MTFCA Forum

A couple questions:

How many speeds does a Warford have
does it have reverse
how do you modify the drive shaft
can you buy an already shortened driveshaft

Thank you for your help in advance!

Jonah D'Avella

How many speeds does a Warford have
3 or 2 speed depending on which one you get. The one in the classifieds you are asking about is 3, under, direct, over. Others are ether over direct or under direct.
does it have reverse
No
how do you modify the drive shaft
Yes the driveshaft and radius rods have to be shortened, again depending on which one you get determines how much shorter the need to be.
can you buy an already shortened driveshaft
Sometimes yes. The KC Warford should be able to supply with those parts(?) to fit the aluminum cased 3 speed in the ad. For the cast iron type 3 speed you would have to find or make.

To add to Mark's response - it was common back in the day to install a Warford in trucks was to add frame extensions thus resulting in not having to shorten d.s., radius rods & brake rods.

And when you cut the torque tube to allow for the length of whatever Warford you buy, be very precise in lining up the 4 T tranny holes with the 6 TT differential halves bolt holes before welding....

T or TT would be the same re the holes.

If you have a warford, you absolutely must have outside brakes. Warfords can easily get caught between gears and when that happens your transmission brake does not work anymore.

Stephen

Keep in mind, if you ever install an original Warford you MUST have auxiliary brakes on the rear wheels. The Warford neutral disables the band brake and sometimes can't be shifted into a gear while the car is in motion.
Ask us how we know.
Rich
(Typing at the same time as Stephen)

What is a good price for a worford?

Don't be confused about the Reverse, You will most likely actually have 3 reverse speeds if the Warford has over, direct and under drives. Most alum ones I have seen are the 3 speed type. If you can afford and plan to drive a lot consider the new Layne ones. I have had a an original alum one for many thousands of miles and really love it! Some are a bit noisy but mine has got quieter the more I drive it. Maybe it's my old age hearing but I will always have a Warford in whatever T I drive.
I can never decide which I like better, the U/D for a parade or in the neighborhood and parking lots up to about 25 or the O/D when I like to slow the engine rpm for higher speed driving.

You asked about the price of the used ones. I have seen lots of them priced pretty reasonable around 500 and a few less and a lot more asking over 750. The install with your own parts is not really that difficult but many come complete.

The Warford is a very durable unit and even with a lot of wear and abuse will continue perform. All the bearings are available except one small center one which does have a workaround and there are a few hoarders like me that have some spares. The gears are darn near indestructable! IMHO. I keep checking my oil for any evidence of metal wear but no matter how many times I grind the gears on a bad shift I have never found anything!

Good luck on your search if you decide.

"no matter how many times I grind the gears on a bad shift I have never found anything!" LOL Me too! Well at least no chunks small enough to drain out.

Auxiliary transmissions can be real handy. Particularly for real slow driving in parades, climbing super steep hills, or lower rpm at high speeds on flat to moderate terrain. That said, I highly recommend getting the T running well and fully sorted out with a stock drivetrain and build your driving skills before adding complexity. My first T was an assembled 23-25 touring car. I drove the heck out of that car for about 25 years. It did local joy rides, club tours, regional tours and even a few national tours. No Ruckstell or aux transmission and it was a happy car up to about 40 miles per hour and would go faster if needed but was busy and unhappy at the prospect. It took me about two years to work out some bugs and be confident to go anywhere any time the mood struck me. I had all the fairly common problems - poor radiator and timers and coils gave me fits (I didn't have the tools or knowledge to keep them right). I had babbitt thrust washers in the rear axle that failed and cost me a ring and pinion gear, most of the front axle and steering was in need of some love, and while I was very familiar with working on 50's and 60's cars I'd never tackled anything this primative. Settled out, that touring car would climb a sustained 10% grade with two people in the car and cruise happily all day long. It was wonderful and the only things on the car that were not original T were Rocky Mountain brakes and for several years a distributor.

Oh, while the Warford is the most common aux tranny, the Muncie, Jumbo Giant, Chicago and several others all provide the same functionality. If/when you add a transmission, get your brakes first and then get the best condition that you can find and afford for the transmission.

What is better, a Warford or the ruxtell?

