What is the best width rear end for 1930 ford Tudor sedan with fenders and 16 inch 1935 ford wire wheels
1. Mock up the wheels & tires you intend to use, centered inside your '30 sedan's rear fenders. 2. Mesure the distance between the two wheels' mounting surfaces (WMS to WMS). 3. That's the best distance for you. Anything else is just an estimate.
Can't get any closer than that! With all the choices of wheel backspacing, and differences in frames and suspension components, you have to do this on the actual vehicle to get it perfect. Don't shortcut this part, it can make or break you look.
This is a 4x4 S10 rear end with 1" adapters to go from 4 3/4" to 5 1/2" bolt pattern.. Wheels are 6" wide with 8.20x15 tires.. I think with your tire and wheel combo, they would fit under fenders OK.. A cheap way to go but may not be what you're looking for...
[emoji3] I have used plenty of the Broncos ! They are beefy and have the correct wheel pattern ! Just getting a bit hard to find any more around here . I have also used newer Explorer 8.8 , and as mentioned S10 2 WD in an A pickup , 8in Corvette Ralley and looks like God made it that way
91-94 Ford Explorer 8.8 seems to be the perfect width, 31 spline, cheap, most have limited slip, good drum brakes, etc .................
Don't forget the V-8 Maverick and Comet dropout 8" rears from '74-'77. I run 10" steelies with Hoosier 31x12.5x15 radials. Backspace is max, about 4.5 with perfect distance to body, 1 1/8" on my steel Deuce roadster. Looks bad***. P.S. The most perfect rears were the Ford 9 inchers from '57-'59, but they are all gone.
On the customer ch***is I build I use a 56 inch outside to outside rear for 28/34 ch***is. Seems to put most wheel and tire in the right spot. 56 is a fairly universal width a**** most ch***is builders.
Thanks for this, just to be clear when you say outside to outside are you speaking of the housing ends where the backing plate bolts up? or the previously mentioned WMS?
So we put a Bronco in a '29 sedan with 15"x 5-1/2" early F-100 wheels with 235 tires, had to make mini-tubs and still use 1/4" spacers to clear the body. Sometimes it takes a little more planning and work to get the tires sitting right using the desired parts. Good example to show why using Just Gary's advise to use the final wheels and tires is important.
This is the difference between buying an "off the rack" suit and having one tailored! May cost a little more, but dang it, it fits! Ray
I've used Ford Grenada 1977-1981 rear ends under fenders a few times. Fit well depending of course on the wheel and tire combo. Good news is there are plenty of them, bad news is the gear ratios they came with. 58" with 5x4.5 bp.
Sedans without wheel tubs can not use early Broncos or 8" Ford rear ends.. They are not wide enough to clear the body at the top.. Without tubs you need at least a 60" rear end.. A 56" rear end is fine for a coupe or roadster but not a sedan....
Exactly. I bought a Curry 9" for my '31 Sedan with the "standard street rod width" it was 56 1/2". I had to mini-tub the sedan body to use any wheel that would center the tire in the fender. It might have been fine on a coupe or roadster but sedans are a different animal. With no fenders and a wheel with a very shallow backspace you may be OK. The bottom line is; you'll be WAY ahead if you do what Just Gary said, mock it up and measure the real thing.
Dino64, I'm sure they're for coupes and roadsters , not sedans because 56 1/2" won't fit a sedan without tubs or at least mini tubs...
I like them wider , reasoning for me is it resembles the look of an old hotrod, most early cars had 40 ford rear its about 59" stock 32 rear is about an inch narrower I believe ..42 rear is 61" 55-64 Chevy are about 59-60 I think Olds was about the same I don't think the rears started to get real narrow till the 80s and that's fine if you have a 8" wheel and you want it tucked close to the car, but it looks really wierd with skinny bias plys , not to mention your going to want a narrow front width if you choose to do so with your back
I have an 8" Ford rearend in my wife's fordor and its rubbing, so I'm going to try 1" spacers and i should clear the wheel wells.
Another thing to consider with post Model A Fords is pinion offset. The drive-line tunnel for the torque tube is not very wide and depending on how low you go the yoke can get into it, if it is not close to centered.
The Jalopy Journal
