Technical Yet ANOTHER SHOEBOX REAR END QUESTION

8" Ford axles are essentially 28 spline small bearing 9" axles and they do interchange. Plenty of quality axles for them.

 

The 8" Ford was their 'medium duty' offering and Ford limited its use to sixes and V8s no larger than the 302 (they did install some behind 351s right before it disappeared from cars, but the motor was way down on power at that point from smog regulations). The main non-correctable issue with them IMO is the pinion bearings; I've had several of them go bad. They'll hold up behind a mild 350 if you don't beat on them too hard. Strength-wise, the 8" is roughly equal to what you have as OEM, but repair parts are easier to get. It's the torque that kills them; the 289/302 maxed out at about 320 ft-lbs, the 351 could deliver close to 400 in stock trim so it got the larger 9". Your 350 puts out roughly the same torque as the 351.

Even Ford recognized the limitations of the 'standard' '49-56 rear axle, installing a Dana 42 in it's place in the heavier/more powerful cars. This rear axle is another orphan, with parts hard to get. Both disappeared in '57 with the introduction of the 9".

I'd recommend looking for a late-model Ford 8.8 rear axle; it'll be easier to find a performance/overdrive-compatible ratio, it's nearly as strong as a 9" (and has less internal losses), has the right wheel bolt pattern as long as it's out of the Ranger/Explorer/V8 Mustang, and there's a zillion of them out there...

 

I agree with Steve on this. If you damaged the stock 50 rear unit, installing an 8" is just changing parts, not making things better. I destroyed two 8" units and both times it was the pinion bearings. The first was a good used one. The second was the first one totally rebuilt, still couldn't do the job. If local parts are limited and shipping costs are heavy, do yourself a favor and just step up to a 9" unit first time around and save yourself the cost of doing things a second or third time.

 

For future reference, the early Maverick 6cyl cars had 4 lug, but at some point in early 70s both the 6 and 8 cylinder cars had 5 lug. I don't remember the cutoff right now.

 

I believe the change was made in '73 when the cars got heavier with the 5 mph bumpers and disc brakes became a common option.

 

Will do that. Thanks

 

Try Sweden, they have a huge car scene

 

The original Shoebox rear end suffered from weak pinion yokes. I broke one trying to chirp the tires with a hopped up flathead six.

Hard to find, but a 9" out of a '57 to '59 car is a bolt in. The spring pad center spacing is within 1/2" and the springs will move enough to accommodate that. I used the shoebox u-bolts and shock plates. The '51 drums and brake assemblies are a bolt on. Not sure the exact width but I am running stock wheels with 205R75 x 15 tires with plenty of clearance.

 

Hallo Joep

I have a complete 1978 Granada V-8 rear axle for sale and it is in the Netherlands.
Came of a 302 V-8 powered '78 Granada US model (so it is not from a European Granada)
Let me know if your interested. Ratio is 2.47

Groeten Hennie