I want a basically bullet proof rear. My understanding is that the 7-1/4 does fairly well with a sure grip l can’t find one nor does anyone list an aftermarket one. The Ford 8.8 is a common swap as they are cheap and strong. I want bigger tires and traction. At present I can do a couple hundred or so foot burnout/smoke show with out power braking fun but not quick. Dan
Well, some days it doesn't feel like too much fun when things are not going so good, but then there days that make up for all the bad days rolled together. Bullet proof? Back when I was tearing stuff up, I had a strong model I followed. "If you think its bullet proof, you ain't trying hard enough! We had a 65 Barracuda, had a 318 4bbl swapped in for the dead Hipo 273, 4 speed, with a 3:21(?) rear gear 7 1/4! I ran 70 series 14" tires, and I ran it pretty hard. That car was lot of fun, never did break the 7 1/4, was not trying to break it, but I sure was not babying it. I had the car painted Petty blue with 14" chrome reverse wheels, but the interior under that big back window was shot, and at the time, that was a $1,000 job, if you did it yourself. That was out of my price league and my abilities league. I did get pretty good money out of the car, the body was solid. My wife liked the Barracuda, but she didn't like the 4 speed, and wouldn't drive it.
Yep that’s my thinking. If it be can broke I usually can get er done. I had a diff come undone at about 105 once, that was enough for me, it went bang I went every which way but straight, I think my brothers grip mark on the dash is still there lol. Dan
I was always 'if it breaks, put in a stronger one'. After a while I hung out with and read up about 4x4 stuff. Their motto is Bulletproof, except the cheap, easy to fix trailside part. That is a bit more refined thinking. They also get into 'must do' situations that stress stuff hard.
Gene my 7-1/4 may last forever who knows but I really want a LSD right now I go up in smoke if I trounce it from a stopped position. I had an experience with a rear coming undone at speed, not something I want to repeat. I’ve never shortened a rear before sounds fun. Was your 7-1/4 a sure grip unit? Dan
Yes I agree on most stuff but I don’t want to break the rear end I’d just as soon fix before it’s broken. Dan
Not cheap, not easy = bulletproof! Same with the front u-joint! Best to have the "fuse" somewhere else. I prefer the tires!
The 7 1/4 in the Barracuda was an open rear end. I did run across a 74 or 75 Dart one time (I bought it cheap to junk out) that had a sure grip 7 1/4 with the 3:21 gears. I probably had the Sure Grip 7 1/4 in my parts pile while I had the Barracuda. That Dart still had the small bolt pattern wheels. I thought for sure I could make some money off that Sure Grip 7 1/4, if I didn't need it myself, but after many years of tripping over it, I think I s****ped it, no one was the least bit interested. The strange part was that Dart was a very low option, 4 door car slant 6 car. If I remember correctly, the Sure Grip was the only option the car had. The 8.8 is probably the cheapest, tough, rear end you can buy these days. My son has a 3;73 Limited Slip, disc brake version in his 57 Dodge wagon, the 8.8 lives pretty well behind his 5.7 Hemi. His 8.8 came out of an Explorer and he bought the bolt on U joint part that uses the standard Mopar U joint size (my old mind isn't matching up with the numbers right now, but that build was 12 or more years ago, I've slept since then). The width was about right on my son's wagon, and the wagon had a offset rear axle too. I do think it was a coil spring rear, we converted it to leaf springs.
I took it that as a young man beating the living hell out of that 7 1/4, breaking the rear end was always on his mind. Now that he is older, more funding has allowed him to invest in a much more robust 8 3/4 rear end, he is no longer concerned about breaking the rear end.
The 8.8 requires a flange yoke for the 1100 series u joints the shop that built my driveshaft installed the best solid ujoints in their opinion, should be good for several hundred ft lbs. the 7-1/4 sure grips are rare from my understanding and observation. Dan
The flange yoke, that was the term I couldn't remember. We built our own driveshaft, we got the flange yoke with a u joint the correct size we had a matching drive shaft yoke for. I've been building our own driveshafts for 40 years (probably over 200 of them), right off the work bench in my shop, I have never used a lathe, and have never had a balance or an out of round problem.
The 8-3/4 is an excellent rear except they are pricey! A Dana 60 would be perfect but way more than I want to spend, if you break a 60 you’re running some serious stuff.
An 8 3/4 rear end is getting pretty expensive these days. Finding a complete used one (at any price) is nearly impossible. A housing without axles or a center section is $200. A decent gear open diff is $500, a Sure Grip adds another $200+, the axles set you back another $400 for the pair, and then you buy the brakes of choice (the last time I checked prices). The price of a truck 8 bolt Dana 60, with the conversion bearings, weld on axle ends, and axles was nearly the same money. At the same time, a limited slip 8.8 with 373 or 355 gears and disc or drum rear brakes was $200.
I think I paid $100 might of $200 can’t remember . 3.55 open. A lsd will run from 200 to 450?depending on brand lockers are more. Dan
They are cheap and strong the only bad thing is they are a c clip unit, very similar to a gm 12 bolt. They aren’t very ***y but for a car where the rear end isn’t exposed they’re fine. I wouldn’t want one in a t bucket or a coupe where they are highly visible Dan
Ordered an Energy Suspension bushing kit. Next week I’ll tear the front end down and replace all the boots and bushings. Check and adjust the steering box and set to factory specs. I was going to shorten and install the new rear first, but I think the front takes priority. Dan
Next week while the car is down I’ll take the seats to my neighbor Chester for reupholstering. Also do the door panels. When my brother from Colorado visits he’ll do the carpet, he is a genius at carpet. Then the interior will be 90% done. Dan
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