Working on an older Eaton 18.5K rear end, replacing the single-speed pumpkin with a 2-speed lower-geared pumpkin for use in a forklift. It's a long story that I'll tell if you want to hear it, but the gist of it is that the original double-reduction 9.97 axle was torn out of it a long time ago and I'm converting the replacement axle back into what it should be. Basically I'm changing a 17101 axle with 5.29 ratio into a 17201 with 7.17 high / 9.97 low ratio and then locking it into low. The forklift has Budd wheels but all of the donor rears I'm finding have Dayton / spoke wheels. I know I need the 2-speed axleshafts...my question is am I going to run into a length problem putting shafts from Dayton hubs into a differential using Budd hubs? Thanks in advance for the help.
I dont have a yes or no answer but the best way to find out is to tear them apart and see. Why dont you stay with the better Daytons? If i had a forklift with budds and i could i would switch to Daytons.
Doug, thanks for your reply. I was told that the axleshafts from a 2-speed rear are going to be different lengths and spline counts than the ones in my single-speed pumpkin. I use this machine daily so once I pull it down I need to already know I have the right parts so I can get it right back up and running. I just figured that since there were so many mechanics here, someone had done a Dayton-to-Budd wheel swap on a drive axle before and would know the answer to the axleshaft length question. As far as the wheels go, I prefer Budds, and the recaps on the Budds are basically new. However, if you were closer by, I'd have been happy to give you the used take-off Dayton hubs if you wanted them. I believe you're the only person I've ever heard say they preferred the Dayton wheel setup.
Second that. Grew up screwing with Dayton wheels on trucks. While they could be considered slightly(!!) better than stud-pilot Budds, no way can I say they are better than hub-pilot.
The one of the reasons i like daytons and i would want them on a forklift is with hand tools you can easyly change a tire and in rough use you want have cracked rims. I think why most guys dont like Daytons is there not shiny. I have looked at alot of axles in the past and i dont think there are many single speeds that use the same houseing as the 2 speeds do.If the hubs and pumpkin will interchange i would think the axles would work because most trucks and rear axles are the same with. I have 4 older fords that all have 2speeds every one has a diffrent center section or pumpkin but there axles are all the same and their hubs and brakes are the same.