Loud bang

JasonNC
JasonNC Expert Adviser
in HUDSON
An 82 year old carb mechanic asked me how fast had I ran my Hudson this morning.  I told him I hadn't driven it over 60 to 65 mph as I was still trying to work out the bugs.  Just for the hell of it, when I was about a mile from home, I put "the pedal to the medal" and the car accelerated accordingly.  About a 100 yards from my street, I heard a loud bang from the rear of the car and it immediately started vibrating violently as if the clutch was disengaged.  I was able to coast home without too much trouble.  I haven't had a chance to jack it up to see what may have caused that noise because I thought something had fallen off the car and immediately went back to see if I could find what it was that had fallen off.  I couldn't find anything.  It seems like I read that someone on this forum had a similar occurrence and it had something to do with the rear axle.  Any ideas fellas?  

Comments

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Certainly sounds like a broken axle shaft to me.  What year Hudson?
  • JasonNC
    JasonNC Expert Adviser
    1949.  But I had a rebuilt 3:07 rear end from a 53 installed on it.  
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Jack the car up, one side at a time, and put the gear lever in  reverse.  If an axle is broken that wheel will turn.  If both wheels will turn you have a broken  pinion or crown wheel.  
  • ratlee2
    ratlee2 Expert Adviser
    Might also check you center driveshaft mount to make sure the mount isnt broken.
  • JasonNC
    JasonNC Expert Adviser
    The loud bang was caused by the clamp holding the universal joint at the rear of the transmission coming loose and the propeller shaft dislodging from the transmission companion flange.  One of the caps that is held in place by the U-clamp dislodged and apparently hit the car under the floorboard.  I take responsibility for not tightening the clamp, but I wonder if attaching a standard transmission to a 3:07 rear end is a good idea.  That rear end was designed for an automatic transmission from what I understand.  
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    I don't see the connection between using a 3.07 rear end, and a loose U-joint clamp.  I'd say that using a 3.07 is a GREAT idea.
  • JasonNC
    JasonNC Expert Adviser
    Thanks Jon.  I don't feel so bad now.  
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor

    The Ujoint nuts are supposed to have a sheet metal piece that goes under both nuts with tabs on each end to bend over after the nuts are tight to prevent loosening.


  • JasonNC
    JasonNC Expert Adviser
    Uncle Josh I didn’t bend the tabs down on the nuts that came loose.  You can rest assured that all the tabs are bent down around all the U-joint nuts now.  Thanks 

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