Technical Quick change drivability/noise on long trips

I am considering running quick change for my phaeton project. Have heard good things about the rodsville unit.

50s style build
Small bock with 275-300 hp max
T5 being my period correct cheat
Bias skinnies


Was planning to run a banjo, but prefer the look of the q/c. It would really show up under the back of the tub.

I doubt I will ever use it to change gear sets... Just being the honest -would be-poser that I am.

My big concern is the noise. I've heard/ read most avid hot rod guys say it just adds to the vibe of the car. I want to be able drive this car on 1000 mile trips and don't want to regret my decision on a long road trip with a headache from the noise.

Is gear whine similar to a exhaust drone on a long trip?

I'm Planning on a folding top and side curtains, which I'm sure I will use/ need at times on a long trip to insulate wind noise and weather.

YouTube only had one video I could find. The gear whine was all you could hear...not sure how accurate of a representation that was.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

 

Exhaust drone is a resonance frequency that shakes the air in an unpleasant way effecting the whole car, ear plugs only help partially.

Gear whine is just nuisance noise.
Although you might get tired of hearing nuisance noises its not really fatiguing like a nasty drone.

 

So you are worried about noise in a hot rod. This post gives me a headache.

 

Mine straight cut gears howl like a siren.

 

helical Q/C gears this thread has some info.

 

I believe at one time you could buy angle cut quick change gears, they were made in a few ratio's for the noise issue for cruising Hot Rods. Suggest you call around and ask the different Quick change companies if they are available for their unit, ask directly for the right info. Hope this helps you. Straight cut gears definitely are noisy, if you want quiet cruising, listening to tunes, A Quicky might not be for you. John

 

Ya, thanks for all but one of the replies so far.

Im am not looking for a quiet cruising street rod. Its an open early A and noise will be present regardless. I will probably be running glass packs behind the small block.

I just don't have anything to reference the sound too...

Is the wine similar in noise and volume of mild blower?

I am considering this as a splurge to my tight budget, money could be spent elsewhere on the car to add to the cool factor. Just trying to make the right decision!

Thanks again fellas!

 

Some are noisy and others not so much. Had a Champ unit in a roadster that could be heard a block away. One in a RPU that was almost as bad, and the one in my tub can't hardly hear. All with straight cut gears. The noise is always behind you, so it's not bad really.

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I've got a Winters Quick Change in a 54 Stude wagon (seen elseware on this site). So the sounds echo on for days...!

The interesting thing is (no...ones mentioned), that you can vary the sound by what you are doing with the gas pedal...!

Hard on the pedal produces one sound, light on the pedal produces another, in the "high vacuum" mode, there is hardly any gear whine at all, the backed off of the throttle, produces a different sound..!
So...at any given time, it can be noisy, or it can be fairly quiet.

So far (about 4 years, and many miles), I'm happy with my Winters axle.

Mike

 

I drove from my home in MI to the Rodders Journal Show in Baltimore, MD and back. No radio just a quickie and exhaust out the back no mufflers. Initial driving you may take note of the whine but it's not annoying at all. As far as reliability? Just as much as a traditional axle.

 

Helicial cut gears are the way to go for street, if you are concerned about noise. I run helical gears in my Speedway Eng. champ QC and the only time I'm reminded of the noise is decelerating through about 35 to 25 mph. Depending on what ratio you run, and if the big gear is on top, or bottom, will make a difference in where the noise comes in. In the past I have run a helical cut block out set, (same gear top and bottom), and this can give no noise at all, depending on the wear on the gears. heavier gear oil, 120wt, can help reduce noise as well. Speedway Engineering can get you any set you want.

 

I put more than a few thousand miles on my coupe with a Winters V8 quick change with straight cut gears. It wasnt really that noticeable, even cool at a certain highway speeds sounded like a high pitched Jet turbine whine but not nearly as annoying or loud as the wind noise of a Model A coupe at 75 MPH.

 

While the qiickie noise subject is open, let me ask this ; What ratio R & P do most of you run.??.From what I gather most q/c's use R&P's are in the 4's
Would a R&P ratio in the 3's make less noise ? and are ratios like that available ?

 

An old friend of mine had a beautiful 'Track T' that he built, complete with Culver City V8 Quicky.
The howl of the rear was horrendous. We were in a chopped Merc, running behind him.
Super loud, even with windows up.
When we stopped for gas, I told him that was NOT the 'whine of a quick change, even with straight cut gears. He said he thought the noise was getting quieter, maybe it was 'wearing in'!
About 25 miles down the road the rear was smoking, we came up alongside when the pinion climbed up on the ring, and the final shaft ripped the housing in half.

