Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Several folks have ask about past magazine articles on converting a Banjo Rear Axle to except Modern Axles. I posted a very faint example in another thread, It came from Street Rodder Feb 1985. I also have copies of (also fairly poor quality) of a Hot Rod article from Nov 1960. In both cases the rear end used for the more modern parts was the 49-50 & early 51 Mercury. There are three basic group of parts required, the axle gears, the axles themselves & the ends of the axle housings.

I did not want to attempt to locate an early Mercury axle and based on a lot of research came up with a similar approach using Ford 9 inch axles and housing ends and a 7.5 set of Ford axle gears. Again, anyone interested in details, let me know, I was mainly post the magazine references in response to the question.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Unless you really know what your doing and have excess to the equipment required, a better approach would probably be going with one of the kits available such as Hot Rod Works.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

This stuff goes way back...there is a how-to in Car Craft magazine about 1953 or 4, I think. They used '49 Merc (I think F-1 ar the same...?) axles, and noted that '49-51 Lincoln axles were a stronger alternative.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Yes, I see references in later articles about earlier ones, but I have never found the originals ones. But then again I really haven't tried that hard! :)

Many ways to go about this, the only big deal is the axle side gear fitting and matting up with the original banjo spider gears.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

This is just for Information for anyone interested: (Dana Spicer 41/44 axles) The 49 through 51 Mercury and 48 through 52 Ford F1 pickups have essentially the same rear axle assemblies in years mentioned with exception to the spring pads. 1950 was the change over year for all Dana 41 to Dana 44 but the innards and axles plus the housing ends should be the same. The Police cars and Ford Station Wagons also used this axle assembly. Later F100 pickups are also very similar but I'm not sure about the width or length of axle shafts. I think they were all 19-spline well up into the mid to later 50s. Whether their use is any less work, probably not but I though I'd throw this out there in case anyone might have an interest.

The 9-inch stuff is A-OK but I found it interesting that they mentioned the Dana axles back then. There is stuff still available for them as for the 9-inch even though the 9-inch is likely more popular among hot rodders.

The 49/51 Lincoln axle assy is an odd ball and very few parts are available for it.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Thanks rotorwrench. You don't need much, the side gears are really the key and the correct length of axle. I solved that one by cutting and resplining the ones I had! The thing with 9 inch stuff is you can just buy the parts, axles, axles housing ends, etc.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

My avatar roadster has a 40 banjo rear end and I sent the housings and ring gear/carrier to a guy in Idaho that modified it to take 9" axles-bearings-brakes but retained the spring hangers so I still have a transverse spring. No worries about a broken axle now.
I think he has retired and his kids are running the machine shop now but still do the work.
They supplied spider gears, not sure what they came from.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

It's side gears, the spider gears used are the original stock one (at least that is normally how it's done). I made the same mistake in an earlier post, confusing the terms. I think that is the same gentleman who help me sort out the correct side gears to use!

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

The Hot Rod Works is in Caldwell, Idaho.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

I have spoken with them, but this gentleman was retired and may have been a different source (or maybe not). I just can't remember, but he was very helpful.

A fellow going by Modernbeat posted a transcription of the Hot Rod Nov 1960 article back in 2003 if anyone is interested: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...ux-w-pics.151/

Good Rod & Custom article on HRW conversion: http://www.hotrod.com/articles/1112r...banjo-rearend/

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

The shop you refer to (I think) was Atkinson Machine, Rexburg ID, and run by Wayne Atkinson. I also sent a complete '40 rear for him to modify for 28 spline late axles. The side gears were special and available exclusively from him, according to an American Rodder article I have. Wayne also made an open drive conversion I also purchased. I ended up with a quick change and never used his parts.
My understanding is Wayne sold the business to a couple of brothers and it became Hot Rod Works.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Yep, It was Wayne that did my work. And yes, I misspoke, SIDE gears, I knew what I meant but typed the wrong word. Thanks for correcting me, I need that at my age!

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Hey JSeery, Good Stuff, indeed !
Thanks again for your sharing/input to this subject.
I started reading/studying first old referenced article above. Now, I'm no computer nerd, and can not get any pictures to show/open from the old article. Keeps sending to to HAMB when I click on picture. Any help :o

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

They a embedded later in the thread I believe. But I have them if you want them.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

The second half. With the proper cutters there is no need to anneal the ring gear to machine it. This is all with the early parts, but you can accomplish the same thing with the 7.5 side gears (different machine measurements). And I believe they both require the 11 tooth spider gears. The Street Rodder article (Feb 1985) is most likely the precursor to the approach HRW is using.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

I just finished the second article that you provided...great colored pictures for guys like me.
Never mind my comments about first article. I'm with you now !

