1952-59 Ford Dana 30 Rear End

I am currently running a stock 3.78 rear end with a 351C powertrain in my 56 Fairlane. These rearends can't take much abuse, can anybody tell me how much stronger the Dana 30 rear ends are (T-Bird and Station wagon rearend) I also have A Ford 9" housing and pumkin which would require having a driveshaft made up. The station wagon rear end is a direct bolt in. So the question is which rear end should I use? Thanks

 

Go with the 9". Put it in. Forget it. No worries.

 

Eric is right. Another option is an 8" Ford from a Maverick or such. But if you have a 9" of the proper width, go with it.

 

The dana will handle a stock or mild 351C

 

9" if you ever decided to change things up wth gears parts are readily availible at any performance store along with brg kits.

 

The Dana will probably handle it, but then if it does go south, you spend weeks looking for parts. In a stocker I'd say fine, but behind a higher HP engine, I'd change it out if I had a 9". Just my opinion.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I have a 57 Ford housing , (round back) with a 3.50 gears that will bolt right in. The 3.50 gears will bring my highway rpms down.

 

Jc13 just so you know, there are two housings for 57 ford. The sedans had the small bearing housing and the converts,wagons, and retractables had a larger bearing housing. I used a sedan housing on my 54 Wagon. The axle bearings and axle diameter are exactly the same as an 8 inch granada rear end. The spring pads were 1/2 inch wider apart (or maybe 1/2 inch narrower) than the springs, so I made a lowering block with offset holes to mount it.

 

With an 8" rear you won't have to cut it down and have the axles re splined . You aren't going to ever break a Ford 8" rear . I have had many and put them through hell and never let me down . Unless you are running big HP and Torque , save your money and buy a Ford 8" rear . I have 2 of them now and got rid of a 9" and 2- 8.8" rears. The 8" will fit very nicely .
The only 9" you can get and won't have to have it cut down is the one from the early Mustangs with BB and the Cougars . They are hard to find but they are around .
Yes the Ford 9" is the best factory rear out there but the 8" will serve you just fine and all for $200 or less !
BTW those Dana rears will take more abuse than you think they will .
Just my Ford opinion !

Jim

 

Jim is incorrect, the 9" rears from '57-'59 and the mid to late Granada 9" rears do not need to be cut down, they will bolt in with no modifications. driveshaft lenght may need to be changed.

 

I started to install a 8" rear in my wagon, when I realized that the original rear had more brake surface area than the 8", so decided to leave it. It has new brake shoes, cylinders, and drums, so all I have to do is add self adjusters. Bonus wa it has a 3:57 gear, which works out excellent with a AOD trans.

 

I forgot about the 57 to 59 and Granada's because they want too much for them and getting hard to find around my area . The Lincoln Versiles will also fit and are disk brakes but sill hard to find and costly .

Jim

 

JC13 - The station wagon rearend - do you already have it?

Use it - Yes its an oddball - a Dana 44/45 center section with the 9 inch axle tubes. Reider Racing can get you the guts if you want a posi or whatever - its a Mopar carrier with special bearings to clamp into the Ford housing. The Dana 44 has been tough enuff for a lot of pickups over the years - it'll do fine with a 351C.