Rear axel changeover

[Kenny]

Can most rear axel assemblies from large trucks be changed over to rear engine drive by simply reorienting the internal differential assembly 180 degrees in the housing ?
Kenny

[buswarrior]

Which 180 degrees?

The right wheel has to stay the right wheel.

The axle "rolls over" front to back, for a T drive rear engine coach.

Some truck differentials are not symmetrical top to bottom, so you need to choose carefully.

Lubrication must also be confirmed, with the parts "upside down" from a truck install.

There are a number of busnuts who have purposely sought an appropriate axle to roll over and adapt to their coach to access a more suitable gear ratio for their purposes than could be installed in the stock differential.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[TomC]

One of the main problems of just rolling over the housing of a truck axle, is that you have to drill new fill and drain holes.  Lubrication usually will not be a problem since the gears are submersed about 1/3 the way up the gear. 
Also-this is why Eagle uses a drop box-so they can use a standard truck axle that faces forward (and for space).  Good Luck, TomC

[jimsflx]

kenny, i changed my flx by flipping a single axle. got it from weller truck in grand rapids, mi, they redrilled the oil passages,switched the brakes around and changed the fill and drain tube, works great, good luck jim

[Kenny]

I understand that the fill, drain and level holes have to be drilled in new locations, but I was under the impression that there is a primary direction a pinion/ring gear assembly is designed to rotate? Or does this vary from axel to axel?
Kenny

[Kenny]

Maybe I'm not thinking this out right. Is it as simple as rolling over the axle so the driveshaft connection faces the rear. Then modify the housing with new holes for fill, level indication plug and drain???

[Hard Headed Ken]

Think about it this way. Our bus engines are in the rear now, but wouldn't it be better if the engines were in the bays, then all that space in the rear could be used for storage of items that we could sell at campgrounds that were for gay couples only.. All we have to do is flip the engine, transmission and differential forward 180. Sure it would be upside down, but then all we gotta do is relocate the oil pickup tube to the valve covers. The engine is still turning the same direction so it's going to pull the bus in the same direction, right?? A simple solution that will free up a lot of storage space for rainbows and bumper stickers. 

Ken

[TomC]

When switching from a front engine to a rear engine, the rear axle stays in the same position with just the axle housing being rotated 180 degrees to face back.  Hence the engines run the same right hand rotation.  The only thing that is upside down is the axle housing-hence changing the fill, drain and vents.  Good Luck, TomC

[Kenny]

As TomC mentions, rotating the driveshaft connection to point backwards, adding the fill, level and drain holes, all appears to be doable from my standpoint.

I would guess that the brake canisters would also need to be relocated??

Since this would be for a 30' Flxible weighing in at approx 13,000lb and needing dual wheels (22.5" stud piloted), What would be the best donor rear end assembly to use? Any ideas?
Kenny

[HB of CJ]

My old 1974 Crown Supercoach 10 wheeler had a pancake 855 Cummins Small Cam in the middle of the coach, located under the floor about admidships.  The big left side radiator was in a location forward of the engine and just behind the drivers seat, also under the floor.

The 100 fuel tank was on the passengers side located to the rear of the engine and in front of the rear drivers.  The large RTO-910 Roadranger took up the middle behind the engine and the big air filture and starting batts took up more left side space behind the mill.

The one kinda smallish side storage bin was located just behind the front wheels on the passengers side.  The only other storage area was the big trunk that ran behind the rear wheel wells all the way to the back bumper.  The frame ended behind the back rear axle.

The point of all this is that admidship engineered coaches like the Crown didn't have any luggage bins to speak off.  It was all deleted to make room for the machinery.  Rear engined coaches are amazing in that everything fits in the rear of the bus.  Cool.  HB of CJ (old coot)

[rv_safetyman]

You might want to think about using a rear end from a decent sized motorhome with rear engine.  I know of a couple of folks who have done that.  The brakes should be in the correct location, and the fill and drain holes are where they need to be.

Or you could take Ken's advice -- or maybe drink the same stuff he is drinking

Jim

[RJ]

Since this would be for a 30' Flxible weighing in at approx 13,000lb and needing dual wheels (22.5" stud piloted), What would be the best donor rear end assembly to use? Any ideas?

Ken -

Ben Willmore (creativecruiser.com) simply purchased a salvaged Class A diesel pusher that had a good powertrain and swapped all the running gear into his Flx Clipper.

KISS principle, as Jim just suggested also!

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Uglydog56]

As HB alluded to, mid-engine is much worse for available storage space.  I envy your see-through bays.

[uncle ned]

Ken is getting ready to come to BK'S. He is the head "person" in charge of the engine transplant for "HUGGY". Don is bring the 24v92 Detroit.

Haven't decided which way we are going to face it  midship or rear end sideways.

uncle ned

bring plenty of adult beverages for the work. might to take a while.

[Kenny]

Would a rear end out of a school bus be a good candidate?

Sent from my DROIDX