I'm just curious here.
How many times have you all taken apart differentials and found babbitt thrust washers that were still intact? So far, on every diff that I've opened up, they had completely disintegrated.
That's why I always go out of my way to replace them, or at least what was left of them!
Cameron, when i took apart my 26 the babbit washer were excellent condition, thick and shiny, but when i squeezed the they crumbled.
Rick
I've taken apart several with intact babbitt washers.
I've seen a few at auctions, but they may have been NOS.
I have at least one NOS babbitt thrust washer wrapped up in a brown Ford script wax paper.
I have found nearly perfect ones in rear axles. Never put one back though.
Have to come clean.....remember re-using the seemed like new babbitt washers in a '25 rear end back in the '70's,... assembled a hack, and drove it very little, didn't finished it and sold it. Later the buyer called and asked if the rear axle made noise, didn't for me, and told him nope. He said it busted and had to replace the gears. Never knew more.
Later years now, and have always remembered that those babbitt thrust washers must be what let go on him.....at the time didn't have the knowledge of these Gray Devils
Haven't seen but one intact one ever since, going thru maybe a dozen or more axles. Just find scraps.....
the Gray Devil on top
the normal-found mess the Gray Devil leaves behind
The 2 rear diffs that I have taken apart the babbit thrush washers were intact, everything else was worn out though.
Took apart an old axle that came as extra parts with my car. Believe it to be a 26/27. Found steel washers where babbit washers should have been. Everything looked in good condition.
The washers are not babbit, but another alloy. This has been on the forum before. I have some new old stock washers, but I plan to use brass ones in my 1910.
Interesting!
Maybe I just got lucky, if you could call it that, and just happened to apart only diffs with disintegrated washers!
Then again, some I took apart had several large pieces of washers left (not intact, of course), and in the others, they had been ground to a fine powder.
I should have been more specific. All six washers I removed were 2529. Evidently the work of some back yard mechanic.
Gary,
In my friends '23, I found that someone had done that EXACT same thing. I guess it works in a pinch, but as the steel washers have no oil grooves or anything, I wouldn't expect them to live real well. Not to mention that they aren't the same thickness as the thrust washers.
I figure that it's best to spend the $10 each to get the modern bronze thrust washers. They work like a champ!
Here's an original babbitt (or alloy) thrust washer.
Darel
Do respect your long-time know-how...Ford did call the #2528 "babbitt' in the 1909 Parts Book.
Later Ford Parts books refer to the thrust washers as 'metal', but to me they are a babbitt if not the same as engine bearing Ford babbitt, a very similar makeup of babbitt like metal, that evil Gray Devil.
Aftermarket Parts suppliers in the old days offered both babbitt and bronze.
BYW...note the 'shipping weight' on the two styles of thrust washers, while not too scientific, just placed a slightly used Ford Gray Devil washer on the postal scale and it read 7 oz. A new in the wrapper bronze thrust from Lang's read 5 oz.
I just rebuilt the rear on one of my cars and the original thrust washers were in place and showed no wear at all. If it wasn't for all the bad press they get I would have put them right back in the car. Based on the wear that was evident on the sleeves and the roller bearings I'd say that those thrust washers had a lot of miles on them so I am wondering if there might have been some variance in the quality of what was being supplied to Ford.
I suppose it depends on what you mean by "Intact". The ones in Karen's Touring were still there. They were still round........on the inside. The outside was broken all to heck. There were places where there was only 1/4" or so still holding them together. Certainly nothing I cared to ride on. Glad I went inside when I did.
Val,
I don't think so. Babbitt is tough but brittle. When the rear end gears or pinion bearings or both develop a lot of play the babitt washers are the part that fails first.
G'day,
Found Babbit washers in the '26 diff I am working on. Intact when found but broke when handled. Brass going back in.
Peter
These are original from a 1919 -
Re read should say "BRONZE"!!!!
At least one of the few things that everyone on this forum can agree on is this:
DON'T REUSE BABBITT THRUST WASHERS!
I only have taken apart two rear ends and all four thrust washers looked great But I found other issues...