rear end vakue

[Quigley1930]

I know this is a reach, but what would you offer for a mostly complete rear end on the ground behind a shed? Has backing plates brake shoes drive shaft and axles. Have no idea how long it's been there

Sewall Tyler

[700rpm]

Give me $10 and I'll take it away.

[bart78]

Not much more than scrap. You allso have to ask why is it sitting there?

[Charlie Stephens]

If the driveshaft end has been pointed up without a cover it is probably full of water and rust. Start by pulling the drain plug and see what comes out. The condition of the other parts should be obvious to a first degree. Bottom line, probably not worth much. Any pictures?

Charlie Stephens

[Mike V. Florida]

Only a couple of bucks the way it sits.

[Tom Endy]

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My suggestion:

Take it apart. iF you find the components inside serviceable, clean them up and sell them individually. A serviceable ring & pinion may fetch $100, each axle $50 if in good condition. An assembled rear axle assembly that has been sitting around in the elements is like a box of chocolates, you never know what is inside, most likely water.

Tom Endy

[C26Pinelake]

No more than scrap value as it was likely there for a reason in the first place. Good stuff does not normally get thrown aside !
Wayne

[Tom Wesenberg]

At the last swap meet I could have had a complete rear end with drums and backing plates for free. I should have gone home and come back with my trailer, as it was only about 10 miles from my house.

[pooch]

Like a swap a year ago, a guy had 6 X 28 wheels , 3 were OK, said any offer will have them... even a dollar, as they will go in the dumpster at the end of the day.

I passed on them.

No room to bring them home.

[Quigley1930]

Thanks everybody. I'll see what the owner wants to do.

Sewall

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Sewall,

Agree with responses above -- the mystery could be if it was ever cleaned .... then allowed to be sitting outside; because on the other hand , old 80 year 600W residue is always difficult to scrub & remove with just plain rain water.

Maybe try this honest approach:

1. You will haul it off for $5.00; &,

2. If after taking it apart, & the insides are not at all rusty, it will take 3 days of intense scrubbing to investigate everything &, if found good enough to re-build, you will throw in an additional $20.00 for a total of $25.00.

3. And, if found reusable, show him a Model A catalog that as a minimum you will need (4) new bearings @ $160.00, w/4 new races @ $100.00, plus new gaskets, seals, bolts, lock washers, drive shaft bearing, for about $40.00; minimum $300.00 not including de- rusting, & painting the exterior, plus your most valuable time to perform this work; &,

4. If he does not understand this, give him your phone number, shake hands, & give him time to tell his wife who will most probably understand all of this -- women just know what men never see!

5. If you were nice to him, after he talks to his wife, you may get a call, the next day -- nothing like telling the truth.

Hope this helps.

[Joe K]

I had a rear end given to me: brakes were there and good, no radius rods nor torque tube. No spring but the spring mounts were in good shape.

The classic setup under a small trailer - one could even see the rust marks from the U-bolts that had been used to put the axle directly to the wooden trailer mounted above.

The open end of the banjo housing concerned me. How much had this trailer been used when it was raining -and all that water transferred into the gearbox?

Not much as it turned out. Pretty good looking overall. This one which is being slowly brought back. I've bought radius rods ($60 online) and a torque tube ($3 at Amherst, NH Antique auto flea market) But I have yet to get a driveshaft ($) and those double ended bearings at the pinion ($$) Oh, and a used pinion ($) And also speaks for my interest in matching "non-matched" ring & pinion. (possible but problematical.)

Truthfully, the axle was "free" but even with a good start, I'm suspecting I have a financial loser here.

Oh well. One does it not only for the money.

Joe K

[Bruce Lancaster]

The rustiest rear end I ever took apart (radius rods with gaping rust holes, deeeep pitting all over everything) had a nice R&P and axles when I got inside.
As noted above, see what comes out with plug removed, if it isn't a gallon of rust see if it turns smoothly, if no crunching noises get help to turn both axles at once in forward direction and see if smooth with some drag. If no nasties emerge, then take it apart. Good parts have to be visible if it will ever bring more than scrap value.

[hardtimes]

Hey Sewall,
Does the saying...like a box of chocolates , have any meaning to you
This kind of applies to your rear end question. For example, one answer says..if the torque tube end is NOT covered...just imagine what is lurking inside ! But, same idea can be and is true about some rear ends that are under vehicle. I bought a '30 rear end that cost more than $3000 ! Well, it was under a rusty roadster body,eh. I should have known, by the available evidence that there was possibly major trouble waiting me, when I saw that ALL bottom of vehicle was rusted. WHY ? Well, the answer was that this roadster has , at some time, sat in deep mud/water..yikes !
As I sat in garage and finally cracked open rear area (plug was mashed)...the most disgustingly foul smelling water (maybe quart or more) and grease muck spilled out with ring/pinyn teeth mixed in ! I caught heck for that sickening mess in garage...for awhile Soo, you never know , but evidence, if properly followed , I shoulda known !

[Quigley1930]

Had no idea I'd get so many responses! The owner wants to take it apart and go from there. The trouble is I'm 78 and could be 87 before it's done. Anyway I'm waiting to hear from someone that has three for free. They have supposedly been under cover. We will see

Sewall

[SeaSlugs]

ive heard covered up before - one scrap of a very holy tarp lol