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Projects Rear end swap, using old brackets

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by uglysteve, Sep 27, 2016.

  1. Getting ready to do a rear end swap on a 60 Bel Air. Gonna get something out of an 80s full size car to put under. I've seen that Currie makes the mounting brackets for the trailing arms but they're 200 bucks. Is it unheard of to use a plasma cutter to cut the brackets off the stock rear and weld them back onto the new rear?

    might be a dumb question but I don't want to spend 200 bucks on 4 bent pieces of metal.....if I have to I will I guess.
     
  2. Unheard of? NO
    Good way to go? Probably not
    You're going to lost material when you plasma cut them off and unless you are really good with the Arc Axe and really careful they aren't going to line up very well and then you'll have binding or mis alignment.
    Now I'm sure someone is going to pop in and say they've done it and all was swell - but I'd be leery, and you never know what quality of build they really did!
     
    cretin and Tman like this.
  3. Scott
    Joined: Dec 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,764

    Scott
    Member

    Try performance online
     
    uglysteve likes this.
  4. I was thinking I'd just sacrifice the axle housing and cut that instead of the actual bracket pieces, then grind down the excess material until it's right. I've got a steady hand I think I could get it close enough.
     

  5. If you're going to sacrifice the stock rear end housing that will make it more doable for sure.
     
  6. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    I'd use a torch to remove them. The fun part is putting that one upper bracket back on, when you have to weld it to cast iron...easier on a stamped steel housing, like a Ford 8 or 9", or a Mopar 8.75"
     
    uglysteve and saltflats like this.
  7. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    Or an old P/O
    And are you sure one out of an 80s full size will fit?
     
  8. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member

    Why are we swapping the rear??? There are plenty of ratios to fit that
     
    1oldtimer likes this.
  9. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    You can just cut them out of flat stock and make your own. P1010042.JPG P1010045.JPG
     
    Rcraft, uglysteve and hotroddon like this.
  10. Yeah screw that I was told to look for 70s-80s ford car for a rear. So I'm assuming that would be 8 or 9" rear.

    honestly because I don't have a lot of money to spend and a local salvage yard told me they have good rear ends from 80s fords for under 100 bucks. I don't know where to find a 1960 chevy center section or have mine rebuilt for the same price. And I don't know enough about them to know what fits and what doesn't. If I can use what I have and get a cheap replacement I can have it back on the road in a weekend.
     
  11. What's a P/O?

    I guess full size is the wrong term. I was just going to go to the junk yard and find one around 60" wide.
     
  12. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    57 to 64 Pontiac and Olds
     
    uglysteve likes this.
  13. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member

    You must have lots more energy or are a bit younger... It just seems like a lot of work because it is the control arm style, and then mess with driveshaft and U-joint adaption, lines/cables (yuk)

    I think the center gear carrier is 55 to 64 Fullsize, not chevelle or novas.
    There has to be so many sitting on shelves/sheds out there, if you knew who to ask. That would be so quick
     
    uglysteve and bobg1951chevy like this.
  14. Yes sir, the '55 to '64 center section is the way to go.
    Swapping in another total rear end assembly will be time consuming with welding, fitment, alignment, brake lines, etc ..... plus the high possibility of drveshaft modifications, which will just add more liability to the budget.
    For me, the question still remains ...... why the need to swap out the rear in a '60 Bel Air?
    Building a drag car ? A current bad rear in the car ? A different tranny ?
    A '55 to '64 center section is the way to go. Easy peasy.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2016
    uglysteve likes this.
  15. So if I could find one, would that be something I could take apart and put back together in my driveway pretty easily without any special tools? I've never pulled a rear end apart before. Never had to.

    Seems like every car I get something I don't know about breaks and I have to learn how to fix it. Maybe this is my sign from the car gods to learn about rear ends haha.
     
    '51 Norm likes this.
  16. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    If you have some replacement parts for your housing then the only hang up may be trying to get the axles out but you can rent the puller for that.
     
  17. Bad rear yes. It makes a loud noise when accelerating that gets faster and faster as I go. When I let off the gas it stops. I've got a 400 SBC that's hopped up a little bit and a th350 in it.

    I'm rethinking the swap now. that seemed like the cheaper easier route but now not so much.
     
    bobg1951chevy likes this.
  18. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    The joy of old cars. You get to learn new things. That usually means buying tools, breaking stuff, getting frustrated, etc. Remember, it's fun! We'll help you figure it out, too.
     
    Scott, bobg1951chevy and uglysteve like this.
  19. Replacement parts like bearings and seals?
     
  20. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member

    SOOO much less labor than a rear swap of a different car. So many savings, like was mentioned, on parts like new cylinder and shoes too...with a "new" rear end from a yard.


    anyways. Remove wheels, and rear drums. Look through the big access hole in the axle flange to remove flange nut. Then turn drum backwards and loosely a few threads, put lugnuts on backwards. Then use drum as a slide puller.

    Axles out, now drop the U-joint out, then undo the carrier housing nuts. That;s it
     
    uglysteve likes this.
  21. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    Axle bearing are $$$
    Maybe we should talk about what is wrong with it.
    If you are racing or big H/P then a rear end change may be a better bet.
     
    uglysteve and squirrel like this.
  22. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    hopefully, somewhere in that sequence, you'll put a drain pan under it to catch the oil :)
     
    uglysteve likes this.
  23. No racing just a fun cruiser. I bought it with the 400 in it already. I was actually thinking about putting a milder motor in to make it more road trip friendly. But that's not at the top of my list. I need to figure this rear end out and I want to do a disc brake swap up front.
     
  24. As far as what's wrong with it its making that noise when I accelerate and all of the lug studs decided to break off one side at the same time. That was fun....

    It's like this loud "womp womp womp" noise. im guessing it's the gears maybe I don't think bearings would be that loud.
     
  25. thirtytwo
    Joined: Dec 19, 2003
    Posts: 2,639

    thirtytwo
    Member

    Lug nuts don't " just shear off" out of the blue .. You need to do some investigation for a cause
     
  26. My best guess is they're just old and I went a little wild with the impact gun. I've put new studs in wheel hubs before I'm not too worried about that part. :D
     
  27. Let's not forget the skinned knuckles and the cool ability we have to put new combinations of swear words together in one sentence !
     
    uglysteve likes this.
  28. That's what I was thinking. The rear comes apart like a 8" or 9", just find a good used center chunk. You can go to a bearing house or even find one on Ebay to be a little cheaper for the axle bearings, but once they're in the last.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2016
  29. "It's like this loud "womp womp womp" noise. im guessing it's the gears maybe I don't think bearings would be that loud."
    If the car is now a driver, go down a side street, turn wheel to right, then rapidly back to left. You're just trying to sway the body weight of the car, from side to side.
    If this "swaying" makes a change in the "womp womp" noise, it's probably a wheel bearing
     
    uglysteve likes this.
  30. Ok I'll try it. If it was a wheel bearing, would that noise go away when I'm just coasting you think?
     

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