HELP 7.5" Ford IRS in Trike

[vicco27]

As most of you know by now I finished our trike (3.5 years). My problem is I keep pushing gear lube out of the vent that I installed. I installed the vent in the top left rear of the flipped over center section (no axle tubes). Now looking back on old photos, I can't see a vent in the the old gear case cover. I couldn't use it in the build so I threw it away. Does anyone out there have or know of someone that has a 1989/1994 Cougar or Thunderbird V6 with the 7.5" IRS. Could I please get you to look under the rear and see if there is a vent of any kind on the top rear of the aluminum cover? Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

 

PS Everything is closed up for Memorial Day so I can't get into any wrecking yards.

Edited May 29, 2011 by vicco27

[jonesy]

I got a 7.5 ford rear in my trike, Got a vent if I remember right. Get ahold of Carbon One, he'll be able to help you if anyone can. He helped me when I did mine last year. Also try www.triketalk.com there are alot of smart people as far as trikes go there. Ford rearends are used in alot of trikes. You didn't over fill did you, 1 1/2 qts. if I'm not mistaken. I'm not home or I'd look at my trike as far as the vent goes.

[Carbon_One]

Tri-Wing puts a vent on the right side of a flipped Ford solid axle, on the differential case tube. I've read somewhere the vent needs to be on this side due to the ring gear being able to throw oil out if placed on the left. Also Jonesy is right about the amount of oil used. Any more then that and you'll eventually blow out an axle seal.

Hope this helps ya, Larry

[vicco27]

This is not a solid axle set-up. This is just an IRS center section, flipped. No axle tubes. Original cover couldn't be used. I put in exactly 1 1/2 qts as per Tri-Wing specs.

[jonesy]

Are you saying that you are using just the center gear section, and not the tubes, if that is the case the 1 1/2 qt. of gear lube would be too much cause there are no tubes involved. If I'm right I'd say a qt. or maybe less.

[Carbon_One]

What you want is for the oil level to reach just to the bottom edge of the axle tube section. That way there'll be just enough oil being splashed on the axle bearings to keep them lubricated. Regardless of the type of axle used. To clarify, the vent tube on my axle is in the cast iron section of the carrier assembly, not on the steel tube itself.

So even without tubes you should have room for a vent because you still have the u-joint flanges outboard of the carrier assembly.

Larry

Edited May 29, 2011 by Carbon_One
corrected info

[vicco27]

The '89-'94 7.5" IRS center section is manufactured with nothing but a provision for a seal outboard of the ring gear/spider gear bearing adjusters. All you see from the outside is the seals. The trunion-type axles with inboard stubs protrude through the seals and into the spider gear housing and have locks holding them in. (Anyone interested in seeing what it looks like, go to my photobucket album accessible through earlier postings in Trikes and Sidecars.) The cast iron gear case housing is only 11.5" wide, and is a normal length for a 7.5" Ford rear end. As I stated earlier, after flipping the housing over for the Yamaha shaft drive application, I put a vent in the rear top left of the gear case housing. There is plenty of room for a vent, that's not the problem. However, I got my gear lube quantity information from Tri-Wing instructions, which does have axle tubes. I suppose it's possible I'm putting too much lube in it, but the Tri-Wing instructions said you need enough to get lube to the pinion bearings, which are now above not below, the centerline. However, maybe a quart and a half is too much. Thanks for suggestions and getting me to thinking.