split housing gear change
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: long island
split housing gear change
I guess my first posting was not a big hit because no one replied. Hopefully I have more luck with this one.....I have a 53 f250 with the stock 4:86 split housing rear end. I was wondering if there is any place to buy gears for it to change the ratio????? I was looking to put in something more like in the 3's. Would it be easier for me to swap to a ford 9"?? I have a creaper gear and figured that if I changed the gearing a little it would improve my upper end cruising considering I do not even use first gear now anyways!
Thanks for the help
Andy:-X11
Thanks for the help
Andy:-X11
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Kalispell, MT
split housing gear change
I couldn't provide any info on the split housing rear end for you.
I can tell you that I just swapped a 9" 3.50 into my 48 - didn't want to run on the highway with 4.27 stock gears. Fairly easy and I'm happy with the results.
Don't know what you plan to use your truck for. Heavy hauling? That might make a difference, but even there, the 9" is pretty tough. I have one in an 86 F150 4X4 that hauls 6-8 cords of firewood in from the mountains every year, gets loaded with gravel for road and driveway, has been used in construction work for hauling anything and everything. Generally abused and in 293,000 miles I've lost 2 axles and the side gears. I can't complain about the service it's given.
I can tell you that I just swapped a 9" 3.50 into my 48 - didn't want to run on the highway with 4.27 stock gears. Fairly easy and I'm happy with the results.
Don't know what you plan to use your truck for. Heavy hauling? That might make a difference, but even there, the 9" is pretty tough. I have one in an 86 F150 4X4 that hauls 6-8 cords of firewood in from the mountains every year, gets loaded with gravel for road and driveway, has been used in construction work for hauling anything and everything. Generally abused and in 293,000 miles I've lost 2 axles and the side gears. I can't complain about the service it's given.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Granite Bay USA
split housing gear change
Forget changing the gears and go find a more modern rear end at pick and pull and install it. Just make sure you have enough engine and tranny to make the higher rearend go.
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From: long island
split housing gear change
Thanks for the help guys. I thought that the 9" would be the way to go. Do you think that an original flathead V8 and the four speed would be enough to push the new gears? I want to use the truck for making heads turn and commuting sometimes to work. I'm working on a site so I'll drop the link once it's going.
Thanks again,
Andy
Thanks again,
Andy
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 6,777
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From: Kalispell, MT
split housing gear change
Your flathead will have plenty of power to turn it, but that's where the numbers game begins.
Your first gear should be 6.4 to 1 ratio and second is 3.1:1.
My 3spd HD is 3.7:1 first gear, with a flathead and 3.50 rear end. It moves out pretty well, but I wouldn't risk the system to try and turn the 16" tires over.
Since high gear for both our trucks is 1:1 your final output is the same. With 3.50:1 I'm running about 2400 rpm to hit 65 mph.
Given your tranny gears, 3.50 will give you plenty of punch in low and you could still start out in 2nd. Drop down toward 3.00 and it'll still start out sharply and run 65 with ease and fewer rpms. Want more excitement off the line, move the final drive up to 3.73's or 4.11's and you can wow your onlookers, but you'll be straining to hit 55 comfortably.
The ultimate beauty of the 9" is that you can buy a carrier for several setups and swap when you want something different. Just make sure that you get the same axle spline numbers as they come in 28 and 31 splines. Have fun!
Your first gear should be 6.4 to 1 ratio and second is 3.1:1.
My 3spd HD is 3.7:1 first gear, with a flathead and 3.50 rear end. It moves out pretty well, but I wouldn't risk the system to try and turn the 16" tires over.
Since high gear for both our trucks is 1:1 your final output is the same. With 3.50:1 I'm running about 2400 rpm to hit 65 mph.
Given your tranny gears, 3.50 will give you plenty of punch in low and you could still start out in 2nd. Drop down toward 3.00 and it'll still start out sharply and run 65 with ease and fewer rpms. Want more excitement off the line, move the final drive up to 3.73's or 4.11's and you can wow your onlookers, but you'll be straining to hit 55 comfortably.
The ultimate beauty of the 9" is that you can buy a carrier for several setups and swap when you want something different. Just make sure that you get the same axle spline numbers as they come in 28 and 31 splines. Have fun!
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Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Granite Bay USA
split housing gear change
Just a dumb question. Are you intending to keep the truck rated at 3/4 ton?? If yes, would the 9 inch be the correcto rearend?? Need to get some input from the smart guys here.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: Waynesville, OH
split housing gear change
Truckzilla has a good point. The 9" is pretty tough but I think I recall it being a semi-floating design - not a fully-floating axle like the original spicer 60 in our F-250s. Purely from a durability and stress standpoint, the fully-floating axle design is better suited to hard use and heavy loads. That doesn't mean you can't use a semi-floating unit; just be sure you understand that while it might work just fine, in the end it won't stand as much abuse as the original if you are going to use it hard.
If you decide to stay with the original axle, you can buy replacement ring and pinion sets from JobLot Automotive (718-468-8585) at about $250 a set. The three original gear ratios in my 1956 shop manual are 4.56, 4.88, and 5.88. Not much highway help, huh? Joblot's stuff is advertised as unused NOS and that's what I've received every time I've ordered from them. There might be other sources with lower ratios.
Barry, if you read this maybe you can look in your books and see if there are other stock ratios for the Spicer besides the ones in my 56 manual.
George
If you decide to stay with the original axle, you can buy replacement ring and pinion sets from JobLot Automotive (718-468-8585) at about $250 a set. The three original gear ratios in my 1956 shop manual are 4.56, 4.88, and 5.88. Not much highway help, huh? Joblot's stuff is advertised as unused NOS and that's what I've received every time I've ordered from them. There might be other sources with lower ratios.
Barry, if you read this maybe you can look in your books and see if there are other stock ratios for the Spicer besides the ones in my 56 manual.
George
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Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Southern New Hampshire
split housing gear change
My 54 F350 has the split case and 5.14 gears. Ive been told by several truck guys that the 9" will handle lots of horses but not much weight. Mine has a 9' dump bed and I haul lots of weight with it.
You might want to check some mid-80's E-250 and E-350 vans for the Dana 60 which Ive been told are an easy swap. Ratios range from low 3's to mid 4's. Plus you get modern 8 lug wheel patterns.
Thats something I plan to do once I replace the 239 with something a bit bigger. Or maybe sooner, its starting to leak.
You might want to check some mid-80's E-250 and E-350 vans for the Dana 60 which Ive been told are an easy swap. Ratios range from low 3's to mid 4's. Plus you get modern 8 lug wheel patterns.
Thats something I plan to do once I replace the 239 with something a bit bigger. Or maybe sooner, its starting to leak.
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Snohomish, Wa, USA
split housing gear change
There are NOS 4.11 gears out there, too if you look hard enough. They were used in 3/4 ton trucks in the 30s and 40s, with the same split housing as the 4.86. Another option, would be to find an aux tranny with overdrive. I have seen these on vintage trucks at some shows, and they are pretty cool, with twin sticks and all.
Nick
Nick
