ford 8 inch rear end question

has anybody seen or does anybody know what this part is that hangs on the pumpkin end of a ford 8 inch

rear.It​

looks like a weight of some sort-I have seen other 8

inchers​

and they don't have

it,Rear​

came off a 1967 mustang supposedly. It attaches to the pumpkin with 3 of the 5 bolts that hold the pinion to the main diff. I'm thinking of leaving it off if it doesn't serve a purpose but I want to be sure. Also when setting up the rear end angles does it matter that a ford rear differential is off center or do you have to set the motor, trans, and

driveshaft​

off center to compensate? I guess what I'm asking is does the horizontal angle matter or just the

vertical​

 

It is probably the bracket that the rubber jounce bumper hits when the car bottoms out against the differential.If you leave it off you can,t pick up any fat chicks.....

 

the rear pinion being off center will not matter...you do not need to move the engine/tranny over to compensate. the driveshaft will just run at an angle. as long as the angles on both u-joints are the same.

i don't see a picture of the "thing" you are talking about , but i think i know what it looks like, i have only seen one.....i took it off and has not been any problem. i have no idea what it was supposed to do

 

thanks 36-3 window,I was really hoping that would be alright as I did not want to start moving motors etc. I am going to leave the weight thing off but I was just wondering why ford put it on in the first place. who knows.

 

it's more of a weight thing ratmotor so if I leave it on I can't pick up any fat chicks anyway because the 8 inch rear can't hold up all that weight.

 

It's a harmonic balance weight. You can take it off with no problems.

 

I've seen that vibration device on Granadas an Monarchs, and you can take it off with no problem. I have never seen an 8" that did not have a centered pinion. You might think that it is offset because the "pot" where the "chunk" bolts to is off center, but the pinion is on center.

 

Your links are not working, but if you are talking about this;





It is a rubber isolated cast iron vibration damper. I have only seen these on square headlight '79-'80 Granadas and Monarchs with the 250 I6. You can remove it, but it doesn't hurt to leave it on either - I run one on my '65 Ranchero with 5.0/AOD, and it took care of a vibration from 85-95mph.

-KK

 

your are right , i wasn't thinking on that

 

Thanks to all who helped me with my 8 inch questions-yes that is the part I am speaking of-the harmonic balancer.If it help keep vibrations problems from happening I think I'll leave it on.Thanks to all again.