Early "b" body mopar 8 3/4 or even a 7 1/4 if you have the stock motor. You have to check the bolt pattern they came in 2 sizes 5/4.5 5/4.0
A 7 1/4 wouldn't be a strength upgrade from anything.....I agree an appropriate width 8 3/4 or even a 8 1/4 would be fine with mild power but a 7 1/4 is not worth the trouble Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Would narrowing an explorer axle with two stock short side axles be an option for you? http://www.mustangii.net/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14902
Contact the local chapter Studebaker Drivers Club in your area. Someone will have plenty of them stashed away.
Due to the tapered axles I would not recommend the stude dana44. A 57-59 ford 9" would be a better choice in the 57.25 width range with lots of aftermarket support. The explorer rear with a budget narrowing job would be 56.5" wide, and the 8.8" is a strong rear axle. Ultimately do you want a ford or chevy bolt pattern, and discs or drums. Also, based on the low wheel openings on 47-52 studebakers, you might want to run a 54 or 55 inch wide rear if you want to be able to pull out the tires without pulling a rear shackle bolt, which would suck on the highway.
'57-'59 Ford will get you close on width, maybe a little bit wide but still doable. Pull the 8.75 chuck out and stuff a 9" chuck in there, you may have to relieve the flange a little bit to get the ring gear past it. Some of the early rears the chuck slides right in and others need relieving. Anyway the '57-'59 rear should be a good match for your stude.
did some measuring my self and think I'm going with the explorer rear end. cheap, i can go down to pick and pull this weekend and get what i need and be done. thanks for the help
Scratch the explorer axle. Don't want to cut it down. Went down to pick&pull with some friends, ended up finding a 7.5 out of a ford ranger. That was 57" wide that will fit perfect under the 48 not exactly as strong as the 8" I wanted to go with but hopefully will hold the power? Thoughts?
A ford ranger with the 4.0 motor would have an 8.8 and be the narrower width. I would find one of those if I could. http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Explorer8_8.shtml
Use car-part.com to see what the gear ratio and brake options are, and find one locally. Try 1990 and newer when you search.
You might want to look at early Mustang/ Maverick rearends V-8 models had 8" rears and are about the right width. ........................ Jack
The later Studebakers came with flanged rear axles. There are kits to put flanged rear axles into an earlier rear. The Dana 44 works well, evcn some very hot Studebaker drag racers use them with success. A Twin Traction option was also available on Studebakers. As per the Explorer rear ends. They will work. The mounts will have to be changed, but other wise they will fit. I believe through the Studebaker Drivers Club Forum you can find a build that makes this swap. Additionally, if you are interested in rear disc brakes there are kits out there for the Stude rear ends and naturally the later Explorers already had them.
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