Hi everybody, i made this as my first ever post in the newbies section but dont know how many of u actually read those. Im gona start on an early 30's ford roadster and am trying to find a good rear end that isnt gona cost an arm and a leg and require a bunch of mods. Anybody have any suggestions on donor vehicles?
Most rodders want a rear end that has a removable center section ... like a 9 inch Ford, 8 inch Ford or a 8 and 3/4 Mopar. 9 inch Ford shown above IMHO, it is also a good idea to consider the wheel bolt pattern. If you are using the early Ford bolt pattern on your front axle, I would suggest finding a early Bronco rear end. It is of the 9 inch Ford family and has the same 5 on 5.5 wheel pattern as the early Fords and Ford pickups. I myself have the F-100 wheel pattern on my front wheels ( 5 on 5.5 ) ... so I needed the same on the rear. I used the early Bronco. It is also one of the most narrow 9 inch Fords available. The 9 inch Ford is one of if not the most used rear ends under Hot Rods. There were so many made, aftermarket support is good and POSI's are fairly easy to find and buy. Here are a few sites for 9 inch Ford information. http://www.hotrodders.com/journal_photos/00003880/11772828870.jpg http://www.hotrodders.com/journal_photos/00003880/11772828870.jpg http://www.hotrodders.com/journal_photos/00003880/11772828870.jpg http://www.fordification.com/tech/rearends_ford01.htm And here is a site with the widths of 9 inch Fords http://carnut.com/specs/rear.html
To get the "perfect" rear end one of the most important considerations is width. The only way to get the right one is to buy your rear tires and wheels that you will be running first, then prop them up exactly where you want them to sit (spaced out from the body so they look good) and then measure the distance from where the wheel touches the brake drum on one side to the same place on the other wheel. That is called "wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface". Once you have that dimension start looking at rear axles. As mentioned, the S10 is a popular rear, but they are a little narrow compared to some others. The 8 and 9 inch Fords are also very popular and the best ones come from a leaf sprung car as there is less steel to cut off to clean them up as opposed to a coil sprung Ford. What is "perfect" for one car won't be perfect for another one. A lot depends on if the car is stock height or channeled, and a lot of other factors that affect the width needed to clear the body. I can't stress enough that you need your wheels and tires FIRST. Here is a chart that will help you get started: http://www.carnut.com/specs/rear.html Don
I wish the 8 and 9 inch rears from the 60's and 70's Fords weren't drying up at junkyards and swap meets like they are. We hardly ever see one of the cars like Mavericks, Mustangs, Granada's, etc any more anywhere to get the rear axle out of. I was lucky enough to score a 65 Ranchero 8 incher for my rpu project, thanks to a member on another forum. Otherwise I might have had to go with a brand new housing and start from there. Don
Wud the s10 be able to hold up to a mild 350? 9 inchers are hard to find round here unless i wana sell off a kidney or somethin
Most any driveline component exposed to torque is effectively strenghtened when attached to a lighter weight vehicle than it was first designed for. As S-10 axles go, usually the 4x4 versions are preferred because they are wider than the 2 WD. Also the 4 x 4 is a stouter unit than many, not all, found in 2 WD, which vary with application...i.e., 4 cyl/ 2.8L V6/ 4.3L V6. Ray
S10s never came with a V8. The axle bearings are pressed into the housing. Most are somewhat NOISY. It is very difficult to change the gears. I myself dislike the bolt on cover on the rear. The Ford 8 inch and 9 inch looks much better IMHO. If you do go with the S10 rear end get one from a 4x4 ... the width should be better and the chance it would be a POSI is greatly increased. I would rather wait and get the rear end of my choice rather than have to replace it ... once I got the project on the road 9 inch Fords bring around $150 to $250 in my area. GO here ... to see what is available in my area ... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116005&showall=1
hey, ya got two arms, legs, kidneys - surely must be some parts worth it - Ha! S10, if correct width and gear ratio (need tag in glove box of donor truck to know for sure) will hold up fine unless you are racing, etc. but, for looks, ease of changing gears, etc can't beat the Fords.
They are stronger than I thought. I had one in my 23 with a 350 Vortec and in the beginning I babied it because I didn't want to break it. After a while I occasionally smoked the 10 inch Firestone slicks and it never did break. I wouldn't suggest dropping the hammer at 7,000 rpms, but with a mild street motor and relatively sensible driving you would be ok. Don
The Jalopy Journal
