my metro daily driver


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Yard Art
Yard Art

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Post Thu May 28, 2015 8:45 am

my metro daily driver

metro at work.JPG
metro front.JPG


I thought I would share my metro project, after having posted a few questions and followed this thread for a while.
This is a 1960 metro am120 that I bought last year in Oregon and brought back to BC. I had it stripped bare and painted by a retired body man over the winter (quite a few dents to pull but thankfully no rust issues) while I tinkered with the motor. It just passed the BC out of country mechanical inspection so is now on the road...
I toyed with covering up the side window but in the end, I kinda like the added light and don't mind the look.
I was also fortunate enough to find a strong running spare motor/tranny and axles in Montana from another metro owner who was hot rodding his. So Ive got lots of spare parts and I've already swapped a tie rod end, the carb and the parking brake assembly to make mine a bit sweeter.
So, the only issue I have (other then downloading pictures!!) is changing the gear ratio to squeeze a bit more speed out of her. I'm considering a rear axle swap with an early 80s suburban - but Im curious if anyone has done anything else? Is it possible to leave the rear diff intact and just change out gears? add an overdrive?
A big thank you to everyone who contributes to these forums. I don't think I would have taken this project on without knowing that this community exists.
Markus

Golden Jubilee
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Post Thu May 28, 2015 10:03 am

Re: my metro daily driver

I really like your METRO. I missed out on a nice 59 dually Metro about a year ago. Is your Metro a 3/4 ton?
Gearing and axle changes are an ongoing discussion. I get the impression that gears for these old axles are nearly impossible to find and then the ratios are limited to slow and really slow. I have GEARVENDERS overdrive in another vehicle. I used the Gearvenders behind an NP205 transfercase in our R120 for 225,000 miles. The ratio change is .73% or the number GV show id 28.6%. With the extra speed braking may become a situation. Gear splitting can be done with the GV and a three speed can become 6 speed. GV will not reverse. GV make a divorced application. I have often wondered about adapting a more modern OD five speed to an old IHC. I do not have an IHC flywheel housing left around here, or I might borrow a TEC 5 from my favorite auto-recycler and try.
If you are in the neighbourhood, stop in for coffee.
https://www.gearvendors.com/
I live in the Vancouver area. What part of BC is your home?
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive

AZD

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Golden Jubilee
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Post Thu May 28, 2015 1:20 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

Looks like you have a 3/4 ton model. I don't know the Metros, but I'm pretty sure they use the same axles as the light trucks. The 3/4 ton trucks came with the IHC RA1070 axle. These normally had 4.77 gears with 5.13 as an option. The pumpkin comes out just like a Ford 9". You can swap in a pumpkin from a 1/2 ton truck with the RA1060 axle. The only difference is a thrust block inside the 1/2 ton that is not needed in the 3/4. Just take it out. Half ton models had a 4.10 gear as standard equipment and could be had with a 3.73.

BTW, going to a 3.73 from a 4.77 is like having 28% overdrive when in high gear. Going to a 4.10 is like having 16% overdrive. This would be a heck of a lot cheaper and easier than a Gear Vendors unit. Then again, having the GV will give you a broader range of gearing, plus gear splitting if you set it up that way.

Golden Jubilee
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Post Thu May 28, 2015 1:34 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

If none of these IHC parts are available, which is often the situation, it is a bunch of useless information and zero help.
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive

AZD

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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

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Post Thu May 28, 2015 5:22 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

On the other hand, if he can find any half ton truck from over a decade of production the parts will fit.

Hot rodders get rid of drivetrain parts all the time. I frequently check the used car listings for hot rodded IHC trucks. Then I contact the owner to see what parts he has left in the garage. A little hunting may yield a very inexpensive solution. I know of several 1/2 chassis with axles in my area just by doing this.

The GV unit with adapters/hardware will cost several thousand dollars. An axle otherwise headed to the scrapyard will be much much cheaper.

Would I get a GV if I could afford one? Yep.

