Thornton-Welles locking differential

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Whoa, slow down a little. The thread seems to have shot off on a tangent here.

The FGT Parts book is not talking about a 6x6/Tandem drive to convert a vehicle by utilising a Welles-Thornton rear bogie. The book is discussing an optional locking differential centre to be used in a 4x4 FGT.



The only other allied vehicle I can find reference to in WW2 having any kind of locking differential is the IH M-5H-6 6x6 trucks, with Thornton diffs. Are these the locking centres, or the tandem bogie arrangement? See: http://www.onallcylinders.com/2013/1...erential-town/

Curious the variations of Thornton-Welles and Welles-Thornton, which seem to relate to the US Supplier/Canadian Distributor relationship rather than any trade name or patent right (which seems to lie solely with Ray Thornton).

(Funny how this thread has sat dormant for 12 years and suddenly springs to life again.)

Hello Tony,

My reading of the (optional when specified) was that the Thornton diffs could be supplied as an option if the buyer specifically asked for and was prepared to pay for them. So the option of the Thornton diffs like a factory fitted radio in a Holden Belmont was there if one wanted to pay for it. Otherwise Belmonts were the no frills base model and did not come with a radio as standard. The Premiers did though.

My reading of the posting by "Grandad" in my last post suggests that the Thornton diffs are the self locking ones .... Grandad states that "Ray Thornton designed the two-speed transfer box with a self-locking diff in it that later came out in 1939 as the NoSpin, which became the Detroit Locker...." Accessed August 4th 2016 from, http://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/OldTruc...n-names#104467

Kind Regards
Lionel