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Hello, I have a '49 Ford F6 that's becoming a hot rod. I'd like to keep the 2 speed rear axle, and I was wondering if anyone knows if it's possible to re-gear it. I've done a lot of research but I've come up empty. I would like to have more highway friendly gears and keep the 5 lug wheels. Are there any diffs that will swap in fairly easily and have better ratios? Thanks,
Mike
Hi there Mike...if you find information will you PLEASE share it with me also???? I of course will share anything I might find for you and others. I have the 55 C600 Tool Truck and obviously mine has a 2 speed differential also. As soon as I can I will be removing the 5 lug x8 x20" "Widow maker wheels" and have the centers cut out and put into 22" tubeless rims..So I can keep the current look and mounting situation. I am hoping to regear the truck then also. My rear wheel tire and wheel assemblies need to be about an inch shorter than the current set up I now have. Unfortunately, the box now makes contact with the outside duals on some turns where there is a dip of some kind also present and that roll of the box making contact with the tire is chewing up the tread on my tires.I also look forward to being able to experience the nice ride I will have when I finally get to ride on radial tires instead of these while very strong and in nice tread shape except for mostly the now chunky treaded and pretty damaged passenger rear outside dual tread NYLON BIAS Tires . I ALSO dislike the "morning sickness" that happens.if I sit in one place for any time. These nylon constructed tires flat spot too much and it takes a 1/4 mile for them to round back out...When I am doing what I am supposed to be doing I see ten repair shops per day and these stops set the tires to being flat and thumping and riding very rough... Currently my freeway speeds are great. I keep up with San Diego Freeway traffic if there is no protracted incline involved...I fear when I take that diameter down maybe 2 inches from what it is now to fix the tire rub issue that I may loose my freeway speeds...The 272 Y block is working towards the max right now to do freeway speeds now any lower gearing will not be good. To combat the rubbing I will also put some bump stops above the differential housing to keep the box from rolling on turns. I will also add some air bags to help keep the 18 foot box outfitted as a mobile store from doing that rolling/ shifting making contact stuff . I wish the guy who put this box on had left more space between the box and the tire.... this has to change,
ETHYL the 1955 C600 Tool Truck...she carries a nice amount of weight...I like a nicely stocked mobile tool store...
the 22.5 size offers choices for how tall the assembly ends up so this is part of the solution.. I will also add a few leafs to the springs....but any info you find on gearing will certainly benefit me on what I choose to do to solve this big problem.
Greetings Mmeiers, welcome to FTE.
Your Eaton 1350 has very limited stock options for ring and pinion sets, but there are a couple more paths you can try to go down.
1) Randy's may have a custom gear set for you. https://www.ringpinion.com/
2) An auxiliary overdrive transmission, if you have the wheelbase room for one. Gear Vendors under/overdrive transmissions the most awarded auxiliary transmissions. Also, A good used Dana-Spicer 5831 three speed aux. transmission is available with some good overdrive ratios.
3) An axle swap? I think a Dana 70 from an old Dodge motorhome may have the same track width and lug pattern. You would lose the two-speed function but there is a wide variety of gear ratios to chose from (this is where the three speed aux. would be sweet).
Wow, thanks guys for all the great responses. Mytoolman, I also have the Firestone widow makers. No tire shops will touch these split rims, but the truck tire shops don't seem to have an issue with the split ring style wheels which are still fairly common in my area. This might be a cheaper alternative to the custom wheels and from what I understand are not nearly as dangerous as the split rims.
I sent an email to the ring and pinion guys, hopefully they'll have an answer. I am wondering though, if I change the ring gear, will the low speed ratio still be the same without changing the planetary gears?
Awesome, thank you all for the responses. I have the widow-maker wheels on my truck as well. No tire shops will touch these split rims but the truck tire shops don't mind the split ring type wheels. From what I understand they are much safer than the split rims because (correct me if I'm wrong) the tire pressure holds the ring down so it's almost impossible for it to blow off if it's assembled correctly. This might be a cheaper alternative to custom wheels, they're still fairly plentiful.
I sent an email to the ring and pinion guys, hopefully they will have some options. I am wondering though, if I change the ring gear, will the low ratio change in proportion to it or will the planetary gears need to be changed as well?
Forgot to mention, and it may be a moot point anyway, that you can shift the 5831 pneumatically with a switch valve on the gearshift stalk. Just like shifting the two-speed axle.
Welcome aboard! You're going to be very limited in what you can do depending on what you have. I selected 9.00-20 tires to get the larger diameter, PLUS I have an overdrive transmission that will give me about 2100RPM @60mph in top gear (using the 5.83/8.11 axle in Hi-range)
[ btw.......I SURE LOVE THAT RED AND BLACK C-600! ]
I was actually able to buy a complete 5.83/8.11--- used but good condition "pumpkin" several years ago for my Eaton 1350! (now all I need is a good housing!!)
Actually the way to "fix" any of our old trucks is to just "bite the bullet" and switch to a newer DANA 80 axle. It's good for the weight, ring and pinions are available for a wide variety of ratios, and you can put modern brakes on them.
You do lose the ability to keep your 5-lug BUDDS, but you can simply switch to modern 6-LUG wheels and modern 19.5 or 22.5 inch wheels and tires.
I can't switch now because I spent a LOT of money on 6 rebuilt lock-ring 20" wheels, 2 brand new 9.00-20" TOYO (tube-type) radials for the front and 4 "new" 9.00-20 recapped radials for the back.
Tube type radials drive really nice but I think I would have been happier with 19.5" tubeless radials all the way around!
Unless you want to switch to a newer axle, I think you're "stuck" with the older (low) ratio axles......and if you break one, you'll have to scrounge parts.
04-14-2018, 07:47 AM
