Split window regulator shaft

[vangorde]

I am restoring a 31 coupe. From everything I read and see from the vendors, the window crank handles should be held on with a pin. As you can see in the picture, my regulator shafts have splits and no holes for a pin. Any idea about what car/year they may have come from? The windows operate fine. I just need to figure out where to drill holes for the pins.

[J Franklin]

Put the handle on the shaft and drill through the hole in the handle.

[burner31]

Instead of drilling holes (which could weaken the shaft and cause it to break off) how about getting the handle with the allen head set screw

[J Franklin]

Does the split in your shaft use a thin wedge to keep the handles on? maybe like an anchor bolt or hammer head.

[ursus]

I have the same questions with my 1931 coupe, which had no crank handles when I acquired it. How did Ford secure the crank handles on cars with the split shaft? On mine the split shaft shows no signs of an indent from a set screw. Cutting the split in the shaft had to cost time and money, something in short supply in 1931.

[bobbader]

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The regulators with the split shaft were common to 28/29 cars that used standard (non scroll design) window cranks like Tudors, Pickups, Standard coupes. This is why those same handles, used all the way through production (and reproduction) have set screws as well as holes drilled for pins. With the 28/29 style regulators the point of the set screw would fit into the slot in the shaft and, when tightened, would spread the slot enough to "wedge" the shaft firmly into the handle. When the later regulators came into use, a pin would secure the handle to the shaft and both the shaft and handle would have holes for said pin. the difference in the regulator shaft design could have been due to cost or change in suppliers. I tend to go for cost saving as the early regulator had a thin, open semi circular gear that met with the gear in the handle mechanism whereas the later units had teeth cut out of a simple plate that mounted to the regulator arm. Precision gear vs plate with teeth cut out? Sounds like someone found a cheaper way to make the same item. Precision slot in each shaft plus the cost and tooling for a set screw vs 1/8" pin hole in shaft & handle??? No brainer.

[ursus]

That explains it! Thanks, bobbader!

[vangorde]

Originally Posted by J Franklin

Does the split in your shaft use a thin wedge to keep the handles on? maybe like an anchor bolt or hammer head.

The old broken crank handles that I removed had set screws. The car had blue vinyl upholstery - probably installed sometime in the late 50's/early 60's when the previous owner drove it in college.

[vangorde]

Originally Posted by bobbader

The regulators with the split shaft were common to 28/29 cars that used standard (non scroll design) window cranks like Tudors, Pickups, Standard coupes. This is why those same handles, used all the way through production (and reproduction) have set screws as well as holes drilled for pins. With the 28/29 style regulators the point of the set screw would fit into the slot in the shaft and, when tightened, would spread the slot enough to "wedge" the shaft firmly into the handle. When the later regulators came into use, a pin would secure the handle to the shaft and both the shaft and handle would have holes for said pin. the difference in the regulator shaft design could have been due to cost or change in suppliers. I tend to go for cost saving as the early regulator had a thin, open semi circular gear that met with the gear in the handle mechanism whereas the later units had teeth cut out of a simple plate that mounted to the regulator arm. Precision gear vs plate with teeth cut out? Sounds like someone found a cheaper way to make the same item. Precision slot in each shaft plus the cost and tooling for a set screw vs 1/8" pin hole in shaft & handle??? No brainer.

Thanks for that information. I don't know why I didn't think to check earlier year handle parts. The repo '31 crank handles I got from the vendors only have holes for pins but I see the earlier crank handles are available. I like the idea of using an earlier style handle better than drilling mine.