advice on 4 speed transmission u joint cover on back

[birdacre]

i have a late 28 aa, with a four speed. it has the lever on the shifter for reverse. on the back of the transmission housing an old farmer brazed the u joint cover onto the back of the transmission housing. it looks like it was originally held in with four bolts. does anyone have an extra transmission housing? my gears are good, i just hate to put the truck back together like this. i can not even imagine why this was done. thanks, kevin in ct.

[tiredtruckrestorer]

Kevin,

The '28 AA's did not come with a 4-speed, only the standard 3 speed Model A transmission. The coupling shaft behind it used a u-joint on each end and had one bearing in each end of the coupling shaft tube to support the shaft inside. The 4-speed used a male/female splined connection at the rear of the transmission and only a u-joint at the rear of the coupling shaft. No bearings in the coupling shaft tube to support the shaft. The bolt pattern at the rear of transmissions are a different size between the 3-speed and the 4-speed where the front of the coupling shaft tube front support attaches, and probably is why the farmer brazed it to the case. The conversion to the 4-speed can be done in your '28 neatly with the right parts. It would have to be taken apart and see what combination of parts were put together.

Keith

[birdacre]

thank you for info. sounds like a logical idea. my current u joint slides onto shaft coming out of transmission and is held on with a bolt. are you saying that i need a different shaft to mate up to my current transmission case. can brazing be heated and removed? if it can, i would think i would need the correct housing for back of transmission and a different shaft, do you have any leads on this short shaft. thanks in advance, kevin in ct p.s. i have two 30 or 31 trucks for parts. hate to take them apart but it this the shaft and collar i need to bolt up to my 4 speed. they both have pto's that run dump bodies. good frames, springs etc, rusted out bodies.

[Bob C]

If the bearing retainer has four bolt holes then it is for a 3-speed, the 4-speed
has six bolt holes. The output shaft should work with the right u-joint.

Bob

[birdacre]

thank you for info. so... if i heated up the brazed 3 speed u joint retainer and removed it, got the proper 6 hole bearing retainer, it should bolt onto my 4 speed housing. if any holes are filled with brazing i could re tap them. now, my final question, do you think the drive shaft i have will work with the new attacement to the transmission back. thanks in advance, kevin