Title: Rear End Interchange
Post by: Chuck Lamn on January 25, 2006, 08:02:51 PM I have the cart in front of the horse as usual. I still havn't connected with my mechanic for the exact broken part that disconnected my engine and rear wheels but have a chance to pick up an entire rear end from a 50s 170V and have to move on the part while its available. With all likelyhood, I broke an axle u-joint and its lying in the rubber boot and thats why there's no noise. Possible that an axel sheared too. If I buy a whole rear, Its sure to contain what I need, if it will fit. I'm going to jump in and take a chance if its not too expensive.
Here's the 64 $ question. Will a post war rear fit up under my 38? Is there parts interchangability as to axels, housings, u-joints, pumpkin ect? Very likely it will be slightly different gearing and may be wider as the car grew in size and horspower but Florida is flat.
Post by: John Ellis on January 25, 2006, 08:25:56 PM I don't think that any version of the post war axles would fit...they all had different axle lenghts because the rear wheel track grew as follows:
170V - 1296mm
170Va - 1342mm
170Vb - 1360mm (hypoid with different length axles on left and right)
170S - 1420mm
170SCa - 1420mm
170Sb - 1435mm (hypoid with different length axles on left and right)
170S-V - 1435mm (hypoid with different length axles on left and right)
The only probable match would only be from the 170V (prior to 1950) but I don't have a parts book for the prewar models. Perhaps Henry can enlighten us.
Post by: Henry Magno on January 25, 2006, 10:18:00 PM
First a correction, the hypoid axles do not have different lenth axles from left to right. You are getting confused with the single joint swing axle.
I think you might be able to live with the 23mm per side track increase, but the another problem is the shock absorbers. The axle tubes for the lever shocks are different, so you would have to reuse the axles and tubes unless you convert to tube shocks. You can use the Va center section as a unit with the pre-war axles and tubes. I think all the u-joints are the same. One thing you cannot do is swap the side castings that hold the swing axle bushings from one case to another.
If the Va axle is easy to get, it might be a good idea to get it. I have axle parts, but no extra pre-war axle shafts and tubes. If your mechanic knows what is broken, it would certainly help find the right solution.
Post by: John Ellis on January 25, 2006, 11:42:25 PM
There is a right and left part number for the axles on the hypoid rear end, so my assumption was length. Thanks for the correction. As stated there are significant dimension changes for the various 170 versions that affect length, spline diameters etc.
