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By Daniel Jessup - 11 Years Ago
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I acquired a 56 Ford Station Wagon rear end from a car that had a 292 with a 3 speed transmission. I remove the cover plate and liked what I saw. No slop in the pinion, excellent gears showing minimal wear, etc. However, can anyone decipher what I have here through the numbers stamped on the large ring gear? What ratio do I have?
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By 56_Fairlane - 11 Years Ago
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There should have been a tag on one of the cover bolts you removed that would have identified it. Otherwise you might have to refer to one of your CD's to see if that number comes up.
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By 56_Fairlane - 11 Years Ago
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You'll need to count the teeth and then look in section 4209 in your parts and accessories text. It might be a 4.09.
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By slick56 - 11 Years Ago
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I'm pretty sure this is the same as i got out of a 54 Ranchwagon ;
46/13 = 3.54
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By Daniel Jessup - 11 Years Ago
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That's just it on the numbers stamped on the ring gear - they are DANA numbers and Ford does not have them in their catalog. It looks as if it has been replaced sometime ago. There was no tag on the cover, and the whole assembly seems to be in too good a shape to be an "original". I got it from a rough 56 station wagon parts car.
I will count the teeth on there next I reckon.
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By dbird - 11 Years Ago
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Typing DANA 18437 into Google got me several hits indicating that it's a 3.54.
Don
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By Daniel Jessup - 11 Years Ago
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I will confirm that when I get home. If it is a 3.54, I guess I need to keep looking. I was hoping this had a taller gear so that I could put it behind a 3 speed with Overdrive. Isn't a 3.54 too low? Maybe I could find 4.09 gears elsewhere? I checked the section and it seems that Ford also offered a 4.27 set  How well did that work out in a 3 speed with overdrive I wonder?
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By Daniel Jessup - 11 Years Ago
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Just looked again at my own photo while I am here at the office. I noticed there is a "46" and a "13" towards the end of the number sequence... this would confirm the 3.54 now wouldn't it? I guess I will still triple check when I get home. Anyone know how difficult it is to find a new gear and pinion set that would give me 4.09?
UPDATE :::: It is a 46/13 so 3.54 it is. Too short for my needs I believe.
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By Lou - 11 Years Ago
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3.54 with O/D is a really nice gear set up, I ran it in a 55 ford crown with a 272 V8.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 11 Years Ago
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Dan:
If I remember correctly, to install a 4.09 or lower gear in that housing, you also need to change the carrier that the ring gear bolts to. I have a 4.56 gear in my '56 Bird from a Studebaker Dana 44, I used the Stude carrier, the Ford side gears, and the Stude ring and pinion. Stude had 4.09, 4.27, 4.55, 4.88 and 5.13 gearsets "back then", you may be able to find them from the Stude parts vendors. Oh, I just remembered that Chev S-10 4wd used Dana 44s and their gears "almost fit" the early Ford Danas. S10 4wd shops may be able to help here.
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By slick56 - 11 Years Ago
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Lou (7/18/2014)
3.54 with O/D is a really nice gear set up, I ran it in a 55 ford crown with a 272 V8.
I have mine in my 52 Mainline ute with 302w and AOD
Just idles along @ 70mph, great for cruising.
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By Doug T - 11 Years Ago
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Seems a little low to me 3.54 X .7 = 2.47 final drive in OD. A small dia tire might make it OK but I would say something like 3.89 or so would be a happier set up. You should also consider what the 1st gear ratio is. A close ratio trany ie around 2.20 to 2.40 1st gear would be poison for this set up especially with a somewhat bigger cam, a heavy car, and tall dia tires. Consider the whole package.
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By Ted - 11 Years Ago
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Daniel. I run a 3.56:1 rear end ratio with a T85 overdrive in my ’55 Customline. It originally came with a 3.89:1 rear gear but the 272 in this case is much happier with the 3.56’s at highway speeds.
