my rear axle is too narrow. and im in a dilemna...any help would be great

i made a post the other night regarding my wheels, but now im thinking my rear axle may be too narrow, so im trying to weight my options here.

im building a 51 for f-1 with a ford 9" in the rear. the 9" is about 57" wide from mating surface to mating surface and has a 5X4 1/2 bolt pattern. which to my understanding is the car bolt pattern.

the rear axle has a fresh 3rd member with a locker and some gears in it...pretty much good to go, which brings me to my initial problem.

if my rear track width is too narrow, im unsure wether i should get some custom smoothie wheels made here (which go from $120-160 depending on size) or to try and find a wider rear axle.

the issue with getting rims made, is that i have to by new tires, while the problem with getting another axle is that finding another housing thats wider, and with the correct axleshafts is pretty slim. and im afraid the cost might get pretty high if end up needing custom shafts.


so i wanted to ask the people who have been through this before...what would you do? because im running out of ideas haha

 

How far off is it???

 

Can you use some spacers?

 

how wide a rear end do you need?

take the wheels/tires you want to use and mock them up exactly where you want them to be....then measure in between

 

Does the rear end have disc Breaks? Could be a Lincoln Veraialls

 

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=middle><TABLE border=2 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>56.50</TD><TD align=left>1969-1977</TD><TD>Maverick 8"</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>57.00</TD><TD align=left>1974-1978</TD><TD>Mustang II 8"</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>57.25</TD><TD align=left>1957-1959</TD><TD>Ford, Ranchero, Station Wagon</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>57.25</TD><TD align=left>1965-1966</TD><TD>Mustang</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>58.00</TD><TD align=left>1966-1977</TD><TD>Bronco</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>58.00</TD><TD align=left>1964-1965</TD><TD>Falcon</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>58.00</TD><TD align=left>1977-1981</TD><TD>Granada/Versailles</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>58.50</TD><TD align=left>1977-1981</TD><TD>Versailles</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>59.25</TD><TD align=left>1967-1970</TD><TD>Mustang, Fairlane, Comet, Cougar</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>60.00</TD><TD align=left>1967</TD><TD>Cougar</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>60.00</TD><TD align=left>1958-1960</TD><TD>Edsel</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>61.00</TD><TD align=left>1964-1971</TD><TD>Ford Full Size</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>61.00</TD><TD align=left>1949-1951</TD><TD>Mercury</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>61.25</TD><TD align=left>1957-1972</TD><TD>Ford F-100 Pickup</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>61.25</TD><TD align=left>1960-1964</TD><TD>Ford Full Size</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>61.25</TD><TD align=left>1971-1973</TD><TD>Mustang</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>61.25</TD><TD align=left>1967-1973</TD><TD>Torino, Ranchero, Fairlane</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>63.00</TD><TD align=left>1970-1979</TD><TD>Ranchero & Torino</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>63.00</TD><TD align=left>1972-1979</TD><TD>Ford Full Size & Intermediate</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>63.50</TD><TD align=left>1967</TD><TD>Fairlane (Coil Springs)</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>65.25</TD><TD align=left>1973-1986</TD><TD>Ford F-150 Pickup</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>65.25</TD><TD align=left>1978-1986</TD><TD>Bronco</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>65.25</TD><TD align=left>1973-1986</TD><TD>Ford Van 3/4 Ton</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>68.00</TD><TD align=left>1972</TD><TD>Ford Van 3/4 Ton</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>69.25</TD><TD align=left>1977-1986</TD><TD>Ford E-150 Van</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD align=middle>Chevy <TABLE border=2 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>Outside
Width</TD><TD align=middle>Year</TD><TD align=middle>Model</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>54.25</TD><TD align=middle>1983-2004</TD><TD>Chevy S10 2WD, GMC S15 2WD</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>57.75</TD><TD align=middle>1962-1964</TD><TD>Chevy II/Nova</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>57.75</TD><TD align=middle>1965-1967</TD><TD>Chevy II/Nova</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>58.00</TD><TD align=middle>1978-1988</TD><TD>Chevy Malibu, Monte Carlo</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>59.50</TD><TD align=middle>1968-1982</TD><TD>Corvette</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>60.00</TD><TD align=middle>1955-1964</TD><TD>Chevy Car</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>60.00</TD><TD align=middle>1967-1969</TD><TD>Camaro</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>60.25</TD><TD align=middle>1968-1979</TD><TD>Chevy II/Nova</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>60.50</TD><TD align=middle>1984-1995</TD><TD>Corvette</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>60.50</TD><TD align=middle>1964-1967</TD><TD>Chevelle</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>62.00</TD><TD align=middle>1955-1959</TD><TD>Chevy Pickup</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>62.50</TD><TD align=middle>1968-1972</TD><TD>Chevelle</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>62.50</TD><TD align=middle>1970-1981</TD><TD>Camaro/Firebird</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

You don't need to change your tires, use the same width rim with a different offset. You can sell the housing and axles and just order what you need from a company like mosier. That housing is desirable for 55-57 chevys and the like.

Pat

 

The stock rear axle in a F-1 would be about 61" wide, so you're about 4" too narrow. You can easily make this up with a pair of 2" wheel spacers.

 

A pair of 2" spacers even if they made them is a recipe for disaster. I wouldn't drive or ride in a car with spacers. Do it right or don't do it.

Pat

 

If your springs are in the stock location the 1957-72 Ford truck 9 inch rear is a bolt in. They are the right width. I'm not at my shop now or I could give you the width of that rear. I'm thinking someware around 60 inches flange to flange. The 73 on up rear is 3 inches wider

There are 5 on 5 1/2 bolt circle and 28 spline axles. If your rear has 28 spline axles the center section wil bolt right in.

