warford installation in a "31 AA

[AAholic]

In attempting to install a warford in a 31 SWB I find that there is insufficient clearance between the (4-1/4"long 7090-c) u joint and the warford with the unit all the way up against the crossmember (as far back as it will go).

Should I shorten the u joint or is there a shorter one?

warford2.jpg (60.03 KiB) Viewed 8563 times

I need at least a 1/4" and maybe more for the "inner bell". Or am I doing something wrong?

[Chris Haynes]

Why not attach the U joint before you bolt the other end to the crossmember?

[AAholic]

Near as I can figure the u joint needs to bolt to the out put shaft on the transmission (first), I have not bolted the warford to the crossmember yet, rather it is protruding through the cross member as far as the it and the gear box will allow. if that makes any sense.

[Chris Haynes]

Pull it out and slip the Warford input shaft into the U joint the raise the back end up to the crossmember. The drive line must not be in place to install the Warford.

[AAholic]

Needless to say the drive line (rear end / torque tube) are not in place, I will try again to put the input shaft of the warlord into the u joint first and raise the rear of the unit up into position, I didn't have any luck with that either but it's worth another try.

[bud valerius]

look for a u-joint with the correct splines that is shaped like the end that is bolted to your transmission and put the short end on the one you have . that is what I have done

[1wonton]

You have to pull the rear-end/torque tube back (disconnected form the rear springs) in order to slip the u-joint into the drive shaft splines.

[AAholic]

Here the unit is as far forward as it will go onto the U joint right up against the bearing retainer of the 4 speed and there is no way the out-put end of the Warford will clear the crossmember so that end (of the Warford) has to go through the crossmember first then the whole thing move forward onto the the U joint? (provided there is sufficient clearance between the U joint and the bell)

[Neil Wilson]

It looks like the Warford is the 1928-1929 design and the AA has a 4-speed with the adapter design rear bearing retainer.

This will also require that the rear support for the 1928-1929 coupling shaft be used (see attached). This support is installed on the back side of the #3 frame cross member after the Warford is connected to the transmission u-joint.

So, with the rear support not installed, I think you should be able to insert the Warford through the front side of the #3 frame cross member and then move the Warford forward to insert the Warford input shaft into the u-joint at the transmission.

Does that work?

I can't remember, but if the u-joint between the Warford and drive shaft fits through the rear support, then it would be easier to install this u-joint before installation of the Warford. The u-joint may not fit through the rear support (so check this out).

[AAholic]

Neil, The Warford is the 28-29 design and the AA has the 4 speed trans with the adapter rear bearing retainer in place.
I have the rear support for the 1928-1929 coupling shaft, I understand that it installs from the rear of the # 3 crossmember after the Warford is connected to the transmission u-joint.

So, with the rear support not installed, I am able able to insert the Warford through the front side of the #3 frame cross member but still lack clearance between the end of the unit and the end of the u-joint (4-1/2" 7090-c) , the u-joint being about 1/4" too long.

Sounds like Bud has a solution with a shorter u-joint (half). I wonder if AA u-joint (halves) would be interchangeable with model A halves? as the Warford shafts are the same spline as model A's as you must know.

Looks to me that the rear U-joint needs to be installed after the rear support as it's ID is smaller that the u-joint.

[AAholic]

so close and yet no cigar

[BrianT]

Hello John,
I see 2 easy ways to make it work, first of all I think I understand why it wont fit, I believe the transmission output shaft is to long (not by much) than the later year, if I remember the short splined serrated coupler was made to fit the shaft originally, 6 splined the same as an A joint.
Either shorten the U-joint, or remove the 4 rear motor mount bolts and pry the engine forward, the latter would of course create a mystery for someone in the future.
Hope this makes sense, Regards Brian.

[AAholic]

Hi Brian,
I'd like to be able to take the Warford back out if need be without having to move the engine though that would be one solution.

The front of the U- joint I have on the transmission output shaft is all the way forward against the inner race of the out-put bearing and does not contact the end of the output shaft, in fact there is a gap (see attached, thanks Bob C) of about 1/8" between it and the u-joint washer/bolt so I don't think it's a question of the out-put shaft being too long (although it would surprise me if there were not different length shafts).

If A model u-joint (halves) are interchangable with AA model halves, it might be a simple mater of combining the short half of an A u-joint with the short half of the AA u-joint. If they aren't I may just shorten the one I've got.

thanks for your input, Best Regards john

[Bob C]

I measured three of those A-7090-C u-joints and they were 4 1/4, 4 3/8,
and 4 5/8 so it looks like you have a short one already.

Bob

[bud valerius]

You need to find a u-joint with the same shape as the 1/2 that is on the transmission but a spline that matches the Warford the mate the 2 halves