I am not sure what year NAPCO started production, but the reason that the
front end looks "military" is because in a very odd way it is. NAPCO
bought the tooling for the front axle steering gear (Rzeppa joints, stub
axle, etc.) from Dodge after W.W.II, and started building front axles using
GM housings and gears. Some (not all) of the NAPCO parts will interchange
with the military Dodge trucks. The front axle under your fathers truck
was probably installed by one of the previous owners. The axle ratios in a
4X4 have to match (or be very close, Fo#$ and IHC will occasionally be
found one tooth off front to rear, i.e. 4.10 and 4.11) or you will be
pushing or pulling one end or the other. The reason the hubs are missing
might be due to the difference in gear ratios. If someone ran the truck
in 4X4 on hard pavement with that difference in gearing, it is very likely
that the hubs soaked up the damage. If the gears in front are 3.90s, and
the pumpkin is on the left, the axle is probably a very early 1/2-ton unit
(late 1954-55, check the serial number on the front of the axle housing, it
should be 4Cxxxx). If it uses a "standard" hub, you may be able to buy a
set from Selectro/Milemarker. They still produce some hubs, but there were
a few different bolt/spline patterns. Call me tonight or this weekend, and
I can try and help you sort it out if you have numbers. Take care.
Kevin Lake
56 GMC Suburban/napco
(541) 850-3819
----------
> From: Steve Bobst <mailman@netins.net>
> To: oletrucks <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
> Subject: [oletrucks] early NAPCO question?
> Date: Thursday, April 08, 1999 5:07 PM
>
> My father has an early NAPCO conversion (WWII?) The front end third
member
> is located on the left hand side rather than the right hand side like the
> task force trucks. The front end is a half ton housing with 3.90 gears,
but
> the hubs and drums are 3/4-1 ton variety. This set up was installed
under
> a 1 ton task force dual wheel truck that he located in a bone yard, so
the
> actual year of the NAPCO conversion is unknown. It has been suggested
that
> the running gear may have been produced during the war using whatever
parts
> that were available.
>
> The problem he is having is that the hubs are missing. The outer
axles
> (spindles?) are threaded in the center and have splines on the outside.
The
> hubs are 3/4 or 1 ton even though the axle is a half ton.
> Lock out hubs would be prefered as the front gear ratio is 3.90 and the
rear
> is 4.56.
>
> We would appreciate any information on what this system may be from,
or
> if anyone has any suggestions on where to locate hubs, or even know of a
> picture or diagram as to what they should look like. We do know that
> NEITHER of the 1/2 ton nor the 3/4 ton hubs from post 1956 units will
work.
>
> Thanks
> Steve
>
>
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
|