 

2 inch wheel spacers, WTF , on each side i guess. It,s not a Honda.

 

It's a recipe for making things work. I've used 2" aluminum wheel spacers on off road 4x4 rangers that take more of a beating than any street rod. There isn't any reason the spacer should fail in his application either.

 

A bolt on spacer is no different than bolting on your wheel, you just have 2 sets of lugnuts. I've ran made and ran plenty of them over the years and never have a problem.

 

ya 2 inch is a large spacer, maybe 1 inch well cut the extra slack you need?
i think they sell them at auto zone, youll probably have to get some deep wheel lug nuts just to fit the wheels on to.
its your cheapest option so far.

 

ixnay the wheel spacers.

 

if you need 61" , i suggest you just get a 9" rear that width. they can't be hard or expensive to find. then save your 57" wide one for a future project

 

57 inches does not sound like a real narrow rearend. I believe 1957 Ford cars had a 57 inch wide rear. As long as its wide enough that you can bolt a normal 6 or 7 inch wheel on you'll be OK. If its in the truck already get under there with a tape measure. I'm bettin' you can order some wider rear wheels with more reverse offset. Run bigger tires and it will look cool. It's a lot easier to deal with a narrow rear track than a too narrow front end, that's a real *** ache.

 

Go to a local wrecking yard and get a Mustang rear from the early 70's It will be plenty wide. NO SPACERS! They will shear the studs eventually. I have seen this time and time again and there are several spots on here showing the carnage. You can use the center carrier with all your guts in it in the other rear as well. Make sure the splines line up 28 or 31 and you'll be in good shape.


Tim

 

well, i did some measuring, i need about 3 1/2" on BOTH sides to put the wheel where i want it. the wheels im running have a huge 5" backspacing, so even with a 60" wide rear, i'd need to change my rims.

on top of it all i need a 5X41/2 bolt pattern to be able to use my rims so it's starting to look like no matter what i need to get new rims so im beginning to think i should just get some reversed rims made and be done.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item19ba0f10ef


It's a pain in the *** to service the rear, so make sure things are in order. Having a few old lug nuts to screw on the spacer so you can lever against to torque the spacer on really help too.

 

I think that the wheel spacers that are being referenced here as being unsafe are the cheap cast ones that were popular during the VW dunebuggy craze. Google up wheel spacers and you'll find cnc machined wheel spacers that are as rugged as the rearend they are attached to. they ARE expensive but any product that is in the drivetrain that does the job safely and correctly is by nature expensive to manufacture. These modern spacers can be used with confidence especially if kept under 2" thickness.

Frank

 

Like a few others have said, a pair of bolt on spacers will work just fine. For those of you stuck in the stone ages (like its a bad thing lol), the ones that people are recommending are like this: http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Poly-Performance-Lug-Centric-Wheel-Spacers-p-282.html . This is just an example, but there are many available from many different manufacturers and distributors. Just by the design of these, and the extreme abuse that some of these types of spacers go through in off-road use, i would not hesitate for a second to use a set.

 

Ditto that.
Good wheel spacers, especially if your talking 2" give you plenty of room for the second set of lugs. It's a hell of a lot better than the thinner spacers with the longer studs. Those are the one's that brake off.

Craig

 

34 Coupe is a dolt. 2 inch spacers (and even thicker) are used all the time in severe applications. Make sure they are the machined billet ones with the wheel studs installed. DO NOT stack up the spacers that auto parts stores sell.

 

Wheel spacers? See: R. Seghi has a Bad day.

 

Something is not adding up here, I have a real hard time believing you need a 64" wide rear end in a F-1 unless you have some really funky offset rims. If they are an oddball rim I think I'd change them anyway.
If you current rear end is 57" with drums and not a custom narrow unit it is probably a 57-59 Ford wagon/ Ranchero rear. Commen mistake, guys think that's the rear to get but in reality they are too narrow for most applications. The good thing is it's probably 28 spline so most housing axle combinations will work with your pumpkin and you'll have no trouble selling the old housing/ axles.
How about some pics of your rear axle and rims, maybe we can tell more of what you have and what you need.
One last thought. When you say 57" do you mean backing plate mounting surface or wheel surface?

 

They use wheel spacers on the rear of Porche GT-2, and some other high output autos, done correctly you'll be good to go.

 

To make sure you have the right sized rear end measure from the inside of the drum to inside of the other drum.

then measure from the outside of each leaf spring to outside of the other leaf spring.

Your differential measurement should be at least 3-4 inches longer. At least...

What I mean is that if you have an 8 inch wide tire that doesnt have an offset rim than you are looking at 4 inches to each side of the rim where that tire will be, plus an inch just to be safe. So now add your leaf spring measurement to at least 10 inches or longer and thats how wide your differential should be. Exceptions can be made with offset tires, but this gives you a general idea.

If you have found a set of wheels that you like get them online somewhere (make sure that they are offset. I would steer clear of wheel spacers unless you absolutely cant do without them, they work great, but if you get ones not made in America you are going to be in a world of hurt.

 

the axle is 57" wide from wheel mating surface to wheel mating surface.
the rims im using are 2007 charger 17x7 STEELIES. they have a 22mm offset and a (huge) 5" backspacing.

i like them because of the simple fact they are 17" steel wheels. i'll attach some pictures of how they look with the bed and fender mocked up

 

here we go:

the thing looks like a damn hovertruck