Personally I would much rather have a ruckstell. A ruckstell is an integral unit in the rear axle and requires no modifications to any part of the car to install except a hole in the floor for the shifter. A warford bolts onto the back of the stock transmission and must be supported to prevent the weight of the warford from causing misalignment issues in the engine. A ruckstell doesn't have this issue. A ruckstell is also much easier to shift and does not have a neutral as long as it's not worn out. Plus every part for a ruckstell is available brand new. No parts are made for warford.

Stephen

I run three Ruckstell equipped cars and another with a KC Warford. I really like the Ruckstells but I love the KC Warford. The Warford under drive is about equal to the Ruckstell but you have the over drive with the KC Warford. Either one really improves the T's driveability. As stated, with either one you must install external brakes.

Jonah, one is not better than the other. They are two different animals. The Rux is a 2 speed rear end. The Warford or other brands of Aux transmissions are added into the driveline.

What Walt said is good. The most important thing is to know and make sure your T is in good mech condition and you are comfortable driving it. Actually the shifting of either is not difficult and I really like the idea that I DO have a neutral which I use a lot. most importantly when I'm starting the car...crank start only... There is no danger of my car ever jumping into gear when stepping on the running board and the brake/clutch lever isn't properly set!

I believe the biggest issue lots of guy have is the fact that you must alter the original driveline to install the Aux tranny. I was lucky to find mine complete. It is a good idea to add a support for the Warford but many of the Alum ones were not originally.

What is the oil level in a Warford? I filled my cast iron 2 speed to the bottom of the oil fill hole and it leaks out the plug with the cotter pin. Did I put too much in or do I have a significant leak?

One additional advantage of a Warford vs a Ruxtell is that the Warford does not add to unsprung weight. However, the Warford requires a shorter driveshaft, which makes the arc the rear axle moves in when the rear spring is compressed smaller. Neither is a significant problem.

tvw wrote: ↑

Thu May 26, 2022 8:07 am

What is the oil level in a Warford? I filled my cast iron 2 speed to the bottom of the oil fill hole and it leaks out the plug with the cotter pin. Did I put too much in or do I have a significant leak?

Please start a new post. What plug with cotter pin? I am not aware of any plug with a cotter pin. What lube are you using?
When you start a new post, please post a photo if you can.

Plug with cotter pin may be a vent. (?) If it's in the wrong place it will leak.

Any venting on an original Warford, should be through the shifter or shift rails on the top side. The cluster gear shaft on the Jumbo Giant is held in place with a cotter pin. Those are the only two, besides Ruckstell's that I have worked with.

Could a Warford accumulate oil from the Ford transmission? If so, a drilled filler plug with a cottor pin in the hole could allow any excess oil to drain off.

That could be what's going on. Guess if the 4th main is leaking really bad, engine oil could fill the housing between the back of the engine and transmission, then leaking through the transmission main input shaft bearing. But that would be a good amount of oil to do so. A weep hole in the front nose of the mount should take care of that. The 4th would be lubed by engine oil, and front input shaft bearing by transmission lube. Any oil from the engine leaking past the 4th, is wasted anyway, so may as well just drain off before going into the transmission. There is no u-joint between the two, so really does not need grease packed in there, it would not be going it the output/input shaft where they mate.

My first T had a warford and no outside brakes. Now I know what you are going to say and I've said the same that outside brakes make the car safer as it is unsafe to drive without. If the inability to pull the parking brake is a determining factor and braking must be done via foot then a simple cable from the pedal to the brake cam will do the trick. Remember a warford in neutral does not mean no brakes it simply means no foot brake. While on the topic the tranny brake should operate so that you can shift into gear in neutral (not moving), without it there is enough drag to insure one end of the tranny is spinning while the other is not. The tranny brake then must be adjusted perfect with the inside and outside brakes so all 3 function as one at the same time. I found on my speedster I could easily lock the rear wheels with the foot (well one wheel) or lever but on my Mom's it was much more work with her outside brakes. A better system on hers of course but more effort.

In regards to warford vs ruckstel the warford has overdrive so if you want to cruise and keep the rpms down it opens options. The ruckstel offers quick shifts. When I build the "Baby Chadwick" I look to use both with a 3:1 rear. Most of the driving will be done in direct where I can downshift the ruckstel, hills/parades underdrive where if I downshift the ruckstel I can comfortably crawl up a hill in high, and overdrive for the open straight highway.