8" rear is completely different. This is the gasket where the center section bolts into the housing for an 8" rear...notice that it is not round. The 49-56 center is round.
Actually if the housing becomes a throw away I could cut it up and use some of the pieces. Better to use part of it then to throw it all away.
I have a hard time tossing/scrapping old parts. I'll probably save the axles for material, scrap the ring/pinion, save the housing /backing plates for a swap meet.
OP, what are you doing with it? Is this going in a "Traditional" hot rod build? Does it have so much power and hook that its going to tear up drivetrain parts (that would make it about 2% of the builds on here) or is it 300/350hp and skinny bias plies? If its the latter, why not just use it?
I have a '57 smooth-back in my mini-tubbed falcon, it was ground a bit at the top and bottom, theres a little crescent shaped "divot" in the flange. Its not very deep, less than 1/8". I may be getting my hands on another '57 housing here in the next couple days, and I think its a "virgin", if I snag it, I can see if a 9" chunk will slip in without the relief. I looked for my hollander exchange when I got up this morning, cant find it, but I will round it up before the end of the day.
Not ruling it out., but I suspect the ring and pinion are rusted and pitted badly. I have an 8.8 installed already. The old 56 rearend was a freebee part.(free for the price of pulling) My engine is a warmed up 300 six with a 5 speed. Not hard core traditional but "my way". I will be pulling the 56 unit apart soon. I'll post pictures of what I find.
Where's the adventure in that George! The 57 Ford 1/2 ton truck housing needs no mods to clear a "true" 9 in. ring gear. Just try to find one eh!
Found my Hollander, It shows 9" ring gears starting in '63, but some applications were still using the 8 3/4" ring gear as late as '78, in Granadas and Monarchs. So there was considerable overlap, but these would have been in the later style housings. I have a ("59-'66?)dimple-back housing in my other Falcon, it doesnt show any signs of having been relieved.
Have any experience with Granada rear ends? I located one but haven't checked it out yet. I've heard when they have disks they can be pricey to replace/fix.
Wagons/sedan deliveries, police/taxi, and T-birds got the heavy-duty Dana rear axle. And it's not a Dana 44, but an earlier version known as a 42. Some parts will interchange with a 44, but most major parts are different. The one the OP posted is the standard-duty version, and while it's not a particularly bad axle, it's not performance oriented. Ford used a small, peculiar rear u-joint '49-56 also, another reason to avoid these.
The Granada disc rears will be 9", most others will be 8" rears. More commonly found on the short-lived Lincoln Versailles, but optional on the Granada/Monarch. And yes, the discs are very expensive/difficult to work on. They were popular for a while until this became clear.
It's an attractive housing. If you are, or know, a talented fabricator, a new face could be welded on at the correct offset to accept a 9" center. Might as well replace the ends for later brakes as well. It would be a lot more expensive than just getting a 9" housing, but it comes down to how much you like the looks of it. Random search found a face plate for sale. I'm sure there are others out there. I think I've seen cad models on the web for them as well, if you want to get one cut yourself. http://www.rjracecars.com/9-Ford-Housing-PlateProfile-Prodview.html
Never had that pre-57 rear, but there is a whole lot more to check into, before just adding a new flange. -axle spline compatability -depth of the axle centerline from the flange face -sufficient room for the new carrier and ring gear -and the dead center of where the old axles meet each other in the center housing, compared to the possible different offset of the 9" chuck
I remember you mentioning this on another thread. Did it have the big bearing ends and 31 spline axles as well?
I must have missed a turn somewhere, this whole discussion of using that pre 57 housing makes no sense. What's the point?
Yes, same one, the housing cost me 5 bucks and a six pack, I got it from a guy that I use to work with, he kept the axles and center section for his 57 Ford Sedan that he raced. I'm betting the housing had the big ends considering the overall beef of these things, they got chucked and replaced with billet ends. I would also guess they had 31 splines, but not positive.
it is entirely piece by piece dependent. Some need relieving and some don't. best to say that they do that way a novice doesn't trash a good housing for fear of ruining it with the dremel.
To be honest, the smooth-back housing under the mini-tubbed falcon just looks out of place to me, I cant help feeling like it needs a dimple-back housing. Too many years of under-car photos of Bonners and Platts falcons and factory T-bolts in old SS/DI's and Car Lifes I guess.
That gear ratio came in Automatic cars. Most of the 49 thru 56 Fords had a 3.9 and a 4.1 rear gear . If you have a old ford with straight shift the auto trans rear gear is nice for interstate driving. I found one several years ago to install in place of my 4.1 gear. I get a little left lane time now. The trunion style universal joint is a little pricey. Also the 49/56 gear is good for 300 horse power. I have noticed the spider gears are the weak link.
Just pulled the 56 rearend apart, the bearings were kinda tight. Surprised the ring, pinion, and spider gears aren't rusty. Apparently they were just very gummed up. Kinda mystified about the strange metal shield? inside the housing. Never seen anything like it before.
I am surprised that the splines are on the fine side [closer to a 9"]; my memmory [and my 49-51 manual] says the splines were on the course side, machined in not rolled or knurled...Shield was probably to direct oil to pinion bearings, some 9" rear ends had shields/directors also..I have had lots of pre 62 rear housings that were 28 spline and big bearings, still have a few axles..
The Jalopy Journal
