Front axle.....success at last.....

[Bob Carriere]

In the previous picture the top joint is a 4 7/8 inch joint and that is the good one I salvaged of the axle from Stew/Chris......

The bottom one is from an assembly from Dan/Jeff Caldwell... unfortunately rusted but a good subject to learn from......

The rusted joint is a 4 5/16 joint used very early in production according to the Ford manual..... possibly found wanting for strenght.

The Ford manual refers to two(?) other large sizes the last one being 6 inches.....

They are very intricate pieces of mechanical marvel......

here is a close up of the central pin and spring plunger held by Grant...... that central pin actually fits a tightly machined hole in the end of the central half of the axle........

We have since disassembled the long axle shaft side and also found it on excellent shape.

Plans are to take the two good joints apart... one at a time so as not to mix the matched parts.... clean and relube with Moly grease... reassemble and store wrapped in grenn plastic bags until ready to insert into the axle tube of the cab 11.....

If I canbe of any help to soemone doing the same please ask..... I have other pictures that I can share.....

Bob
Bob