has things that look like it might be from an old Ford truck (5.5" wheel bolt pattern, for example) that might help the identification. We have very little to go on right now.
Ford F1s and Willys jeeps were done with 41s, in favor of 44s, by the early 50s. I do not remember exact years. Early Cj3s had 41s, late had 44s. I do not believe Scouts ever had a 41, but could be wrong. Jeeps had tapered shafts,iirc, the F1s had one piece. Edit, both Ford and Willys went to Dana 44s by late 1950, or so a quick check tells me.
Yup, you are correct. I am confusing my old 4x4 stuff. Scout 80s had a 44 with 2-piece axles. I stopped working on 4x4 stuff about 20-years ago, and it has all gone to mush.
Ok- thanks so far- more info and questions… Here is a shot of the front of the housing. BP is 5x5.5. These little tacks are what hold the axle tubes in place? Can I also tack the tube to the housing? Why did they not do that at the factory? Is this something that just “happens” or is it a result of a harsh suspension? Thanks again.
It's probably an F1 Ford pickup rear end. Some of the gear sets had the manufacture date stamped on the ring gear, you'd have to pull the cover off to see it. Also they usually had a "build" number stamped on top of one of the axle tubes, which could give you more info if you can find any data somewhere...I've seen a list of build number applications for newer Dana/Spicer rears, but nothing that old. The welds...that's how it's held together, it's a very common way to build a rear end. The tubes are pressed into the cast center section, then rosette welded in several places. Who knows how much abuse it suffered in the truck it was originally installed in, then as a hot rod rear. You might want to clean it completely and see if there are cracks in the welds.
Should I hit it with the rounded end of a die grinder burr bit? I watched a quick video of a guy doing it to a 12 bolt Chevy rear and he said to keep the weld cool but smack it with a ball peen hammer. Is this what is recommended? Can I tack where the tube meets the housing, also? Thanks again.
If you think you're going to twist the center in the axle tubes because you have a hard launching drag race car, then you might want to weld the tubes fully. But I doubt that's the case. I haven't tried to fix the rosette welds, I don't know what is best for doing that. If you don't see any cracks, you might consider just sealing it, but I don't know what your long term plans for the car are...perhaps it needs to be fixed right, perhaps it just has to look pretty.
Oh God no! There is nothing being launched here. It’s a Y block from the late 50s, with a three speed Toploader behind that, and this one legged rear end completing the package. I guess my short-term goal is to just drive it. It looks like only one of them is really leaking, but it also looks like it’s at the same level as my filler plug so maybe it will only leak so much anyway. I took the filler plug out last night and it is definitely still full. I might just hit this with a couple of tacks and see what happens. I have toyed with the idea of putting a 9 inch in it, but really just wanna drive it.
Don't know if it's the same, but my uncle blew several rear ends in his 50/51 Ford/w flatty V8. They must not have been very strong. Hopefully, I'll have better luck with the Dana 44 in my 55 Tbird.
Normal Ford cars from 49-56 used a Ford rear, it was pretty weak. The trucks/mercs/tbirds got the Dana, which is stronger.
I have watched the video below.. there’s a couple things I wasn’t sure about and wanted opinions from you guys… My first experience with welding was on exhaust pipes and it didn’t take long to realize that if the heat is just a little too high I was going to blow through it- he keeps saying not to let the housing get too hot but then gets it way hotter than I would have thought a bunch of tack welds for closing up pin holes should get- what’s your thought? Short duration tacks shouldn’t bother the bearings that he is concerned about either, right? Should that be a concern? Should I hit MY fresh welds with the hammer like him? Thanks in advance.
Figured I'd follow up...I watched some videos and stressed myself out about overheating the cast or not getting it hot enough...I had suggestions to use JB Weld or RTV... Finally I went out there and hit it with brake cleaner and a wire wheel and figured that if all I'm doing is "topping off" the old weld filler it will take longer to mix up the JB Weld than it would to just buzz it with the Miller. I kept the heat low and made some HIDEOUS tacks but the ones I addressed are dry now...and the cast housing stayed COLD to the touch. Thanks to all.
The Jalopy Journal
