Technical 5 X 5.5” 8”?

I need to come up with a way to get a 5 x 5.5” bolt pattern on a Ford 8” axle WITHOUT adding any width. I thought I finally had everything worked out until this morning when I learned that axles to fit a Ford 8”with a 5.5” pattern cannot be bought (it was my understanding that since such a thing was available for a 9” it would also be available for a 8”. Not so because those axles are only available “Big Bearing” and the 8” is only “small bearing”). I need to get to a 5.5” pattern so that I can use my ‘35 16” wire wheels on an 8” axle. I do not have even 1/8” to spare.
I have a Maverick 8” axle which was the narrowest ever at 56.5” so I am not going to get anything narrower in an 8” housing (technically a housing could be narrowed to whatever you want but if you can’t buy the axle to put in the housing it’s a no go)
(I know that adapters are required to install the wire wheels on later drums/hubs, I have included that in my calculations.)
(Obviously, any adapter that goes onto the axle flange will add width so that is a no go)
(If you have to know why, the answer is fender clearance)

 

if the flange is big enough, have it re-drilled for the 5.5" spacing

 

The easiest way would be to go to a 9" axle since they were available with the 5.5" pattern. I used a 9" axle from a '68 to '74 Econoline that I had shortened 8" on the long side to center the housing for my car. Look for a 9" from an early Bronco since they are narrow with a 5.5" pattern.

 

Look at Ford 9” small bearing 28 spline early Bronco axles, the bearings are the same as the 8” Ford rear. They’re readily available thru the Bronco suppliers, you’ll have to see if the lengths will work. Use Matching Bronco drums.

 

That's the problem, the 8" flange isn't big enough. A 5.5" pattern puts the stud holes too close to the edge. Try these guys... Quick Performance Ford 9" Custom Alloy Axle Shafts (1 Pair)
They can make a set of small-bearing, 28 spline axles to fit rather than trying to track down Bronco axles. You will need to change brake drums however. Maybe the Bronco drums, but you might ask Quick if they can furnish a pair to fit.

 

Thanks for the tip to Quick Performance. I just got off the phone with them. His answer was “we can do anything you want”. When’s the last time you heard that?

 

Without a spacer the drum will interfere with the wheel center regardless of the bolt pattern.

 

The 66-77 Bronco rears are all 58" wide at the wheel mounting surfaces (drums on) and the pot is centered as viewed from the rear, meaning that the pinion is offset to the passenger side. Within that, there are four distinct pairs of axles, all 28 spline, three pairs that are big bearing and one pair that are small bearing which are 66-75 with 10" brakes. The small bearing axles measure 29.62" RH and 27.25" LH and the axle offset (axle face to housing end) is 2.36". I doubt that any of this will work out for a Maverick housing, but you can measure it up and see. I think Crazy Steve is on the right track.

 

I’m afraid I don’t know what you are referring to Dug

 

He’s referring to running 35 wires on later drums

 

Lay one of your rear drums on the back side of one of your wire wheels. They won't fit.

 

If you're not running a lot of HP look at complete Jeep axles they are 48" for real early ones to 51" in the 70s. They are too wide now since they got sued by idiots that couldn't drive and kept flipping them.

 

NO way to use the Ford wire wheel WITHOUT a spacer in your application. The bolting surface on the Ford wire wheels are recessed 1 1/8" in the hub of the wheel.

 

You could mount '35 wire wheels on a 9" rear end without adapters by using '40 Ford reproduction brake drums and God only knows what backing plates but it is doable.

 

You still need the thin "adapters" on anything to use '28-'35 Ford wire wheels unless you put them on '28-'35 drums. So... If you use '40 drums you need those thin "adapters". Or Bronco drums, etc.

Dave

 

If you look at how close a wire wheel actually fits over '40 style drum; it's pretty plain to see why the wheel won't fit on a modern flat face 10 or 11 inch drum without a thick spacer. Picture has a cut away '40 drum matched up to a '35 wire wheel.

 

What size wheels ? 16x4 or 16x4 1/2
What size tires ? 6.00-16 6.50-16 7.00-16 7.50-16
bias ply or radials
It all makes a difference.

 

I think you can use Lincoln drums with 40 backing plates

 

Guys, this OP has been told about the wires not fitting the new brakes many times already, both here and on the Fordbarn. I think he just doesn’t want to believe us. Or maybe he has a reading comprehension issue.

 

I am building a 28 roadster pickup that has an 8" rear end installed. Recently I acquired a set of 16" original paint, 46 Ford wheels that I would like to use. I mocked up the wheels with some borrowed wheel adapters, but the width is wrong, and the wheels are too far from the bed. It looks stupid. If I get the rear end narrowed to accommodate wheel adapters, I am screwed in the future if I decide to change wheels. I am in the same situation as the writer. A 9" axle, and some sort of Bronco, F100 drum may work. I will be on the hunt soon. Lets keep talking about this.

 

Have moser engineering cut new axles for ya . Lots of early bronco guys upgrade to 31 or even 35 spline axle for trail rides. You may find the axles at Jeff’s bronco graveyard or the swapmeet he put on

 

My original post says very clearly that I know that “adapters” (call them spacers if you want to) are required to mount the wire wheels to the newer drum. The drums and wheels are mocked up on the car right now. This is how I know that the track is too wide (put simply, the tires stick out).

 

Alchemy, you are a rude dood and this is not the first time I have told you so. By your own admission you say that you are a jerk and I still agree with you, just like I did before. Does anybody bother to read the original post???

 

And, as I posted yesterday afternoon “I talked to Quick Performance and he told me that they could build whatever I wanted.

 

QP will not be able to build you an axle and brake assembly with modern brakes on it that will let an old Ford wire wheel bolt directly to it. Simple truth.

I’m just trying to get the proper info out there, for you and any others that will read this in the future. The info on the internet lasts eternally.

 

Unless I am really missing something? My original post says that “I KNOW ADAPTERS ARE REQUIRED”. My measurements INCLUDE the width added by the “adapters”. As I type this my car is sitting in my garage with wire wheels mounted to Lincoln drums (with the spacer/adapters) with the tires on the floor. I know what is required and I have said so at least 2x.

 

Ok. I’m sorry. I promise to never open any of your threads ever again.

 

You wrote two contradictory statements:

What type of adapter are you accounting for? Ones to allow use of the wires on modern drums, which would be thick? Or the thin ones that allow use of the wires on the early Lincoln-style drums?

Do this:

Have QP build you a custom rear axle assembly with the 9" bearing ends, large flange axles drilled to 5x5.5", and to the appropriate width to use the Boling Lincoln drums with Boling's 9" drilled backing plate (buy just the backing plate, you don't need to buy all the guts again). Send QP the brake parts, the thin spacers, your overall width needed, and a pile of cash. QP does not know that the modern drums will not work with early Ford wire wheels.

For a final bit of irony in all this... Alchemy's nephew works at Quick Performance.

 

I am not sure about the spacers needed but, perhaps these may prove helpful for making brake drum "hub centric".