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What month was the four speed put into the 29AA? I purchased one with a four speed and bevel gear rear end that mounts 28/20 style rims. Was also wondering if this bevel was high or low speed. How can I tell?

Attached is a picture of the service bulletin covering the worm gear axle ratio. Attached is a picture of Oct 29 service bulletin about the New 4 Speed. Attached is a picture showing "736" stamped across the bevel gear axle housings ....36/7= 5.14 to 1. I have never seen numbers on the 7:5 to 1 bevel gear axle housing. Steve.

I found the October service bulletin that talked about the introduction of 4 speed in 1929. I could not find when the bevel gear rear end was introduced that was made for 28/29 style wheels. The rear end is different than both the pictures posted - looks more like oversized car rear end. An earlier post suggested that this rear end was introduced early 29, but I am not sure of this based on the 4 speed which dates it after at least September. I would also like to know if any one has a similar one in their car and if it is reliable. Are axle seals available?

Wondering if it a Canadian Timken rear end. Have you any photos to share?

s147881 wrote:What month was the four speed put into the 29AA? I purchased one with a four speed and bevel gear rear end that mounts 28/20 style rims. Was also wondering if this bevel was high or low speed. How can I tell?

The four-speed started production as early as September 1929. The 1929 bevel gear rear axle (early 1929 only I think) could have been ordered with either the high or low speed gears. It is highly unlikely that the combination of four-speed and 1929 bevel gear rear axle is original. Check the four-speed casting date.

There would be a lot less guessing if you would post pictures of what you are talking about.

Is this your rear axle?

Bob

Yes,
That is the rear axle. We're is the casting date on 4 speed?

On the Warner produced 4-speed the casting date on the case is on the drivers side a little bit behind the clutch/brake pedal shaft area. The top transmission cover has a date on the passenger side behind the hand brake mount area, viewed from the top. There is also a date stamped on the transmission cases top machined area at the drivers side rear corner. Most of the time the top cover has to be removed to see the complete number which I believe to be the transmissions assembly date.

On the DG&M produced 4-speeds the date is harder to find. Sometimes one can be found around the clutch/brake pedal shaft area, but the ones marked there have the date cast vertically on the case. Some DG&M cases have number/letter codes on the drivers side towards the rear of case, but I don't know anybody that has figured them out yet. The top transmission cover also has a date on it, but it is on the driver side, just the opposite of the Warner transmission. I haven't seen any DG&M trans with a number stamped on the top machined surface of the case like the Warners were.

I've seen a lot of transmissions with mismatched parts though, since all of the parts interchange. That is Warner boxes with DG&M top covers, and visa versa. The easiest to document would be the Warner transmissions. The casting dates of the case and top cover would have to be before the assembly date stamped on the top machined surface of the case.

Keith

I attempted to find a date cast on the transmission with no luck. I did find a few things that lead me to believe Neil that this may not all be correct. I could not make out the entire engine number as it looked like some one filed it. But what I could make out is a star, - 7-247,star. The dashes I could not make out. But it looks like no more than 6 engine numbers/letters. The title I got with the truck has 1075185 for a number. It had an early 30 style radiator with twist cap. Engine oil pan has round bolted flang on bottom which I think confirms the 6 digit early engine number. I could not find any casting or stampings on the rear. I may need to wait til spring to tear it apart and find frame number and casting dates. Cold and snowy her in michigan.

Hi, the three speed transmissions on the 28/29 trucks were not really strong enough for 1 1/2 ton trucks, especially when it was common for users to habitually overload these poor trucks. In 1939, if your three speed transmission or even a simple clutch failed, it would be easy enough to upgrade to a 4 speed transmission for cheap! In 1969 when I was in high school I bought three AA trucks, one was an original flatbed 28. I took out the three speed and installed a 4 speed. I sold the 28 truck in 1973 when my father sold the farm; where is that truck now and who is going crazy trying to figure out that truck ?! Recently I have installed 4 speeds in six small Model A pickups, three 1928 underdrives behind 30/31 trucks, a bevel gear axle behind a 29 truck, all using assorted stock parts..... 30 years from now if some one started basing originality upon these trucks they would be in error. There are very few of these trucks that have 100% of their ORIGINAL parts. Any time I ever claimed that somebody was "wrong" about certain parts on these trucks (or Power Wagons, which I know more about), I ended up putting my foot in my mouth!!!!!! The reality is that it is fun to make one of these trucks factory original, and it is also fun to make one of these trucks user and traffic friendly, not necessarily having to be "right". Have FUN!!! Steve.

YES, GET EM ON THE ROAD !!!!!!!!

I have never owned an AA With a 3 spd. But I'm sure that the 3 spd. would handle twice the load limit. Climing a hill is what the 3 spd is for, to reach down and catch 2nd or 1st. There is an advantage of the 4 spd. So little If you are pulling Stumps. Some may have need to haul in the mountains. The 3 spds. have lasted for 85 yrs. and still going strong. Speeking of load limit. I had a'62 Ford pkup 6 cylinder standard 1/2 ton (1000lb.) Stort wheel base. I went to a concrete plant to get a pallet of 4" sender blocks. Went out to load them and the fork lift operator asked where was my truck . I pointed to the 62 1/2 ton. He shook his head and said it would never haul them, I asked how much did they weight, 4300 lbs. The pkup. had over load springs, he set the pallet of blocks on the back and body went down about 3" I ask if he would slide it ahead ,When I saw the load shift some load to the front wheels I was good. I drove home at 60 mph.for about 25 miles. Someone must has seen me and reported me. A few days later I was stopped in that same pkup by the state police. They used the portable scales on all 4 wheels, to check the weight, of course I was not hauling any thing . Shelby, Sacramento

The oldest casting date I have on all of my AA 4 Speeds is 10- -29.
The first ones have the shifter cap that has two pins later ones have the threaded shifter cap.
I also doubt that there really is few unmolested AA 4 Speeds still around. Most have been updated during a rebuild to the later style threaded shifter cap case top.