AZD

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Golden Jubilee
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Post Thu May 28, 2015 6:55 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

Just checked the manual, the axle numbers are actually R-1060 and R-1070. Available ratios for each were:

R-1060 - 3.73, 4.10
R-1070 - 4.10, 4.777, 5.13

I was working from memory before and was slightly off. Here is a link to a copy of the manual:

http://www.hansenwebdesign.com/truck/files/manuals/service/02%20Rear%20Axle.pdf

Just to add to the options, there is a Laycock overdrive that came in some European cars. They are the direct predecessor of the Gear Vendors unit. I think GV even bought the design and maybe the tooling. Not sure. The Laycock ODs are supposed to be most common in 1980s Volvos. Can't say I've seen one, or looked for that matter. However, they are out there, and there is aftermarket support. This includes conversion to a divorced unit:

http://www.maximum--overdrive.com/

The guy I bought my Brownie from has used them. He also said he used the GV units with satisfaction (aside from the high cost of entry). Also... he had a hot rodded METRO, so he must be an all right guy.
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Golden Jubilee
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Post Thu May 28, 2015 7:32 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

What the truck is,is a Metro body on an A series chassis,hence the AM.

With a little investigation I found the AM 120 rear axle code is 14010 aka RA-10 (R-1070) an IH "corporate axle" rated at 4500lbs cap.
Since I have no access to any IH parts manual with the axle listed as RA-10 with the help of GOOGLE I was able to determine the axle was previously coded 1402.
With that I went to the R series parts manual (MT-97) and the available ratios of the R-120 rear match the RA-10/R-1070, the ratios are...4.11,4.77 & 5.13.
Tried a search for the 4.11 ring & pinion pn from the MT-97 and...
https://truckpartsinventory.com/parts/details/44792178

Never say never without any facts.



This might be of interest to you;
https://app.box.com/shared/otkihx6yoa/4 ... 30459800/1

I say it to all new members... Get a copy of the trucks Line Setting Ticket!
It's well worth the 20 bucks and takes the guess work out of what the trucks components are.
I just posted info about them here;
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=5298

It also might be worth the money and invest in the IH parts manual for the truck,the MT-102 is available at Binder Books.
http://www.binderbooks.com/Metro.htm
They can get LST's but it's faster getting them from the WHS which is where those who sell them get them anyway.

For more $ there's this one on fleabay,it has the dividers which are nice to have.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/1609664505 ... rmvSB=true
12 yrs.exp. in IH dealer parts dept.
Never argue with a fool...
If you don't have anything nice to say...say nothing.
If you don't learn something new everyday...you weren't paying attention.
THINK! Be sure brain is connected before mouth is in gear.

Yard Art
Yard Art

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Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:58 pm

Post Fri May 29, 2015 8:03 am

Re: my metro daily driver

I will take Scottso advice and start with tracking down the line setting ticket.
I can think of much dumber things I've spent $20 on...
Ill check the pricing on the gear set - that's a whole new web site I've never seen before. Thanks.

The overdrive options I think are out of my league.

Thank you AZD for suggesting the half ton axle swap/info. I think I even know where one is sitting. It would certainly be the easiest approach with my limited skills.

The only other option still on the table:
The reason I was considering the late 70s to mid 80s 4x4 suburban axle was I was told by the guy hotrodding his metro in Montana was that it was a direct swap with no fabricating (some fiddling with u joint/yoke?) but overall very easy. Pros: Parts availability, better braking?
Cons - dealing with mismatched tires/rims front and back. My 17.5s are a whole other subject... but they have lots of tread and a good spare so no hurry to deal with that.

Site Admin
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Post Fri May 29, 2015 10:49 am

Re: my metro daily driver

Just my uneducated thoughts, but a complete front and rear axle swap from that truck(IF you are not hauling a lot of extra weight) would probably work just fine. Better selection of tires/wheels. Just my thoughts

AZD

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Golden Jubilee
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Post Fri May 29, 2015 11:26 am

Re: my metro daily driver

The ticket probably is the best place to start. I am assuming you have 4.77 gears, but who really knows until you check. Could even be the lower set. Endless speculation...

Swapping to the entire 1/2 ton running gear is an option. It uses the very common 5-on-4.5 bolt pattern. Then again, those 17.5 wheels you have look real nice with the IHC hubcaps. You can still get 17.5" radial or bias tires.

The IHC axles seem to be a stout design. If it were me and I could find higher gears, I'd just do that. Bearings and seals are still available. Shoes can be re-lined. Drums are apparently the rare item for the 3/4 ton axle. Braking probably won't improve with a Suburban axle - big old drums just like the IHC, and in back where it doesn't count nearly as much. Then add to that the mismatched wheels like you mentioned.

Before I was into the IHC trucks I was more of a Studebaker guy. 3/4 ton Studes present similar challenges - unusual big-6 bolt pattern, very low gears, parts availability. It's just the nature of these old mules.
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