Anyone know the general width of a Ford 8" rear end? Or would it depend on what it came out of? Good fit for a shoebox? Thanks, Steve
If you're running skinny bias ply tires 65-66 mustang 8 inch works well too. Little wider than maverick but far easier to find
And again... The Maverick 8" is 56.5" WMS to WMS. Move the spring perches in 13/16" on each side, and it is a bolt in for the shoebox. Even the emergency brake cables work. The 5 lug one came in two versions 70-73 had a 2-3/8" register, 74-77 had a 2-3/4" register, so the drums differ. The rear is getting a little harder to find, but still out there. A good alternative, as @gimpyshotrods stated, is the Ford Ranger 8.8, which can be converted to disc brakes easily. The only downside to the 8.8 is ratio- finding one in the 3.08 range is harder.
I have a Granada rear in m 47, and I believe it's 58(1/2) WMF to WMF. Seven inch wide wheels work well, and CE sway bar clears the inside of wheels. Shoebox, as mentioned above, may need the narrower rear.
The big problem with 8 inch rears now is that donor cars are few and far between and many have hit collector car status rather than donor car status.
That same chart that has been going around for years with the 67 Fairlane with coil springs and 63.5 inches wide, it does not exist. Most of the 9 inch axles you can find now are F100 units with 5.5 inch bolt circle and 61.25 inches wide, also have the spring perches on top of the axle for spring over axle mounting. Other than the spring perches they fit a 46 - 48 Ford fine with stock wheels. The 8 inch axles are harder to find, I bought a wrecked half parted 75 Comet (same as a Maverick) to get the last one I bought.
On the topic of 8.8 rears: They were used in a whole lot of vehicles, in a bunch of different widths. The 4x4 site The Ranger Station has a comprehensive list of axle shaft lengths, so it is possible to roll your own ready-to-narrow package before even leaving the self-service yard. https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Ford-8_8-axle.shtml Scroll down for the axle shaft chart. No need for custom axle shafts. The popular one is to get an Explorer 8.8, and ditch the "long side" axle shaft in the yard, putting another short one in for the ride home. If you are not adventurous enough to try narrowing a housing, or don't have the tools, any shop with a jig can do this job easily. If you bring me a well-cleaned housing (and you can even leave the pinion in, and set), $50, and go get me a burrito at the joint on the corner of my block, your housing will be done and cooling by the time I am eating. The 8.8's often have a bit of pinion offset. While this is not an issue, you can "edit it out" or drastically minimize it with the right narrowing job.
How wide is an early 60's Fairlane? I bought one once and couldn't use it for what I was doing. At the time I thought it was narrower than the Maverick I'd used before. Gary
I have a 73 maverick 8 inch rear in my shoebox. Believe it’s 56 1/2 from wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface.. It fits you just need to push the leaf springs apart some to bolt then to the perches. Wasn’t a big deal. I used the maverick rear with shoebox centrals 3 inch lowering springs, and 3 inch blocks on my 51 coupe.
As you look at my Shoebox you will see the stance with 4" blocks in the rear. Two issues with this are the ride is not great and I have to deflate the rear tires, unbolt the shock to be able to get the tire off. I have a stock 51 Ford rear in it with 56 7/8 flange to flange. From what I am seeing there is not a stock rear end that will work. That being said I have a 9" rear that I am preparing to shorten for this application. Interestingly the tire rubs on the quarter panel side of the fender well, and I do have room to move the wheels inward..
Chevy S10 2WD rear is 54-1/2 to 54-3/8" depending on the year, and which drums. The 4x4 one is wider.
Unfortunately I doubt you’re going to find a rear unless you really shorten it, that you can put in a lowered Shoebox that lets you take the tire off with out rubbing. This is due to the shape of the shoebox’s rear wheel well. There is another option if you are still doing body work to it though.. Raise the wheelwell up. Everyone I talked to had to unbolt the spring or shock or jack the car up by the frame and then use a bottle jack to jack down on the leaf spring to swap a tire out. On mine, I knew I wanted to run 51 mercury skirts, so Chopolds raised my wheel well up just under 2 inches. The 51 mercury skirt fits perfect then(without the stock side trim) and the wheel goes on and off with out touching the wheel well.
I had been thinking about raising the fender well. I have Foxcraft skirts on it, I will have to go out to the shop and measure the distance between the lip and the edge of the shirt. How much did you lower the rear end?
I have the 3 inch lowering leaf springs and the 3 inch blocks.. I can easily do the 4 inch blocks if I wished but I was worried about hitting the trans tunnel
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