Author Topic: Narrowing a 8 3/4  (Read 1861 times)

KTO

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Narrowing a 8 3/4
« on: March 01, 2007 - 08:42:12 AM »
Hey, I have been looking for a later 8 3/4 for my 64 fury. I was looking for a 8 3/4 from an A body so I could fit some really wide tires on the back.

I am having troubles tracking one down around here but had a thought. I have the 8 3/4 from the cuda that went bye bye when we dropping in the dana. It looks like it would be easy to narrow. I think I could just cut the welds on the flanges on the ends, cut the shafts to width, weld the flanges back on and but a set of A body axles.

I've never tried this before, basically the only thing I've ever done with a rear end is swap a carrier on my coronet. Just wondering if anyone has a link to some information on the best way to do this.

Or just confirm my idea and give me the confidence to go ahead with the cutoff grinder tonight :)




Offline Moparal

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2007 - 09:04:16 AM »
a 67 b body like a coronet is shorter then the 68,69, and 70. It will fit in a lot easier then having to mix match the parts like you are saying. The spring pads is the only thing to be moved. It should give you the tire clearances you want, but a spring relocating kit would allow even bigger tires too.

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2007 - 10:21:10 AM »
Do not cut it , you need a jig to keep the housing ends dead straight as it is rewelded , as Al suggests the early B diff would be an easier swap , if you are still going to narrow the housing get a pro to do it properly

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KTO

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2007 - 11:26:43 AM »
Sounds good. Thanks for the advice!


Offline moper

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2007 - 10:37:22 AM »
is 64 the same as 65 C body? I know of one sitting at my buddys house. The car is long gone, but it's a narrower one than any A body or early B.

KTO

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2007 - 12:12:47 PM »
is 64 the same as 65 C body? I know of one sitting at my buddys house. The car is long gone, but it's a narrower one than any A body or early B.

Are you sure about that? The info I have says this... I wouldn't think a big ol' New Yorker would have a narrower rear than a Dart...

Body line      Track       Perches               
-------------  ----------  ----------- 
A-body, 65-72    55.6         43.0                                           
B-body, 62-70    59.2         44.0
B-body, 71-72    62.0         47.3
B-body, 71-72    63.4         47.3         
C-body, 64-72    63.4         47.3
D-body, 64-72    63.4         47.3
E-body, 70-74    60.7         46.0

Offline HP2

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2007 - 07:24:04 AM »
Your info looks like the stuff from the Mopar chassis manual. There is a small mistake in that that could influence your decisions. The 68-70 b body rear housings are wider then the earlier B body housings. Not a huge amount, I think it is only 3/4" or so, but it may be enough to make a difference in a swap. The spring perch location is the same, however.

Before you start swapping and/or cutting rears, have you checked the wheel well size to see how much tire you can get under there? Unless you plan on adding wheel tubs, the inner well and frame rail will limit tire size more than axle housing width. With the variety of offsets available on wheels these days, getting something that tucks up under the lip of the opening may simply come down to ordering a special wheel compared to fabricating a new housing.

KTO

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2007 - 06:45:14 AM »
Yeah, I've already done all the measuring and have fit some pretty wide tires under a couple other b bodies. I am not planning on anything too wide under the car, I have 275 width tires on 8" rims with 4.5 backspacing on my coronet. Everything is nice and snug on the outer wells but I have over 2" space at the inner wheel well and spring. I'm looking to use a 9.5 rear wheel. I set a 295 tires on a 9.5 wheel with a 4.5 backspacing on the car and I will need to move everything in about an inch. From what I see, an A-body axle will be perfect for what I'm planning. I'll post the results and what I used when I get around to working on the rear.

Offline HP2

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2007 - 06:46:41 AM »
I'm confused. Are you fitting up a C body or B body? You original post sounded like a C body. Your last post sounds like  B body.


KTO

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2007 - 07:04:52 AM »
A 64 Fury is a B-body.  :)

Offline moper

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2007 - 10:09:06 AM »
I can tell you it came out of a '65 C body 300 convertible that was cut up. And that it's narrower than the A body 8 3/4 in my Swinger because I was going to use it instead of finding one. I'm talking perches..not flange to flange. That's probably why the descrepancy. In any case, I think it's different tha n what you need.

KTO

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Re: Narrowing a 8 3/4
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2007 - 10:15:26 AM »
Sorry for the confusion. I'm talking flange to flange.