Swapping to Ford 9" ends on my 8.8" ?'s

[Detroit Gearbox]

couple things boomer,
welding the tubes with nickle rod to the center section, adding support bars to the tubes and adding 9" ends are the way to go. Make sure someone uses the proper equipment to check the straightness of the housing. No welding can be done after the ends are on and final straightness of the housing is completed. Use timken set 20 wheel bearings. do not use green brand ball bearings. they suck, and do not hold up well at all.
using studs instead of bolts for the caps is a nice upgrade, and either a TA cover or machined billet cap on the left side will be needed for higher hp applications.
Hope this helps.

[Boomer!]

couple things boomer,
welding the tubes with nickle rod to the center section, adding support bars to the tubes and adding 9" ends are the way to go. Make sure someone uses the proper equipment to check the straightness of the housing. No welding can be done after the ends are on and final straightness of the housing is completed. Use timken set 20 wheel bearings. do not use green brand ball bearings. they suck, and do not hold up well at all.
using studs instead of bolts for the caps is a nice upgrade, and either a TA cover or machined billet cap on the left side will be needed for higher hp applications.
Hope this helps.

Thanks, the rear is pretty well set up currently. Tubes have been welded, studs and cover are taken care of. I am in the process of making supports from the center section to the axle tubes. I plan to hit this car harder than ever and would just like a little extra insurance. I was going to keep the axle ends but since I have decided to narrow it I figured the upgrade was wise.

[Pwraddr]

Just a question: Why are you only going to narrow it one inch?

[Fryguy302]

Boomer- If the axles are Strange, I can almost guarantee that you won't have to re-spline. The Strange ones normally have like 3" of spline, so you can easily chop 1" off per side without re-splining.

[Boomer!]

Just a question: Why are you only going to narrow it one inch?

That is all I need, I plan to run a little wider and taller tire this season. I need to make sure I have a little extra clearance on the lip.



$150 in parts + free labor is cheaper than a new set of wheels.

[Boomer!]

Boomer- If the axles are Strange, I can almost guarantee that you won't have to re-spline. The Strange ones normally have like 3" of spline, so you can easily chop 1" off per side without re-splining.

Thanks for the heads up Raj. I didn't pay attention this last season when I had it apart for the gear swap but I pretty sure your right. If all goes well it will be out hopefully running as good if not better than last season with less cubes, if I can have it back together by then..

[Shadow X]

if the moneys there so will the car bro !!!

[biggc1]

When you switch to 9" ends don't you have to go with a 9" axle?

[Scott @ DLS]

When you switch to 9" ends don't you have to go with a 9" axle?

The axleshafts are made for the small Ford bearing to be pressed on with a pilot stop, so yes kinda, you have to go to a 9" style axleshaft to make it work.

[Team Z Motorsports]

I have the Strange axles with c-clip eliminators with strange rear brakes. I was planning to install 9" ends but was unsure of what to do with my current parts. Are they in any way interchangeable ? Do the ends have the same bolt pattern/bearing size ? Will I be able to reuse my caliper bracket ? Any advice is appreciated, first time I am doing this and don't want to mess up.....

You cant use the C clip eliminator axels with 9'' ends the axels are machiened for the eliminators not for 9'' big bearings, and I would not use nickle rod for welding the cast section to the tube unless your familiar with it, it will crack if not welded properly!