VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 24 propeller shaft housing

Hey all, was on here many years ago but kids school, sports,wife , kept me pretty dormant. But retired now and finally got 24 superior out for a lap around the block. All went well, pulled in the yard to wash it and tried a second lap around the block. That was the end of the propeller shaft housing. The flange broke at the diff. Must have been cracked and moving for a while. The top bolts were hour glassed from movement. Needless to say I need a housing. I believe 22 to 24 would work but not sure. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks Greg

. According to parts book, All 490, model B & F use group #5.504, Part #342023 for the propeller shaft housing affectionately known at the torque tube. The propeller shaft contained within, should be 52-23/32" long having 6 splines at the U-joint end and a taper key and inch of threads to hold the Pinion gear on the other end. Picture of 1923 model B below.
Lou
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Thanks Lou, I did find a part number on mine 341699 I've been searching the web trying to see the year range for my torque tube but haven't had any luck. I downloaded a parts manual but the part numbers for the housing are different. The shaft is the length you have found. I know there were changes from 22-24 on brake rods but not sure how much else changed on the rear end.

I need a driveshaft for a later than 1916 Chevy 490 that uses ball bearings rather than roller bearings. (Maybe up to 1924 Chevy). Or someone who has had an experience of someone making a driveshaft or welding it, I plan to look at Hershey next Thursday and Friday.

Have you read teachmans thread Driveshaft broken, on the ”1916-1922- Model 490 only” forum?

I think you are right, believing that 1922-24 would work, but I am not quite sure.

On teachmans thread I have a couple of posts about parts and part numbers in the parts lists effective on 1924 and 1928. Maybe there can be som information that can be helpful?

In my last post to teachman I write:

”Then there may be another crucial question: Does the propeller shaft housing 24050 fit if your 1916 has rear axle housing model for Superior 1924? In List 1924 the rear axle housing has number 341730. The rear axle housing for ”Four-Ninety and Superior 1923” has number 24078. Maybe they differ only on the brake parts, I don’t know.”

Thanks swedechev, I have read teachmans posts and yours also when you had your trouble, but the number on my propeller shaft housing is 341669 and rear axle housing is 341653 on one half. Looks like 341654 on the other. (As far as I can tell) I was assuming the numbers on the housings we're the part numbers. Do you have any pictures of you propeller shaft housing other than what we're in your posts? If I find a 22-23 rear end I believe the shaft housing and axles may be all I can use. I do have the spiral ring and pinion gears and if 22-23 have the same hoping it will work. I believe the axle housings would be different due to brake rod changes. Any help or pics would be appreciated. I will try to take pictures of mine. Thanks greg

The number on my propeller shaft housing is 333059. Yours is 341669. According to the ”List 1928” both has Part number 342023, as Lou writes in his post. In ”List 1924” propeller shaft housing with Part number 24050 are ”For Use with Spiral Tooth Bevel Ring Gear) (Four Ninety and Superior)”.

So I guess the number on the housing is something else than Part number in any Parts list. And that a 1922 or 1923 housing will fit.

Note difference in List 1924 when you come to rear axle housing: For models ”Four- Ninety and Superior, 1923” Part number is 24078, for model ”Superior, 1924” Part number is 341730.

In List 1928 Part number for rear axle housing for ”Sup… (Series F)” is also 341730. A number that (of course!) is not the same as on your rear axle housing halves.

Ring and pinion gears are same on models 1922-1924.

I have a lot of pictures from my repair process. On the following links you will find some of them. The pics are quite large, more than 2 MB each, so when you open them maybe you must wait a couple of seconds before the become sharp.

First one pic 2198 showing the opening in the rear axle housing. If you look close you can see the scratches from steel splinters (?) (from the ring and pinion gears and other badly worn parts…) that has found its way in between the housing opening and the outer surface of fhe pinion ball bearing. I guess that has happened now and then as there were too many or too big splinters circulating in the ball bearing that the balls could not roll untill the splinters were crushed and grinded.

Then two pics 2384 and 2385, showing the rear end of the propeller shaft.

Then four pics from my work trying to find out what thickness of the paper gasket should give proper play between ring and pinion gears; 2747, 2749, 2750 and 2754.

By the way: I guess you have checked the rear axle from excessive play and the U-joint from excessive wear? And the propeller shaft front bushing …?

I have not done anything other than disassembly and inspection so far. The propeller shaft bushing appears to be ok but I will have to see what the next housing is like. The casting numbers and part number difference confused me. My propeller shaft housing has a "loop" ( for lack of better words) cast into it on the bottom side for the two brake rods to go into. I didn't see that on your housing which is why I was confused to which years would work. I can't figure out how to post pictures,(I'm not a computer wiz, sorry) even after reading the help section. I will just have to make sure the housing measures the same and has the same loop for brake rods. Thanks again for your input. I'll keep searching.
Greg

Hello Greg,

So are you saying there are possibly 2, or 4, brake shaft pivot points cast into a one piece rear end housing? If there are 4 I believe that would possibly make it a '26, to '27. Not sure if the '25 model had that type setup. The backing plates can be changed but the casting lugs for the brake cross shafts are a little more difficult to cover up. One shaft was for the service brakes and the other was for the parking/emergency brake. If it is a 2 piece earlier housing like the picture that Lou showed then that truly is from a 490. I think the 490 had cable brake actuation pieces.

Art

Hi Beachbum,. There are two pivot points cast into the rear differential half's for the em brake rods with two pivot points on the backing plates. The service brake rod is also two half's. There is a piece of flat stock bent into an eye and riveted to the backing plates. The passenger side passes through a lug (I called a loop earlier) cast into the lower portion of the flanged end of the torque tube to keep the rods in line and the joint in the two rods are kept together by the actuating arms. I believe the propeller shaft housings may be the same as earlier years but the flanged cast portion at the differential end may have been changed for 24 to add the lug for the service brake rods. I don't see why the lug would be there for 22-23 since the brake rods did not extended to the pumpkin/center section of the differential. I have a repair manual issued April 1924 and page 93 shows the service rods under the propeller shaft flanged area. On ebay there is a 1916-1922 chassis for sale in Minnesota and on one picture if you blow it up you will see the lug I'm talking about on the torque tube. It is on the top side so I believe it might have been replaced and installed up side down. Lot of one finger typing on a cell phone. Whew!