We have all seen the charts with the widths of different make rear axles and they really help when try to determine what will work under the car you are building, but is there a make that you prefer over all the rest? I found one that I really like for Deuces, the 66-77 Ford Bronco is a the perfect width and the bolt pattern is 5 on 5 1/2 , I like the fact that it is the same pattern as the early 40 Ford front drums. HRP
Now days it's fairly EZ to find the list of sizes and brands,to make pick for your needs. And lots of rims too pick also.<But some get stuck on the idea of using what ever rim already have ! In the late 50s,I had two things that were key,#1 what can I find free ,and #2 what is the strongest one of them. ! There was no worry about how wide,we just made sure to get rims with a off set or in set, to put the tire were it would work,some times that made you need to move the rim center over. So the rear I could find for free in 1959 was a 50 Olds=very heavy duty,plus had what we now call truckarms stock,making it EZer to mount. Some years later I sold rear to a drag racer,an used a 65 Mustang that was free.
Nine inch Ford out of 57 half ton pickup. To my knowledge, the widest of the nine inch housings and I still had to add an inch to one side due to my wheels having so much backspace.
8 3/4 Mopar, the one out of darts and dusters (A bodies) is about perfect width for 28-34 cars and stout too.
I've got a 67 Bronco rear put back for an A model, would be good for a 32 also. But to be honest, the days of junkyard scrounging are about over. The last few years I raced , I used Speedway Engineering. You call them up, give them the measurements you need and they build it. You can get the housing width you want, bolt pattern you want, floating axles, gun drilled axles, quick change, you name it, they build it. Yeah, it comes at a price, but to me it was one place I got what I paid for. YMMV. Good luck.
Finding old (pre 65) usable stuff in a junk yard is rare. It’s the absolute most popular, most mentioned, most after market support. Monkey see monkey do. Monkey hear monkey want. Good for one monkey good for next monkey too. Because of the popularity and aftermarket support it’s really nice to be able to get exactly what you want. And a fella could have a few easily swapped out gear ratio chunks on the shelf. change your mood and change your gear ratios
31Vicky, agreed. After-market support is there. Monkey see Monkey do. I know a handful of hotrodders where an 8" would more than suffice, the duties required of their cars.
I used a 8" Mustang rear axle under the wagon, I use a 9" under the Deuces primarily because the size fit's perfectly with no alterations and bolt pattern is the 5 x 5 1/2 so the early wheels fit and match the spindles up front. I have been building hot rods for almost 50 years and during that time I have amassed several spare rear axles. Bronco, Maverick & Mustang. Granted the junk yards are drying up but there are still parts cars to be found. HRP
I agree fully. It is the same as the T-5 argument, you can shred them behind a strong engine and a heavy foot, they will last fine and give many a cruising mile in a more friendly environment. I plan to drive my shop truck pretty hard, I chose a fine splined, posi, 9 inch for that reason. Back to the topic, I went with a narrow rear end at 56.5" (out of a maverick prostreet). I am going to run (probably) artillery wheels and I will have custom back spacing done to center my tires/wheels without spacers and allow for some pretty large tires in the back. In case you don't know, TRU SPOKE (yeah, those guys) offers artillery wheels with custom spacing per the chart below. $15 per wheel for custom spacing. Good thread HRP. I did a lot of research before I invested in that rear end. Nothing ruins the look of a car faster than having the tires either hanging out of the fenders or looking like they were swallowed up in a cavern.
The Ford 8" is torque limited, which is why Ford almost never used it behind anything larger than a 302 (they did use it behind some 351s shortly before the motor disappeared in passenger cars, but these were badly smogged and down on power). The pinion bearings are what's suspect. They'll hold a pretty hot 289/302 though and use the same 28 spline axles as the 9". These days, I'd give serious thought to the Ford 8.8... Doesn't have a removable pumpkin, but it's nearly as strong as a 9", lighter, and there's a zillion of 'em in the yards for cheap.
To me it is what I have and meets my needs. I have a 12 bolt, 9 inch, 10 bolts and my 8 3/4 3:55 Suregrip out of my 1970 Duster . I did trade my quick change.
Gave up on junkyard rears 20 years ago. Used to call Currie and now I call John's for a nice clean new housing and 31 spline axles the right width and bolt pattern for each individual project. Not much more money than I had in junkyard rear by the time I sand blasted, de greased, shortened and resplined them. Plus they're delivered to my shop without any running around.
The first rearend I ever changed was when I put a Mustang 8inch under my deuce coupe. It fit well and its not a drag racer so I didn't need brute strength. I liked the Ford 8inch ever since. I put a 9inch under my 34 pickup but thats because I had a 57 Ford parts car and the fit was perfect. Both the 8 and 9 inch gives the popular Ford/Mopar bolt pattern. I would like to find a Bronco 9 inch but those are as rare as hens teeth.
That chart that you find everywhere on the web is a good start, but there are several errors in it, you still need to measure to make sure it fits your application. I’ve related the tale of the too narrow 4 lug Mustang II that was in my car when I got it, I set my tires under the fenders after I had yanked it out and measured from wheel face to wheel face to get an idea of what I needed. I wanted a 60” wide rear, but few were made, I settled on a 59 1/2” Fairlane 8” because it was local and it was cheap. Next wheels will have a little different spacing to get the look I want. A bonus to using the 2:79 Fairlane 8” was that not only did I have the 3:55 MII Gear set, I also had an optional Maverick 3:00 set, so I could play with the gearing. I like the smooth look of the old 8” and 9” rears, but the 8” is fine for a cruiser like mine.
8.8's have widths down to 56-1/2" and lots of gear options especially with OD transmissions...They also have a better pinion placement for resistance. I used 11 x 2-1/4"" F-150 brakes on mine.
Still a lot of them here in the midwest. Salvage yard in the next small town over has at least 30 of them, I have walked that yard for years. Hardly any 8" though. No Mustangs, Mavericks, Granada's or other donors that the 8" came from.
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