alsfarms Posted June 23 Share Posted June 23 (edited) I will attach a few pictures of a Moon rear axle I have acquired. I know little about Moon and would to learn what year or years and model this Columbia rear axle was used in. I also assume that Columbia likely provided rear axles for other makes as well. If you are familiar with Moon, Columbia rear axles and the type of disc wheels used, I am ready to learn. Al Edited June 23 by alsfarms Clarity (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod P Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 (edited) Hi Alsfarms, Yes Columbia rear axles used in Columbia, and also made for anyone else who wanted one. Obviously. Moon manufactured 1906-1930. I have a question for you, please? Are there any numbers stamped on the front top of the centre part of the axle housing, (diff side),or on the rear, top of the differential housing. If so, they should be batch number/ year and gearing ratio. These numbers are not usually present on Columbia for Colombia used rear axles, (from limited Columbia owners I have asked that were 1923 cars), but were apparently on Columbia made to order products. Likewise, the front axle could have a parts number cast into it? Below, ad 1920, from eBay. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/294953527417 from https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/294043014036 Edited June 24 by Rod P extra info (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod P Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 If no luck on forum, next step maybe https://mooncarclub.com/about.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagefinds Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 Al, I had a Columbia rear axle one time and sold to a guy that said it was correct for his CASE car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsfarms Posted June 24 Author Share Posted June 24 (edited) Hello Rod and thanks for your response. I wonder when Columbia went from mechanical brakes to hydraulic? The Columbia rear axle has hydraulic not mechanical brakes. Al Edited June 24 by alsfarms Clarity (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsfarms Posted June 24 Author Share Posted June 24 Steve, Did the Columbia rear axle you had, have mechanical or hydraulic brakes? Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod P Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 Moon wasn’t the first car to have hydraulic brakes. they were invented in 1918 by Malcolm Lougheed (later changed to Lockheed), and the fist car to come out with four-wheel hydraulic brakes was the Model A Dusenberg, in 1921. The new feature in the Moon’s hydraulic brakes was that the shoes were on the outside of the drum!External drum brakes were not new, Ransom E. Olds invented and tested them in 1902, but the Moon cars,in 1924, were one of the first external hydraulic brakes.(THere’s more information about this in the GREAT CARS OF THE GREAT PLAINS,figure 5-7.) From http://waynesbs.com/2010/03/moon-motor-cars-1906-to-1929/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagefinds Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 1 hour ago, alsfarms said: Steve, Did the Columbia rear axle you had, have mechanical or hydraulic brakes? Al It was many years ago but if memory serves,they were mechanical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerczak Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 Kissel used Columbia axles. As far as I can tell, externally hydraulic brakes were 1927 and earlier as my 1928 has the Columbia internally hydraulic brakes. Also the ratio's for the axles were not very good. My original was 5.11 (10/51) and some had a 4.45 (11/49) gear ratio. Not that I need another spare, but where is the Moon axle located out of curiosity? The gear ratio should be stamped on the top of the diff casting. A good wire brushing and you should be able to read it. I do like the solid disc wheels. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsfarms Posted June 24 Author Share Posted June 24 The Columbia rear axle is located in Utah. I am out of town for a couple of days then I will check on the ratio for you. Al 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 I could be wrong, but the steel disc wheels on the Columbia/Moon? rear end do not appear to match the hubs on the front axle. The front hubs appear to be disc or maybe wire demountable wheels whereas those rear wheels used demountable rims. That said, the front axle does appear to be set up for front brakes given the sharp angle of the kingpin aiming toward the tire's center on the ground. Of course lots of things are possible. The hubs could have been changed on the front axle at some time? And it is possible that the Moon hubcap is not original to the rear end? That style of hubcap with differing names or letters were used on a fair number of cars of the mid to late 1920s.Studebaker used a similar style from about 1924 to I think 1928 on some model. And my 1927 Paige 6-45 sedan has one very similar except fot Paige's unique "P" in the center. Over the years I have seen several others. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28 Chrysler Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 If I recall correctly Moon went to disk wheels in 1924 and they had the Lockheed hydraulic brakes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsfarms Posted June 24 Author Share Posted June 24 Hello Wayne, The front axle is in fact from an early 20's Nash, no front brakes and is for use with 25" Budd disc wheels. I am not sure of the MFG of the disc wheels on the Moon. I agree, I think the Moon rear axle is likely a 1927. Al 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsfarms Posted June 26 Author Share Posted June 26 (edited) Ok, today I inspected the top of the Moon rear axle housing thinking to find numbers. It is no surprise, yes I found numbers and here is what I found, from left to right: 12036 15 52 D26 I suspect that the first series of numbers equates to the serial number, 15 52 should be the gear ratio, I am unsure what the D26 means unless it was made in April of 1926. Those that are more familiar with Columbia rear axles, please Chime in. Al Edited June 27 by alsfarms Spelling (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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