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Quick Change Bands
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 1:11 pm
by dunoon
I just removed my bands to have them relined, I was wondering why the removable ear should be on the drivers side. It seems that if it rolled out on the other side there isn't any interference removing the bands while on the driver side you have the pedals and other items you have to work around. Any thoughts? Thanks
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 4:31 pm
by DHort
We installed mine on the driver side. We were told later that that is a mistake. We will have to remove the hogshead to replace them. Maybe others have a different opinion.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 4:38 pm
by RajoRacer
According to the Ford manual, detachable ear bands are to be installed with the removable ear on the peddle side (driver's side for us Americans) so as one simply drops the opposite ear into the abyss to gain ample room to remove the one that comes off then fish out the attached ear and bring it out and around.
If the ears are placed on the right (pass. side for us Americans) there isn't enough room to remove the detachable ear UNLESS you bring each band back to the clutch spring area to have enough room.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:08 pm
by Alan Long
I agree, it’s the Drivers or Pedal side where the detachable ends go. This statement is universal, the Drivers side is the drivers side no matter where you live in the world!
Alan in Western Australian
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 5:57 pm
by Kenny Edmondson
There are 2 areas of concern. The obvious is not being able to easily pull the bands out with the hog head on if the clip ends are on the wrong side.
The another issue that comes in to play with the bands removable ears on the drivers side (US) and with the engine rotation, the band is pulling against the clip-on ear. If it were reversed the band would be pushing against the detachable ear and would eventually wear or damage the locking area.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 6:27 pm
by Allan
Alan, you are right when stating the drivers side or pedal side is universal for RHD or LHD. However, driver's side can be either side for most everything else, so if we all stick with left hand side or right hand side we will be universally correct for everything. There has to be an exception for those who believe a car swaps from left hand side to right hand side if you view it from the front!
Allan from down under.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 7:13 pm
by Wayne Sheldon
I have been listening in, hearing, reading, and arguing in these debates for over fifty years now (when did that happen?). I have listened to historians citing era references, and engineers debating alternate theories of shear and stress. And they do not all agree.
I have run them and changed them both ways myself. And frankly, I did not notice any significant advantage either way.
As a used to was an engineer myself, I paid particular attention to other engineering types and their debates about stresses and shear. However, the engineering reality is that on all three drums, stress and shear act opposite on acceleration and deceleration. And stress and shear acts differently between first, reverse, and brake. If stress and shear were critical, one of the drums most likely would need to be installed opposite the other two.
Does stress and shear matter? Yes, but the model T is built robust enough that it is not significant.
My opinion, for whatever it is worth? And I know a lot of people disagree with me on this. It really does not matter a lot. If you find that you installed your bands backwards? Put them in the "right" way the next time you need to change them or repair something else anyway. Even if your Kevlar or wood bands will outlive you? I would not bother with an extra unnecessary teardown.
I have torn down several old original engines, and found quick change band directions about fifty/fifty in them.
But, that is me.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 8:00 pm
by RajoRacer
Wayne - why would the Ford engineers describe & print in the manual detailed instructions for the installation of the "new" detachable ear bands if it didn't mater ????????
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:41 am
by Mark Osterman
Nevertheless … I would love to see a well shot video of how to remove and install quick change bands on a engine sitting in an engine stand so it’s easy to see. Might be a good thing for a model T club to produce this winter.

Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:09 am
by John kuehn
Mark O. makes a good point.
I don’t recall seeing any show and tell videos about changing out the quick change bands. If there are any I just missed them.
Changing the transmission bands is probably the most convoluted repair that a Model T owner can do especially for the first time! It can be head scratcher for sure.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:44 am
by Steve Hughes
There probably has not been a video instruction done for this because you shouldn’t have a lot of swearing in a video. That is a key part of changing bands without removing the hogshead.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:56 am
by RajoRacer
Amen to that Steve !!!
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 12:03 pm
by TRDxB2
This appears to be an old video and pictures are dark, but the bands are pulled through to the pedal side where the ear is attached
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwVydOu-QJQ
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The quick change bands were designed so the bands could be removed replaced through the transmission cover. So doesn't it make sense that the removable ear side be on the pedal side to clear the various pedal supports using the "band tool". No comments on the band tool please.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 12:27 pm
by RajoRacer
And the fact that the reverse & brake pedals can be completely removed to facilitate the band removal.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 12:57 pm
by J1MGOLDEN
The main reason seems to be the pedals are not in your way of seeing what you are doing.
Also there was no door on the drivers side to provide easy access when that book was written.
You can remove the band with the ear on, if you do reverse first and then move the other bands forward for removal.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 1:49 pm
by speedytinc
The video got me to scratch my head. Its a right hand drive T.
Still the removable ears are installed on the correct left side.
Re: Quick Change Bands
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 11:06 pm
by Art M
I am confused. 45 years ago when I knew nothing about a model t and I didn't know that changing the bands through the top opening was a difficult job, I changed the bands without any problem.
Today, I am frightened to do this task because of all the issues that I have read about.
The solution to deciding which side to place the detachable ear is to use nondetachable bands.
My opinion is to put the brake and the reverse band ears on the left side and the low band ear on the right side. These are the band actuating sides. The opposite sides are the anchor sides, which have much higher loading.
Art Mirtes