Technical 1957 Ford rear end housing clearance question

I am trying to stab a late 70's truck pumpkin into my 57 Ford housing (small bearing). It won't physically fit. The ring gear hits the housing. The ring gear is 9-3/4". My question is can I clearance the housing by grinding? I don't want to take the die grinder to it until I am sure it cool to do so.

Thanks

Root

 

You might have a 9-3/8 pumpkin instead of a 9"- used in heavy cars and such, similar to the 9" but not compatible or performance oriented. A 9-3/8 case will have a horizontal rib that turns down at one end

 

So it will never fit? Dang.....

 

No! The wall thickness will not allow enough clearance without compromising the strength.

 

I'll post up a pic.

 

this is the oddball center section.



I have a 57 ford big bearing housing (wagon) in my Chevy II, with a Strange nodular 9" center section, fits fine.

 

Not a great pic, but you can kinda tell. The 9" gasket lines up perfectly. I can get the pumpkin almost all the way in, except for about 1/4 to 3/8". It's a 3.55 gear set with 28 splines.

 

it's not the 9-3/8". What part of the housing is the ring gear hitting?

 

I can't tell. I'll have to spend some time today troubleshooting. I just assumed t was the ring gear.

 

I tried to stuff a 56 pumpkin in a 54 housing. The ring gear was enough larger that it just touched the rear of the housing. I used a torch and a big ball pien to make more room. It worked for many miles with never a problem.

 

Finally got it. I had to clearance the housing. Removed about 1/8" of material for about the width of an inch.
Not sure why, but apparently between the 35 years of producing the housing to the pumpkin, they had a little bit of a variance in production tolerances.

 

That is indeed a 9-3/8 pumpkin- the only one with that downturned rib

 

That's not mine Gene. That's an internet pic. You probably already know that though.

 

It will fit, you need to grind a notch in housing at the top and bottom to allow the larger diameter ring gear to fit. Also don't forget the gasket and axle spline count.