13T - Rocky Mountain Brakes and While You're There

[Darin Hull]

My 13T doesn't have Rocky Mountain brakes but I plan on buying a set for safety reasons which are enumerated in countless threads on this forum. I also have unknowns with this 13T such as if my grandpa replaced the babbit thrust washers with brass/bronze. I would hope he did because of the extensive tours/jamborees he participated in; however, I ultimately don't know.

If I purchase a Rocky Mountain braking system and I'm going to be back in that area of the T anyway... what all should I knock out while I'm back there? For example:

- Replace thrust washers period? Or only if they're babbit/white metal?
- New gaskets for the differential seem a given
- Are there any other parts along the axle, differential, etc I should consider inspecting/replacing?

Also, some clarification on the critical safety issue of bronze thrust washers. Entering a search of bronze thrust washer into Lang's website returns a result of a brass thrust washer, modern roller bearing thrust washer assembly, etc. A Snyder's search returns a bronze axle thrust washer which looks very different from anything Lang's has. What am I looking for exactly?

I'll start digging into past forum topics on rocky mountains and differentials... but when you're newer, sometimes you don't know what you don't know. Looking for some guidance of "Well, while you're back there" suggestions.

Thank you for your time,
Darin

[Mark Gregush]

Re the gaskets; there would not have been any gaskets used in the 1913 rear end. The gasket sold for the pinion housing is more to set the pinion gear depth. Look further down Snyder's page, the part you are maybe looking at is the bronze disk used between the ends of the axle where they meet in the spider. The thrust washers sold by Lang's and Snyder's are the same. I suggest getting the book from the club sold by the dealers for rebuilding the rear end. There is more work involved then just replacing the bronze thrust washers, they have to be fitted. Meaning they come in a stock thickness that has to be machined/worked down some how to fit and give proper fit to ring and pinion gears.

[Speedsterguy2]

1913 and 1914 (I am told) rear differentials have the three spider gears with replaceable bronze bushings. I have only ever found one, and yes I did successfully find modern bronze bushings in a standard size that fit the gears and the three corner gear stub axle. I used the solid bronze style bushing, not the sintered style, since these run in oil. I found the bushings were pretty tight on the stub axles once pressed in, and had to ream them lightly to get a fit. It actually is a pretty good system, and cures the problem of excessively worn I.D. on the spider gears. I would be prepared to do the same again if I was working on a '13-'14 rear end. / Tim

[Stephen_heatherly]

Take the entire rear axle including the drive shaft apart and check everything. You will find more issues than just babbit thrust washers.

Stephen