Rearend Thoughts

[Rogers23T]

So I bought a 9" that I had high hopes would work. It turnded out to be 50" frome axle to axle. Even with 2" spacers too short, bummer.. I plan on running 56 truck wheels with a 28" or 30" tall tire and 8.5" or 10" wide tires. (kinda like the "Ivo" look tire with "Kookie" wheel) I have few options to go to widen the rearend, or buy another. I still not sure if I'm gonna rev the wheels or not prolly will depend on rearend length. I saw the post on rearend lengths, however I want a limited slip type of rear end. I keep thinking of going to the ford 8.8 but I think I'd have to shorten it. I plan on using '40-'48 style drum brakes all around, so I will have to have axles made / drilled for the 5x5.5 bolt pattern. Oh yea, and almost forgot keep that 2.5 - 3" didtance between body and tire.
Any thought guys??

 

[Youngster]

What on earth did that rearend come from? I've never heard of one shorter than 56".

Ron

 

[Rogers23T]

It had been shortened from the previous owner, he had it on his T bucket

 

[gfigms]

For Sale: Curry Ford 9” rear end with 3.25 gears (includes axles), chrome panhandle bar, chrome radius rods, single coil over shocks, Wilwood 4 pistons disc brakes with parking brake, parking brake cables and handle. The rear end housing is powder coated gloss black.

The rear housing is 60” wheel flange to wheel flange and was setup for a CCR frame. The whole assembly has less than 2500 miles on it and has been solid since installed in October of 2008.

Have over $2400 invested and will entertain any reasonable offer.
Call me @ 214-762-8181

 

[lincolnuT]

The title of this thread made me start thinking when I read it today.............Rear End Thoughts...........Hum, I just did not get it till today, I guess I am slow or maybe OLD.......

Mike

 

[donsrods]

Well, I would save the center section and simply buy a new housing and axles from someone like Moser. The cost isn't horrible and you start off with a brand new bare housing. They will sell you the exact width you need.

The only thing that I don't care for in your plans is to use the 40-48 brakes all around. I can see that for the front (that is all I ever run) but why try to adapt those antiquated brakes to the rear too ? The Moser rear my Son bought is setup for Ford Expedition rear drum brakes, which are far superior, and Moser drilled the axles for 5 x 5.5 bolt pattern so he could run 1940 Ford wheels. Once the wheels are on you can't tell what they are from.

Don

 

[Rogers23T]

Good question Don, the only thing I can tell you is that I have collected so many old drums with dad we have an abundence of them. LOL Not that anyone would see them so I could go to anything I wanted. Do you find one set of drums far superior to the next? If so why? Like surface area or beter braking? Cause I see redrilling newer style brakes to the 5x5.5 gonna be an issue. I agree with going to Moser or Strange for the axles and having them drill the bolt patteren from a blank.

 

[Rogers23T]

I was just looking to make sure I can use the 40's style wheels with the same bolt patteren for both, ft & rr so that I only needed one spare if I ever needed it. And spare parts for brakes would be the same.

 

[donsrods]

No, it was a piece of cake when we had Moser redrill the flanges, then all we had to do was drill out the brake drums, which was easy with one of those wheel bolt pattern gauges and a drill press. It would be much easier than trying to adapt the early Ford brakes to a 9 inch rear. When you get the rear housing from someone like Moser it is setup for the large bearing ends, so you can simply pickup a pair of Ford Expedition rear brakes at a wrecking yard and they bolt right on. You will also end up with modern self energizing brakes that were made to stop a 4000 pound vehicle.

Don

 

[Rogers23T]

Good idea, sounds like the better way to go..

 

[Rogers23T]

Has anyone used the 11" drum brakes off of a ford van's 9" rearend? Hamiliton told me to go that way, so I have more surface area to use when braking

 

[Retroboy]

G'day Mate
I know this is a couple of months old and you may have done some thing but I'm using a '56 Ford Customline rear end. I spent a heap of time looking at widths and stuff and picked up one at a swap meet. With 16x4" standard steel wheels I have a rear track of 56" and it is a sweet looker as well. You will have to re drill the axles if you want the early stud pattern.
Cheers
Tony

 

[Blacksmith54]

I have picked up about a dozen rear ends from Craigslist over the years all of them being 9 inch Fords also a couple of Jaguar IRS s but if you want to use the one you have put reversed rims on it and build the car accordingly. But old Ford half ton trucks have a great rear end in them.