Differential info 46 Dodge 1/2 T

[Tom Tangen]

I have a 1946 Dodge 1/2 ton pickup and wondering what the stock differential is.  It's an 11 bolt with 663473-7  cast into the housing on the drivers side.  I'm re-sealing it for now as I like driving it with the old low gears, but thinking higher gears may be a good thing in the future.  Are there higher ring and pinion sets available on the aftermarket for this rear-end or do I have to start hitting the junkyards?

[Los_Control]

Problem you run into keeping the stock rear end is cost & maintenance. Finding new brake drums can easily cost $400 each. .... or try and find good used ones.

Probably cost you $75 for a decent drum puller so you can work on them.

Brake shoes, wheel cylinders are all ordered over the internet, nobody stocks them .....

Then there is the old Cleveland u-joints ..... $85 + shipping if you can find them ....

 

Possible you can find a mopar car of that era that has 3:73 gears in it and make something work.

 

You either roll with the stock rear end or go with something more modern.

A Jeep Cherokee or a Ford Explorer, from a local wrecking yard .... choose 3:73 gears .

You will need to relocate the spring perches .... weld new ones on .... modify the drive line to use modern u-joints.

 

Just suggesting it will cost a few bucks to install a modern rear end with pleasant gear ratio .... depends on how much work you can do yourself.

 

Or just keep throwing $$ into the original obsolete rear end.

 

I'm with you ..... My rear end has good brake drums and does not leak .... the low 4:10 gears will work for me. I will keep it for now.

When it is time to start putting $$ into it, I will upgrade it to a modern rear end .... mine is no show truck.

 

[Tom Tangen]

Agreed, I already have more $$ into it than I wanted.  You're right on with the cost of the brake drum puller, by the way.  By the time they came off with a lot of beating, cussing and heat, I figured either the puller or lugbolts were going to break.

I have a jeep rearend lined up but I am too anxious to get it driving again to go to all that work so I have to pour in the money for now.  I think my brake drums are good.  I'll probably clean up the wheel cylinders and stuff everything back in for now.  My pickup is going to be a driver (around town for now) and is also NOT a trailer queen. 

I was just hoping that there might be a way to use the old housing, but that doesn't sound like it will make sense.  Thanks for the response.

[FarmerJon]

Not trying to be a a smartass, but why are yall using a puller for the rear drums? 

 

If you crack the lugs loose ( just enough for the wheel to shift around), set it down and pull a few tight turns each direction and they come right off. Maybe spray the centers with pb blaster ahead of time for good measure. 

 

Mine made a kind of unnerving "pop" when they came loose,  so I knew they were ready to cooperate. 

 

Most used replacement parts are available from French Lake auto, and bearings and seals from rock auto and ebay. 

Edited December 19, 2023 by FarmerJon

[Los_Control]

That is one way to do it .... but if you just pulled the vehicle from a field and it has not been driven for years ..... probably not the best way 

 

1 hour ago, Tom Tangen said:

I have a jeep rearend lined up but I am too anxious to get it driving again to go to all that work so I have to pour in the money for now. 

Sounds great .... cost of seals are not bad. ,,, seems drums and u-joints are the costly maintenance items.

I pulled my drive line out and disassembled my u-joints ..... cleaned them good with gasoline and inspected them .... then gave them a good grease job and reassembled.

They showed some wear but not bad, I expect them to last awhile.

 

My truck had new brake drums and shoes before it was parked so they are in good shape.

I also filled my rear end (and transmission) with 5-30 motor oil .... the old oil oozed out like black tar ?

My plan is to have it on jack stands and let it run in gear for a good amount of time, long enough to get the 5-30 oil warmed up ..... Then drain it and fill with 85-140 gear oil.

Just using the motor oil as a cleaner to flush out the old tar from the transmission/rear end.

 

I let it run at 15 mph for 10 minute this way and ran out of gas .... I filled up the 2 gallon gas can and will try it again later. ..... I'm thinking 1/2 hour to 1 hour of run time?

 

I expect the rear end will last a good long time cleaned up and with proper maintenance ...

I fully expect to pick up a jeep rear end and keep it on the side, prepare it with new seals and brakes, pickup some spring perches from tractor supply ... figure out what I need for the drive line mods. Then at a future date take some time and swap it all over.

 

It is suggested by many, a stock flathead engine likes 3:73 gear ratio .... 3:55 work, but might be a little too high and have to downshift to often.

Naturally you can go lower with 4:10 .... but to high and you will lose drivability. Just suggesting to be careful in what rear end you choose. What gear ratio it has.