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By Daniel Jessup - 11 Years Ago
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Well, from the testimonies of "real world" experiences it looks as if I should probably wait and experiment a little. I just may use the 3.55 rear end that is under the car now, and then go from there. I would imagine the first thing I need to do is check the gear ratios in my 3 speed/Overdrive transmission to see what I would be pulling in 1st gear and so on.
As it happens, a buddy of mine has a lead on two old 56 Fords sitting in the woods near his home--- we will see what he comes up with, and my dad happened to call yesterday to let me know that he is going to see an older fella that used to race 56's at Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina years ago. The gentleman has a 56 race car and a slew of parts he wants to sell my dad so we will see how that ends up too.
thanks guys
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By pegleg - 11 Years Ago
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Dan, Remember with the OD your effective top gear would be 3.54 x .7 or .63 (don't know which ratio you have). That's roughly a 2.5 gear.
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By NoShortcuts - 11 Years Ago
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Daniel Jessup (7/18/2014)
I was hoping this had a taller gear so that I could put it behind a 3 speed with Overdrive. Isn't a 3.54 too low? I checked the section and it seems that Ford also offered a 4.27 set. How well did that work out in a 3 speed with overdrive I wonder?
GooD discussion! I like Doug's comment as the capstone. "Consider the WHOLE package".
Think about what Ford provided in equipping their vehicles from the factory in '57 (according to the Ford Owner's Manual)...
CARS STATION WAGON
I-6 engine V-8 engine
3 speed Standard 3.70s 3.56s 3.89s3 spd. Standard (opt.) 3.89s 3.70s 4.11s
w/ Overdrive 3.89s 3.70s 4.11sw/ Overdrive (optional) 3.70s 3.56s
Sooooo... Ford's fits-all considerations were likely the engine, the vehicle weight, intended use (i.e., load to probably be carried OR probable use), and the final drive ratio. _________________________________ NOTE: The above info is incomplete and misleading because of it. The 3 speed and 3 speed overdrive transmission ratios for the I-6, 272, 292, and 312 and 312 w/ 2x4s clearly indicate that final drive ratio is what it's all about. The forward gear ratios and even the reverse gear ratios were different for EACH of the different engine and 3 speed AND 3 speed w/ overdrive transmission applications in 1957! AMAZING! ________________________________
In choosing rear end gearing I try to weigh:
- vehicle weight - type of driving use (stop-and-go city? or highway distance driving speeds?) - engine (displacement, dynamic compression ratio, AND engine torque curve) - camshaft selection (low speed torgue factor for street use) - final drive ratios through the gears (yes, tire size can come into play here, too...)
Getting ALL of this figured out right for YOUR intended use is the sorting-out that makes the difference in vehicle drive-ability, responsiveness, and personal driving enjoyment. IMO, unless it's a single purpose built vehicle, it's all a lot of compromise...  |
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By speedpro56 - 11 Years Ago
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I see no problem with the 3.54 with overdrive if the cam is pretty well stock or mild. My final drive ratio in my 56 Tbird is 2.45 and works OK But I am pulling my cam down by widening the lobe separation from 110 to 112 degrees. Keep in mind my cam is a long way from being stock.
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By miker - 11 Years Ago
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Back in the late 60's, I replaced the fordo with a T-85 O/D in a 55 bird. My friendly junkyard guy went looking for lower rear gears, and came up with an I-6 O/D car with a good rear end. It was the 4:27 Dana mentioned above. It bolted straight in with the addition of lowering blocks, as I recall. I don't know what gear ratios were in that T85, but it made a good 70mph combination on the freeway, and really pulled well in 1&2. It was a .060 over 312, 11.25:1, rpm 300 isky cam. Tires were recaps off one of Dad's cars, and a little taller than stock.
I don't know about the open carrier, but the "posi" type unit I have now is 3.7? and down. Going to the 3.9's or higher requires a change.
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By 62galxe - 11 Years Ago
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I have a 3:89 gear with a 31" tire and T5 overdrive. It runs 2500 rpm at 80.
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