Rear ends

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ouh506

Active member
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Messages
35
I,m trying to get the look that Bonehead has on his pick-up with out narrowing a rear end.
What i have is a Ford 8" that is 57 1/2" wide from axle flange to axle flange. I have 15"X12" steel wheels with 10 bolt holes. The tires are Hoosier 31X16.5X15. Also want disk brakes.

So now the question.
With the multi hole wheels I can use rear ends other then Ford?
Any one know of rear ends around 50"?
How about inports?

Fred
 
I think that's about as narrow as you are going to get in a factory width and still have a sturdy rear. Most of the imports are front wheel drive and the few that are not and would have a narrower rear would not be very strong in my opinion.

Ford Outside
Width Year Model
57.25 1957-1959 Ford, Ranchero, Station Wagon
57.25 1965-1966 Mustang
58.00 1966-1977 Bronco
58.00 1964-1965 Falcon
58.00 1977-1981 Granada/Versailles
58.50 1977-1981 Versailles
60.00 1958-1960 Edsel
61.00 1964-1971 Ford Full Size
61.00 1949-1951 Mercury
61.25 1957-1972 Ford F-100 Pickup
61.25 1960-1964 Ford Full Size
61.25 1971-1973 Mustang
61.25 1967-1973 Torino, Ranchero, Fairlane
63.00 1970-1979 Ranchero & Torino
63.00 1972-1979 Ford Full Size & Intermediate
63.50 1967 Fairlane
65.25 1973-1986 Ford F-150 Pickup
65.25 1978-1986 Bronco
65.25 1973-1986 Ford Van 3/4 Ton
68.00 1972 Ford Van 3/4 Ton
69.25 1977-1986 Ford E-150 Van

Chevy Outside
Width Year Model
57.75 1962-1964 Chevy II/Nova
57.75 1965-1967 Chevy II/Nova
58.00 1978-1988 Chevy Malibu, Monte Carlo
59.50 1968-1982 Corvette
60.00 1955-1964 Chevy Car
60.00 1967-1969 Camaro
60.25 1968-1979 Chevy II/Nova
60.50 1984-1995 Corvette
60.50 1964-1967 Chevelle
62.00 1955-1959 Chevy Pickup
62.50 1968-1972 Chevelle
62.50 1970-1981 Camaro/Firebird

Mopar Outside
Width Year Model
55.60 1960-1976 7 1/4 A-body
55.60 1973-1976 8 1/4 A-body
55.60 1966-1972 8 3/4 A-body
55.60 All 8 3/4 A-body
56.00 1932-1934 All Mopars
57.40 1963-1972 7 1/4 A-body
58.54 All 8 1/4 F-body
58.54 All 8 1/4 M-body
58.54 All 8 1/4 J-body
59.00 1935-1936 All Mopars
59.14 1966-1970 9 3/4 B-body
59.20 1962-1970 8 3/4 B-body
60.00 1937-1948 All Mopars
60.70 All 8 3/4 E-body
60.70 All 9 3/4 E-body
62.00 All 8 1/4 B-body
62.00 1971-1974 8 3/4 B-body
62.00 All 9 1/4 B-body
63.40 All 8 1/4 C-body
63.40 1971-1974 8 3/4 B-body S.W.
63.40 All 9 1/4 C-body
 
Check out a old mail truck.The right hand drive jobs.They had 9" rears last I recall.I dont think you will find a shorter one than that.Unless you buy one already narrowed.
 
My spring pads center at 24 inches. You may be able to reverse your wheels and offset to the inside.

139nastyrearview.jpg
 
I used a Jeep rear because it came close to the same width as the front I am using.. Also a

Narrow-track, 51" WMS-to-WMS
Wide-track, 54.5" WMS-to-WMS

They used Narrow tracks in 76-81 CJs
and wide tracks in 82-86 CJs

The spring pads on these are 36"

Do you know what size patterns are drilled on those wheels?

5lug.jpg


Measure from the center on one hole to the BACK of the third hole.This is the easiest way to estimate a 5-lug bolt circle.
(remember that there is only a 1/4 inch difference between Ford and Chevy, so measure carefully)

You can also measure from the CENTER of one hole to the CENTER of the third hole using 1.05 multiplier to find your bolt circle.
 
Check out a old mail truck.The right hand drive jobs.They had 9" rears last I recall.I dont think you will find a shorter one than that.Unless you buy one already narrowed.
Most of them do. I junked about 10 of them 3 years ago. Never looked under them. Now I wish I did . Me bad.
 
Blue- The studs measure 4 1/2", it was sold to me as a 8".
I tryed the wheels on to the rear end when I got them home (1 year ago) and they fit,so I guess I dont know how to measure a 10 hole wheel.

Fred
 
Blue- The studs measure 4 1/2", it was sold to me as a 8".
I tryed the wheels on to the rear end when I got them home (1 year ago) and they fit,so I guess I dont know how to measure a 10 hole wheel.

Fred


OK..
you asked " With the multi hole wheels I can use rear ends other then Ford "
If one set of hols fit on the 4 1/2 than that's Ford and Dodge, you'll have to measure the other set of holes to see what the other pattern will fit, (Probably GM.. 4 3/4")
You have to be carefull though, because Ford and Dodge used at least 2 different 5 lug patterns on their rearends.
I would find a rearend that is the width you want, and worry about wheels after.. it's cheaper to buy new wheels than it is to narrow a rearend ;)
 
I have found out a Volvo 240 has a 53.5" rear end with disc brakes. I can get the whole car for $50.
Any one know of someone that can put centers in the wheels I have,Seattle/Tacoma area if possible.
The way I measured the 240 lug pattern it's 4 1/4".
Fred
 
I have found out a Volvo 240 has a 53.5" rear end with disc brakes. I can get the whole car for $50.
Any one know of someone that can put centers in the wheels I have,Seattle/Tacoma area if possible.
The way I measured the 240 lug pattern it's 4 1/4".
Fred

This place does that kind of work and are honest, but they are not right in your area.

http://www.rallyamerica.com/
 
8.8 is a great rear end, lot's of 5.0 Mustangs are running a bunch of HP through them. Biggest drawback is that you need to find one with a 5 bolt pattern (most have four bolts) although you can swap axles. Another drawback is that they have lots of bracketry welded to them that you have to cut off and grind smooth.

But they are very available, most have good gear ratios, and they are pretty cheap now.

Don
 
8.8 is a great rear end, lot's of 5.0 Mustangs are running a bunch of HP through them. Biggest drawback is that you need to find one with a 5 bolt pattern (most have four bolts) although you can swap axles. Another drawback is that they have lots of bracketry welded to them that you have to cut off and grind smooth.

But they are very available, most have good gear ratios, and they are pretty cheap now.

Don

Try the Exploders and Rangers. Not as much stuff and the five bolt pattern. 97 and newer Exploders have disc.
 
Check the link in my eailer post, but it is better to measure them yourself. I believe they all have 31 spline axels and you can order them from Morrison in what ever length you want. Then just cut the housing to the width you want. You can read a sticker on the passenger side axel that will tell you the gear ratio. L373 is a limited slip with 3:73 gears. No L and it is an open rear.
 
You didn't note what kind of horseponies that you're going to put in front but many of the older import trucks have pretty beefy and narrow rear ends . I have a Nissan under my roadster , it is perfect .
 

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