Re: [ihc] two speed rear axles

[bearbvd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Greg Hermann)]

At 10:34 PM 10/28/03, Allan W. wrote:
>>however, both the RA20 and RA25
>>were available in a 2-speed.  the 2-speed version of the RA20 is the RA126,
>>and i don't remember the number for the 2-speed RA25.  to make an RA20 into
>>a 2-speed should be as simple as pulling the shafts and swapping
>>differential carriers.
>
>My '72 1210 owners manual has instructions for shifting the optional
>2 speed rear axle.  At one time I thought they might have been an
>option.  But, after locating some original price lists, I found that
>was not the case for a 1210, or even a 1310.  The same owners manual
>covers all the way through the 1510 series.
>
>May 18, 1970 price list:
>1300 Standard: RA-15 (rated 7500lb).  Optional: RA-63 (D70) $139.88 SRP

Both of the above have 8 on 6.5 lug pattern. The earlier RA-15's (Through
'68) had 6 on 7.25 lug pattern and 14" brakes..

>1500 Standard: RA-20 (rated 10000lb).

THIS is an axle with the same pumpkin as an RA-15--BUT has 5 on 8 lug hubs
and 14" brakes. (Came with 17" wheels)

 Optional: RA-25 (12000lb) $67.25 SRP
>1500 Optional:  RA-126 2 speed, $250.71 SRP
>The RA-25 and RA-126 require 15x4" brake option and 20" wheels

The pumpkin in THESE is identical to the pumpkin in the standard 1600
Loadstar axles--in fact, the ONLY difference between these and 1600 axles
is the WIDTH of the housing and (sometimes) the lug pattern. 1600's came
with either 5 on 8 or 6 on 8.75 lug pattern hubs and wheels, and the SAME
15" brakes. In 1600's these axles (RA-30, I believe) were rated at 11K.

YES--you can swap hubs and drums from a 1600 with 6 hole hubs directly onto
the RA25 in a 1500. Dead bolt on. 6 hole wheels are MUCH easier to find
today-- and the ONLY thing available if you want to replace 20" split rims
with 22.5" drop center tubeless wheels/tires !! A 9.00x22.5 tire has an
identical rolling radius to a 8.25 x 20.

you can find 17" Budd wheels with the 5 on 8 lug pattern (see above) --but
they would NOT fit over the 15" brakes.

Greg
>
>1972 Price list
>All the same, except prices slightly higher.
>
>BTW, ratios for RA-25 are listed as 5.29, 6.17, 6.67, 7.17.  Also, these are
>not available on the 4x4 units as the ratios don't match the available
>front driving axles.
>
>When I learned the ratios of the 2 speed and the 20" wheel requirement,
>I decided these were not going to work for me.  Now if I could
>find a 2 speed axle with, say 4.10 and 3.73 ratios....
>
>Allan W.