Day late/dollar short, as I had/have habit of giving away stuff to guys I know. Now know why that may not have always been a good thing.
Hey, might get lucky and have one (good desirable banjo)in the dirt pile yet :).

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

I did this several years ago on my 36 rear axle in my 32 Tudor.
I bought the axle housing ends from a Ford 9".
I bought the axle gears (side gears) from HRW in Idaho.
Because of the 36 rear axle, I had to replace the spider gears
from 11 tooth to 12 tooth (or) 12 tooth to 11 tooth (can't remember)
I then took the 36 housings to my machine shop & had the axle ends
changed. The same shop did the work on the carrier assy ( I had some
drawings of the modifications needed).
After assembly, I measured & got the new axles from Dutchman axles.
I also used the Ford 9" brakes that are self adjusting & are the same
5 x 5 1/2 bolt pattern as original.
This is an excellent modification, I think, and it's worked well for me
for the past 6 years.
I also converted to open drive using a kit from HRW. I had the truck
banjo housing & gears, but they weren't the ratio I wanted.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Awe, the joys of QC!

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

I built this into a old quickchange I found. It is a labor intensive process. I was manager of Manufacturing Engineering for an aerospace plant and we had a great tool room. One thing the article forgets is that the side gears (I used a mustang 28 spline axle two left side ales) also need the outer OD ground to fit into the stock housing. You do not need to anneal the ring gear but must use carbide cutting tools or in my case an internal grinder. Without the guys in the tool room I would have never been able to do this. I would like to do it again but with out a well equipped machine shop I think it would be too much trouble. There was an article called pep up your quickchange from the sixties but as I said tey did not include everything you need to do.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

You must have missed that part. :)

"Outer diameter of the axle gears must be ground down to permit
gears to fit into carrier housing. Approximately 3/16 inch of
material is removed."

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Good information to think on as I’m going in circles out in the fields .

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Unfortunately Hot Rod Works is for sale and not taking on new work.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Sad to know Hot Rod Works is bowing out, used the Buick adapters they machined & were always abreast of the concerns on the ford barn & the hamb & would chime in with helping comments,

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Special side gears available exclusively from Wayne Atkinson. B S . Ford part # 5R3Z-4215-AA. I recently obtained a 201 QC with 19 spline side gears. They were cut down. Same as I had been cutting the 28 spline side gears to. I think it was 1.620" OD.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Could some one with the article from Street Rodder Magazine feb 1985 with the banjo 9 inch axle upgrade post a nice clear copy.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

I have a chopped '32 3-window project with an Early Ford Haliband rearend with 9" axles. I bought it that way as an unfinished project, in pieces, which it still is not finished after 20 plus years. I was still working so I bought stuff to do when I retired and now I've had a stroke and I move a little slower, I have something like 14 car projects I bought over 30-years.

What I don't like about my converted axle is they cutoff the ends of the axle housings ofand welded on the 9" ends to get the bearings and flanges for the 9" axles. When they did that, they cutoff the original housing ends with the spring perches. That was great except the new welded-on spring perches hit the 15" rims. 16" rims would have barely cleared the perches and that's what I should have done. Instead, I had a pair of 15" rear rims reversed to clear the spring hangers. The rear end was done by a very reputable man at Super Bell Axle, a really nice guy. That was probably more then 20-years. The rearend was still at his shop being built when I bought the car. Then the rearend was loaned out to SoCal Speed shop, they were restoring either the famous Pierson Brothers Coupe or SoCal Coupe at the time. They needed it to borrow it to set up the car and I said that would be fine. It was months before I actually saw the rearend that came with the '32 3-window I had purchased.

Later they came out with a way to keep the original axle housing ends and the spring hangers when sticking modern axles in the rearend. I have the articles on it some place.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Thanks for the insight.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

Got the article now.

Re: Conversion of Banjo Rear Axle to Modern Axles
 

I stopped using the Banjo rear and stock trans back in the late 50's early 60's and dever went back. Modifying them was too expensive and the auto industry makes nice transmission and rear axles, and the junk yards are full of them. I like using the Spicer 35 rears axles behind the Flathead as it can us ALL the power and is light enough to improve the ride quality in a street application. For more power the spacer 44 comes in with good ratios and posies at a very reasonable cost,/ I like th AOD and T 170 as best if both work. However I used a ford automatic for several years in my International truck for many yearts behind a Merc engine with no problem/However, aesthetics is something you can't live with out,
Gramps