I'm restoring a 1925 Star tractor conversion and I'm looking for the adapter that is connected to the rear universal with 6 bolts and slips over the splined shaft protruding from the bell housing that is attached to the rear axle. The bell housing is bolted to the rear axle with 4 bolts and contains the worm gear that drives the planetary gear in the rear end.

I have detailed photos of what I'm looking for, but I'm having trouble posting those photos to this forum. If you will email me I will send them to you.

I would like to purchase this item.

I live in Troy, Idaho (90 miles south of Spokane, WA), and my cell number is 208-301-8436.

Thanks,
Dave

Where Are You From? Troy, Idaho 83871

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1925 Star tractor conversion

Added pictures for David Egolf

Where Are You From? Fremont, CA

I was recently building a rear axle and noticed that there two sizes of pinion housings. The four bolt holes are a different size pattern and will not interchange on the axle housing.

Where Are You From? Texarkana, Tx

Do You own a car built by Durant? several

Hi Don,

Thanks for responding. The kind of mismatch you describe seems to have been the rule at Durant Motor Company. For example, when I bought it, my car had a front bumper made by Stuart-Warner. I thought S-W made only instruments, but apparently made other parts in the 1920's. My car also had five lugs bolts on the front wheels and six on the rear??? I'm not complaining, but it makes for some serious head scratching if you are trying to restore a Star like I am.

I guess I was lucky, as I first bought the chassis (minus the pinion bell housing), then started adding parts as I found them. I found a pinion housing later and luckily, the bolt-hole pattern was the same. So I bolted them together, but something is still amiss because the pinion gear meshes too tightly with the planetary ring gear in the rear axle. When I snug up the bolts it puts the gears under too much stress.

So I took the pinion bell housing apart and it is very strange. There's a ball bearing at either end of the pinion shaft, but the entire inside of the cast iron housing is lined with very thick babbitt material. The external races of both ball bearings ride against the babbitt!!! It seems like, in an earlier design, the pinion shaft may have had babbitted bearings at either end, then Durant added the two ball bearings as an afterthought. Or maybe they were added by some farmer who wanted to replace the babbitted bearings.

Nevertheless, I'm still missing a piece I called the "Adapter" that connects the spline protruding from the pinion bell housing to the universal. Do you know where I might find one?

David Egolf

Where Are You From? Troy, Idaho 83871

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1925 Star tractor conversion

You need the pinion flange. I should have some laying loose. I'll get back with you this afternoon.

Where Are You From? Texarkana, Tx

Do You own a car built by Durant? several

Don,
Great! I will wait to hear from you.
Dave

Where Are You From? Troy, Idaho 83871

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1925 Star tractor conversion

Dear all,
Don Schilling kindly informed me that the part I called an "adapter" is a "pinion flange." It attaches to the rear universal with 6 bolts and has a splined hole that marries with the splined shaft protruding from the pinion Bell housing that's bolted to the rear end. Don also said the flange I am looking for is for a 1924 Star, as the 1925 flange is of a different design. Does anyone have the 1924 flange in their box of spare parts that they are willing to part with?
Dave

Where Are You From? Troy, Idaho 83871

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1925 Star tractor conversion

Both the 24 and 25 F models should be splined flanges. 26 M and later used a taper with a key design.

Where Are You From? Texarkana, Tx

Do You own a car built by Durant? several

David no. 1

I have a 6 small bolt pinion flange on a spare rear axle for the '1923'Star we have that is taken space up our garage .


Mine has a very short shank or protrusion out the back(The tapered cone shaped area the spline fits in)....

I can get you pictures...Then if you think it's a good maybe? I'll then take it off for further investigation and see what's up.

Maybe some one in the know, will chime in a say "it won't fit" and save some time!

You can call me directly 203 596 8128 or email ctplayerpiano@aol.com


Regards, other David in Conn.

Where Are You From? Ct

A pinion flange is now on its way.

Where Are You From? Ct

David,
Thank you very much. Your flange is now on my car. Success!!! This forum is a very good resource. Without the Forum, and participants like David Selah I would have spent months looking through junk yards and investigating every old farm-yard junker(and might have been shot at in the process :-)).
Dave

Where Are You From? Troy, Idaho 83871

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1925 Star tractor conversion