Brass thrust washers or babbit ?

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Brass thrust washers or babbit ?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 11:52 pm:

Took apart my differential to see if I had the brass thrust washers or the babbit washers.

Actually I had one of each ! (before the babbit washer completely disintegrated - you can see a piece of the babbit washer in the oil pan below)

You think they would have replaced BOTH washers!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ex trooper on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 12:03 am:

At least that was THE side to change! The gear looks like a gawner. Mustve been a howler! ws


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Murray - Anacortes, WA on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 12:17 am:

Bud, I agree with Troop...can ya take a pic of the pinion bearing too ??

Thx-
W


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Murray - Anacortes, WA on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 12:18 am:

Duh...should be pinion "gear" doh... W


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 07:25 am:

A lot of folks may not know that the driveshaft forward bushing is made of babbitt too. Even if you use a Fun Projects pinion that bushing still has to maintain the U joint in relation to the 4th main, while supporting half the weight of the drive shaft.

Just saying that now is a great time to replace the drive shaft bushing.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 08:45 am:

Actually the rear end ran as quiet as could be. Dunno why.

The car was last driven in 1962, so I guess the brass thrust washers were available before then!

Pinion will probably be replaced too.

Royce, I just pulled the driveshaft bearing and it looks like steel. Very, very hard metal.

Was the original made completely of babbit or was it steel with a babbit lining ?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 09:03 am:

Bud,

As far as I know they are all babbitt. Take a pocket knife to it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 09:11 am:

The driveshaft front bushings doesn't seem as crack prone as the thrust washers in the rear axle. If worn out they should be changed, of course.

No need to buy the expensive facing tool though, the new bushing can be reduced in diameter to a slip fit in the driveshaft housing so the thrust can be checked and adjusted if needed with the bushing out. Then it can be cleaned and glued in place with loctite.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 10:48 am:

Bud

I just pulled the drive shaft bearing and it looks like steel. Very, very hard metal.

Perhaps you mean the sleeve on the drive shaft that the pinion roller bearing rides on? That is a hard metal sleeve.

The front of the drive shaft torque tube contains the babbitt thrust bearing, its always been babbitt.



Today's replacements are bronze and work just as well.

As for funny repairs, your axle had one bronze and one old babbitt thrust, this one I took apart had a replacement solid-type roller bearing, but who placed that left the old babbitt thrust, which was in pieces when I opened this 'rebuilt' rear end purchased.....you have to always check out major part purchases claimed 'to be rebuilt' to be sure of what you have! :-)


Opened the pumpkin over the drain pan and this part plopped into the old grease.


Where the old babbitt thrust used to be positioned.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 08:30 pm:

Y'all right. The driveshaft bearing was babbit not steel. At one point I was having trouble removing it so I tried to dremel a lengthwise cut and found it very difficult to cut. I guess babbit is just harder than I thought! Once I got it out I found I can shave it with a utility knife, so it must be babbit.

BTW using the driveshaft as a slide hammer is what finally got it out!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ex trooper on Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 10:01 pm:

I used the shaft after the U joint was off to drop hammer the cracked pinion gear off the back end. The front bearing was MISSING, and NO thrust flange anywhere to be found. I am guessing that this is what twisted the driveshaft into the pretzel I found.
I installed a new front bearing but faced 75% of the thrust face off as the new FunProjects non adjustable kit sets its own thrust with the Timken bearing. The 25% was left on just to locate the bearing for the grease hole which had to be drilled anyway. As always, silence is golden!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Friday, September 13, 2013 - 12:31 am:

It seems kind of odd that for whatever reason, the babbitt thrust bearings hold up very well, but the babbitt thrust washers don't and often disintegrate. I guess that they're just made with a different type of babbitt?

Mine was in fantastic shape, and still measured within specs, so I just used it again. I will replace it someday when I can afford to completely restore the drive train, but for now (and as much mileage I put on it) it will hold!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Friday, September 13, 2013 - 03:50 am:

The biggest cause of Babbitt thrust bearing failure is moisture incursion into the rear end forms a mild acid which left for a few decade eats away the softer materials in the Babbitt leaving the washers very brittle. I have seen some that were so bad, they would simply flake away.
The "front-of-the-driveshaft" Babbitt bushing is usually at the high end of the torque tube and stays drier there. It usually receives fresh grease and oil leaking from the engine and U-joint. That is why they usually survive. I have had several torque tubes that spent a few years pointed the wrong direction, usually out of the car. They have had the front bushings come out in pieces like gravel. I have also known a few people that put together a T, swear the bushing was good, and six months later have to pull it apart again to change that busing.
When I put a T rear end together, I inspect the front bushing in place. If it looks good, scrapes properly, and fits well, I use it. If it fails any part of my inspection, it gets replaced.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Friday, September 13, 2013 - 04:02 am:

The babbitt in the engine can also often be reused. Whatever the rear axle thrust washers were made out of isn't the same as in the engine and the driveshaft front bushing.
Lead in the mix would explain the problem with internal corrosion - somewhat like in old pot metal?

I think I have seen a picture from Ford's rear axle assembly process years ago, but can't locate it now - the rear axle was spinning while the axle housings were screwed together - slightly oversize soft babbitt thrusts would then be squeezed and confirm to the available space. (I wonder if I dreamt that?)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Henrichs on Friday, September 13, 2013 - 04:20 am:

Hi Bud,

I was pondering the fact you had one babbitt and one bronze washer in the differential. Several years ago I disassembled a 1915 diffy that has one babbitt & one bronze. It hadn't been apart or worked on since before WWII as it was used under a trailer. Because the early diffys used bronze I suspect a fix back in the day changed one to babbitt. In yours quite possibly someone replaced the babbitt with a used original early bronze washer to repair. That could have happened before the parts suppliers made replacement bronze washers. Just some conjecture on my part.

Regards, Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Friday, September 13, 2013 - 06:55 pm:

Dennis

I didn't realize that bronze thrust washers were used at the factory early on!

I wonder if anyone knows just when the bronze washers were used?

An earlier post on the forum suggested the replacement washers were available in the very late 50's or very early 60's.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Henrichs on Friday, September 13, 2013 - 07:41 pm:

Bud,

I don't have any info as to when the bronze washers were first used in the rear end. It's possible the one in the 15 I took apart could have been an early aftermarket. I know the rear end hadn't been apart since before WWII. Another mystery! Hope somebody else has more info.

Dennis


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration