How To: Restoration of Ford M8 armoured car US Ordnance number 7373

[Big D]

Hi all,

I’ve decided to get my intermediate and rear axles reassembled by a local truck mechanic. I could do most of the work myself but with the operation I had on my hand last week, I can’t lift anything heavy for 6-8 weeks, and that will really slow my progress down. I figure I might as well get these guys to do the heavy work in the meantime which will keep the project moving.

The rear axle needs blasting and painting and reassembly with a new pinion shaft oil seal and new gaskets.

The intermediate axle also needs blasting and painting, but it also needs the differential carrier bearings replaced (which I have), a light bead-blast of the ring gear and diff housing and reassembly with a new pinion shaft oil seal and new gaskets.

I am in the process of gathering up all the drawings and specs for the mechanic and was looking at the procedure involved in setting up the preload on the pinion shaft, as per the attachment. I guess the truck mechanic will have some sort of tool for setting that preload up.

What about any other form of setup between the drive pinion and the ring gear? What thickness gasket paper should we be using? What effect does the gasket thickness have on the backlash?

Another question – one of the axle housings has a good torque rod end still on it, as per the photo. I haven’t taken it off at this point. My question is, can the adjustable torque rods be fitted with the axles in place and that torque rod end still on the housing? I am not sure whether both ends of the adjustable torque rods have to be on and the complete torque rod fitted in one piece.

I am trying to get my head around that aspect of the reassembly of the intermediate and rear axles. It’s no problem to remove the torque rod end, but I will have to cut it off and I don’t want to unnecessarily remove it if it can be reused.

I’m still after a U bolt for the rear springs if anyone has one.