Thanks Bill, that really gives me some solid information when I go out to search the junk yards. Like I was saying, most of the time I just get a blank stare. I have to wonder just what the differences were when I look at all those codes. Were these the numbers for the axle assembly or the center section? And where am I going to find them, stamped? Tagged? There couldn’t possibly have been that many different gear ratios so I’m assuming that they have something to do with the brake set up also. One last thing, where in the world did you come up with all those codes??

OH, IIRC! I should know that one, I have enough problems in that area myself. I’m going to shoot ya an email Scott. No sense in talking a deal here.

Flyboy, thanks for getting this one off the ground, I think I picked up more information in this thread than in all of them I’ve read on the subject in the last year. Thanks again for participating and to all the rest of ya that jumped in the water.
I’ve probably read the JC tech article but didn’t pay it much mind. Up until I drove the 3604 for a few hundred miles I was adamant about keeping every thing absolutely original. This is gonna rub a few people the wrong way, but I’m beginning to weaken, there are three changes that I can think of for the better, the first is the gear. If it don’t show under the scrutiny of a judge then I’m willing to make the change. I think I’ve said this before; I doubt there are many VCCA’ers out there that crawl under and check the numbers on the center section at a show. The 4.57 will be on the shelf if the next guy wants to put it back in when my heirs sell it in 35 years. The other two changes are tubeless tires and insert bearings for the rods. The tires can be easily changed when going to a show.
I’m familiar with the ring gear thrust adjustment, it was one of the things that I checked and reset when I was rebuilding the under side of the old gal. No confusion, you have contributed more to clearing this up than anyone else so far.
I’ve got just a couple of other questions while we are on the subject. With a change to a later center section, do you have to alter the drive shaft length in any way?? And, along the same vein, will I be able to re-use the original axles, in other words will they engage the spiders properly, for instance could they be to long/to short? I believe we have already established the fact that the splines are the same. I had my axles out when I rebuilt the hubs and they looked like brand spankin new, absolutely no signs of wear on the splines.
The other thing has to do with the Eaton rear end. Two models have been mentioned here several times, the HO52 & HO72. Were they the only model Eaton axles used simply in various configurations? And once again, what would the difference be between the two??
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny G
Sandwich, IL