He had good insurance, the 'T' went up on the back of a then-modern rollback tow truck.

 

I've run mine since '87. In an open car, the wind noise and exhaust (too loud), drowns out any gear whine at speed. Slow down and you can hear it. It's more noticeable to people outside and away from the car. I have straight gears (3A) and cleaned up the top corner of the teeth to a slight angle on the leading and trailing edge. Does it help? Don't know, but it sounded like a good idea back then. I don't have first hand knowledge of the helical cut gears, but somewhere read where they induce a thrust force into the rear cover. A modern day mfg. should be able to clarify that.

 

My car is a coupe and it was kind of annoying before the interior and insulation and windows. But now its awesome, i love the way the pitch changes as i shift gears. Its not bad on the highway or on long trips.

 

Please note that Winters offers super quiet gears now and you will be guaranteed reduced whining from your rear end. I agree with most that the noise goes with the look but Winters now has solved that problem. I don't think the gears fit the Rodsville but I don't know that for sure. My Halibrand champ is very noisy and would be a pain in the ass on a long trip unless you are deaf like me. If you have driven a roadster with the top down for a long trip then you know you can't hear for a few hours afterwards anyway.

You can't beat the looks IMHO!
Lynn

 

Like weedburner said, it's the loudest if your driving in an open car behind yourself...

 

Put a Quick Change in it, set it up tight, and buy good gears. Helicals are the quietest but do end load the bearings in the cover and lower shaft.

Definitely does not need to be excessively loud.

 

I always remember hearing Butch Martin passing me on the way home from Timonium. I have no mufflers so noise is not a problem but I doubt that I would enjoy a long trip with a quicky. He was behind me on the interstate at speed and I could hear him coming.

 

Awesome feedback! Thanks fellas...

Sounds like it's not to bad, as long as the gears are set up properly.

Maybe I can find somebody at bowling green HRR or beatersville willing to take me for a spin before I have to decide.

 

if you have to ask you won't like it...

 

I guess it must depend on the set up then because mine was barely noticeable. In town there was ZERO noise, only at highway speeds and then it couldn't really be heard over the exhaust and wind noise unless I played around with it at certain speeds. I had people driving behind me that said they could hear it on the highway. I've heard that some were much louder though.

 

We will be racing in the 7.0 class at the HHR...... And I'll have my coupe there as well..... My coupe has pipes with baffles...not a silent engine by no means.... Helical gears in rear and I wouldn't have it any other way...come by and see us.
And FYI .....the coupe just came off an over 3000 mile road trip with no problems with a QC





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Thanks goatroper, I'll definitely look you up. That is a gorgeous color on your coupe!

 

I have driven thousands of miles with a quick change. In the roadster I can barely hear it at freeway speed,the coupe is a little noisier inside but it is part of the the experience. All the noises, rumbles and sounds are a part of why it is fun to drive these things, you won't regret it if you go with a quick change.

 

I wonder... how many folks who want to run / or are running a QC are doing it just for the looks? Or do you plan to race / are racing now and want to change gears from street to strip, or to fine tune things at the track? If the former, why not just put a std diff inside a QC case - assuming if it can be done? Only your dentist will know for sure. Gary

 

Why not fill a bra with silicone and call it breast tissue?

 

Lol

Think of it this way Gary.....you see a good looking girl walking down the street....as she walks by you turn to check out the rear......the look is from front to back on a hotrod.....same as a good looking girl....

Little info...

STD R&P sets for a Winters Champ QC are 4.12/4.57/4.86

With a locker like mine has they come with a 4.12 R&P
and there are only 3 helical gear sets to choose from(prob 50 different sets for straight cut gears)....which give you 3.19/3.32/3.43 final with the 4.12 R&P and a 1:1 high gear in the trans or 4.94/5.11/5.32 if you flop the top and bottom.....Ive got overdrive so I chose the 3.43 with a 31 tall tire....So ive the best of both worlds...... plenty of giddy-up and 1800 rpm at 70 mph..... Of course Ive enough engine that even at a 2.40 final ...going up and down hills you never have to take it out of OD..... Oh and how about 18 mpg with 4 carbs and a blower....and that's running a steady 75-80 mph

 

Yes, but the reason it's called a quick change is so that you can change gears quick, at the track. If you aren't using that feature at all, then you are just putting in a QC just to say you have one, because you think it's traditional, or you have a couple of extra grand to spend for the "look." That's all I'm saying. Why put up with the any extra noise, or leaks, or whatever other little "inconveniences" that may also come with a QC if you don't plan to race your car on grudge night at the drags, test n tune days, autocross, etc.? There must be something else to talk about while bench racing. Gary