Labor rate is dependent upon the project. Call the shop at 208-455-7971 to inquire.

Hot Rod Works does more than just sell parts.
Some of the services we offer include:
Quick change and banjo rebuilding
Narrow or straighten banjo rear end housings and later model rear end housings
Shorten torque tubes
Convert your 10 spline tube drive shaft to 6 spline
Shorten and respline axles
Custom machining
CNC machining

Excluding the parts on the website, we can help you build your next roadster project. Give us a call for more information on other services provided. If we can help you, we will.

Our axle conversion system requires the old bearing race to be cut off of the axle housing and the housing end bored for an axle seal and axle clearance.

The old stock axle system relied on a press fit of the hub onto the axle. Under some load conditions, the axle can fail. The above picture shows an axle that twisted.

Our new axle gears are designed to accept modern style 28 spline axles. The attached pictures show an original axle next to a modern axle with our axle gear.

Click HERE for the picture.

After machining and assembling the differential, the backing plates are attached with our Bearing Adapters. The bearing adapters bolt to the backing plate and axle housing. The axle fits into the bearing adapter and is held in by the axle bearing retainer. These pieces come with each axle conversion system where the early Ford style backing plates are retained.

When the early Ford drum brake system is retained, the hub must be removed from the drum. Only the ’40 style drums can be used. These drums were attached to the outboard side of the stock hubs.

The new axle flange and pressed on axle bearing take the place of the original early Ford hub.

Click HERE for picture.

Our Axle Conversion System requires the ring gear and the differential to be machined to accept our new axle gears.

The axle gears are installed into the ring gear and differential.

The Axle Conversion System requires the use of 11 tooth spiders.

The differential and ring gear are assembled together with the axle gears and spiders inside.

Click HERE for picture.

Correctly setting up an early Ford rear end, or a quick change, is important for long life and quiet operation. It’s important to get the proper bearing preloads and the correct lash between the ring gear and the pinion. It is also important to get the correct gear mesh pattern. This has to be checked during set up. The pinion depth may need to be adjusted to get the proper pattern. We have found that sometimes shims need to be added or the pinion must be machined to get the proper pattern.

Many “noisy” quick change rear ends aren’t noisy only due to the quick change gears, but are noisy due to improper gear mesh.

The pictures show a good pattern after adjusting the pinion depth on a quick change rear end.

Click HERE and HERE for pictures.

Click THIS LINK to open the charts.

There are 7 basic styles of axle housings.

#1) 1928-1931 ‘A’. The bell is 9 3/4″ diameter. The spring perches are on top of the axle tubes near the backing plate mounting flange.

#2) 1932 (‘A’ style). The bell is 9 3/4″ diameter and the length is 24 1/8″ from housing gasket to backing plate flange. The spring perches are attached to the backing plate flange. The radius rod tabs are straight.

#3) 1932 (V8 style) and 1933-1934. The bell is 10″ diameter and the length is 24 1/8 from flange to flange. The spring perch is attached to the backing plate flange and is shaped like the ’32 ‘A’ style. The radius rod tabs are mounted on an angle.

#4) 1935-1936. The bell is 10″ diameter and the length is 24 5/8″ flange to flange. There are no spring perches. The spring was mounted on the radius rods. These housings have an oval flange to which the radius rods mounted.

#5) 1937-1940. The bell is 10″ diameter and the length is 24 5/8″ flange to flange. The spring hangers are attached to the backing plate/housing end.

#6) 1941. The bell is 10″ diameter and the length is 24 5/8″ flange to flange. The 1941 housings have a small triangle shaped “nub” by the spring shackle hole, and a stud on the passenger side spring hanger for the pan hard rod .

#7) 1942-1948. The bell is 10″ diameter and the length is 25 1/2″ flange to flange. These have an extra stud on the spring perch for the pan hard rod.

There are 3 styles of center sections.

#1) On the left is the 1928-1931 ‘A’ and 1932 (‘A’ style). It has no pinion support bearing and the housing flange is 9 3/4″ in diameter. The banjo is 3.5″ wide. The torque tube flange is round.

#2) In the center is the 1932 (V8 style) and 1933-34. The housing flange is 10″ in diameter and the banjo is 3.5″ wide. The torque tube flange is “scalloped”. These used a pinion support bearing. The pinion bearing is smaller and shorter than the later V8 centers. You can see the difference by comparing it to the one on the right. The distance from the housing flange to the torque tube flange is shorter than the one one the right.

#3) On the right is the 1935-1948 center. It has a pinion support bearing and the housing flange is 10″ diameter. The banjo is 3 13/16″ wide and the torque tube flange is “scalloped”. All of the 1935-1948 axle housings used this center section. The 1933-1934 axle housings will bolt up to this center section, but you will need to use special differential races. We have those in stock. One additional difference with the 1933-1934 housings is how they are “clocked” on the 35-48 center section. The bolt circle is in a slightly different orientation, so the pinion shaft and the spring hangers will be off by about 5 degrees.

These are 1934 radius rods, torque tube and drive shaft.
The radius rods are similar to the ’32 4cyl. style, but they are straight, not bent, where they bolt to the axle housings.

Please refer to THIS CHART to match your Chevy bell housing casting number to our corresponding part number.