A body rear axle into F-body??

[kkritsilas]

Bolt pattern will be the same. However, the wheel offsets may not work. As McFly 68 said, his Explorer rear end works great with his Mustang Cobra wheels, which more than likely have more backspacing than Chrysler Rear wheel drive wheels. If you use the standard Chrysler wheels on the Explorer rear end, they will most likely will stick out of the fenders. That my be a look that you want, or it may not be something that bothers you, and if so, more power to you. If not, however, you will need to either use wheels with a deeper backspacing, or narrow the Ford 8.8" rear end, by which time, any cost savings have disappeared.

I have asked about the pickup 9.25" rear before. Does anybody have the dimensions for it?

Kostas

 

[slant6billy]

Now, when the dakota was introduced in 87, it had 5 by 4.5 bolt patterned wheels. Somewhere about 1991 it went 6 lug. Was there ever a 5 lug with a 9 1/4? or was that only optioned in the 6 lug RT and custom order Daks? It really drives me batshit to see 6 lugs on Daks and vipers. It was like the designers were just being difficult and it's ugly. Also, the 4 lug fox body stangs. My coworker stepped up to a 5/8 wheel stud (still 4 lugs). 5 lug is so much more better looking and normal. Luckily Ford mad some 9 inchers with the 5 by 4.5. I had one with the short left and short right axles (my dad cut the tube down) to make it accept the short axle. I'd like to do a rear end test, like the old days: Just shred tires until I break something. I'll call it an engineering stress test. I better get studying, like out front in the street with the Volare.

 

[greymouser7]

I think there was a 5 on 4.5 lug Dakota 9 1/4 AND there was also in police c-body cars and other mid-late 70's Mopars. In 2006 I drove up to Michigan, from practically North Florida. I had bought a Mopar lot off of eBay for $500 which included a cop 400big block, two big block 727's (they are for sale cheap if you want), headers, and a 9 1/4 rear axle with sure-grip. -all out of a c-body car. Cost me about 500 in gas and food-took the fiancé as a 'test' of compatibility of me and the hobby.

I just bought a 9 1/4 before I met Rich last year for $100-a large van unit, it had 3.55 gears in it when the cop car axle came with 2.76. Now I just have to figure out how to shorten it in a budget minded manner.

In my experience, the 9 1/4 is the cheapest give-away-price axle.

I just do not know what it's limitations are.

 

[slant6billy]

Some of the late 90s/ early 2000s 9 1/4 were defective and grenaded. My 95 van has an 8 1/4. My neighbor's is a long wheel base 2003 and has the 9 1/4. His destroyed itself and he doesn't tow. I've towed and ripped on mine (8 1/4) and it still goes strong.

 

[greymouser7]

Some of the late 90s/ early 2000s 9 1/4 were defective and grenaded. My 95 van has an 8 1/4. My neighbor's is a long wheel base 2003 and has the 9 1/4. His destroyed itself and he doesn't tow. I've towed and ripped on mine (8 1/4) and it still goes strong.

I wonder if the axles were defective in tolerances, or faulty set-ups.

On FABO there was allot of chastising and smack talk about setting up an rearend with 'some whine' the general consensus was that a properly setup rear axle should not make a noise.

If setup was such a concern with the older axle designs would have had enough problems that people would have discussed more-BUT I have heard of problems with the set up of 9 1/4 rear axles.

Maybe Rob, Rich, Don, or somebody can enlighten us further.

 

[ramenth]

I wonder if the axles were defective in tolerances, or faulty set-ups.

On FABO there was allot of chastising and smack talk about setting up an rearend with 'some whine' the general consensus was that a properly setup rear axle should not make a noise.

If setup was such a concern with the older axle designs would have had enough problems that people would have discussed more-BUT I have heard of problems with the set up of 9 1/4 rear axles.

Maybe Rob, Rich, Don, or somebody can enlighten us further.

I've heard a lot of "bad" about the 9.25.

Personally, I've never had an issue and I've owned a bunch. I've had axle bearings go in my Ramcharger at, oh, about 160k miles. The biggest issue was finding the right bearings. Had to hunt the catalog for 'em as it's supposed to be a "light duty" axle (ie, half ton) but wound up taking non-floating "heavy duty" (heavy half, light three quarter ton) bearings.

I've had better luck, personally, with every axle offered from Chrysler. As a former Ford tech, I've rebuilt a ton of 8.8's. Never liked 'em. As they can, and will, let go.

As a matter of fact, when I get the 427 stroker built for my F150 the two weak links in the drivetrain go bye-bye. The crap as ZF five speed will be replaced with an NV4500 and the 8.8 will hit the scrap heap in favor of a nine inch.

I've got two 8.75's laying around and was thinking about going that route with the M-body. Wanting to get with an IRS means going to a 44.