i want posi, if i do i will get a detroit locker. so for now im looking for a rear-end or chassis fabricator.
Ok, i need to get this straight before i get everything ready and take a measurement. Axle flange to Axle flange is where? i was thinking you want me to measure the distance between face of the axle shaft on either side, where the lugs are and the back of the rims contacts and all that good stuff. Is that the correct area?
Steven, that's correct, the face of the axle flange from which the studs protrude. The easiest and quickest way is to lay a straight edge against the flange pointing down so you can measure between them from underneath the car (three man job unless you use some clamps). Before you report this number to a rear axle specialist or go hunting yourself, you need to draw up a diagram based on wheel opening clearance, wheel offset and flange-to-flange width. My advice would be to choose a wheel backspacing (offset) that places the center of the wheel & tire parallel to the wheel bearing or as close as is possible to minimize bearing wear. This means some positive offset...the amount depends on bearing placement in the rear end you choose. Once you know the wheel offset and tire spacing you want, you can come up with the flange-to-flange measurement that best fits your vehicle. Usually you'll want to find a housing that is really close to the width number you came up with, then you can tweak the tire placement by playing with wheel backspacing to center the tire in the car. If you can't find an axle that's within 1/2" or so of what you want, get one that's significantly wider, then you can have the housing narrowed and get some custom axles made to fit your new width. You may need custom axles anyway due to the power. Something else to keep in mind, the Ford 9" features an offset pinion gear...so that to get the pinion centered in the car, the axle shafts on each side are different lengths. No big deal, just something that might look odd the first time you see one. And get one with 31 splines on the axles if you can...if I remember, those versions also have the beefier axle bearings and were more common in trucks. One last thing...do some research to find the differences between the Ford 9" and 9-3/8"...they look almost the same! Don't buy a Ford 9-3/8". Here's some more help: http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/customrearends.aspx http://www.explorer4x4.com/wheels_offset_backspace.htm http://www.valvoline.com/carcare/articleviewer.asp?pg=pht20000718ff http://www.competitionengineering.com/custom_forms/ceform4.asp http://www.kevinstang.com/Ninecase.htm Check out this site after you get your flange-to-flange measurement, there's a good Ford 9" width chart here: http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~biesiade/Fordrears.html Devon
Alrighty. What are the chances that i will be able to use my brand new rims that are on the car right now that are a 5 on 5 pattern? now all i have to do is get myself to measure that...
Respect to axle flange/ wheel positioning, I'd pick the biggest "street" tire that will fill out your rear wheelwell, then set your sights on what style of wheel. Might also look at your goals. Near 700 hp & over 600 ft lbs of torque is going to have a hard time hooking up in 4500-4700 lbs of big car with a 9-10" wide tire. If you know someone who has the pro edition of the Performance Trends Drag race analyzer, it can be a very useful tool in this respect. If you need to minitub, to get bigger rear tires to fit, the time to do so would be before wheels are picked & r/e is fabbed. Would also mention, with tapered bearing axle bearings, some negative offset is not going to hurt. On 9" housing cores, I usually grab the '73-80 & '81+ truck style housings & the Granada (narrow stepped tube) housings. I never mess with earlier 70's big Lincoln & T-bird housings as Devon mentioned, they are just an oddball 9 3/8 dropout 3rd member Ford rear, not the venerable 9". Got Posi? :3gears: Roger
i estimate the car at around 4050 w/ driver in it, but it might be less because alluminum heads, intake, etc. the wheel well is long enough, with 30" tall tires right now it has about 5" in front of the tire and probably 10" behind it due to the flare, the point where the tire might hit if it were too big (which is above the tire) measure a little over 12.5" wide, but if need be theres a lip of metal around it, if i bend it so it is out of the way the wheel well opens to 14.5", plenty of room for a larger tire. with that 9", 3.50 gears, all that torque and weight shifting, how much will the tire recess into the wheel well on a full throttle launch with heavy springs? its really no biggy, just determines how much lip will need to be bent. the top of the wheel well is about 10" higher than the top of the tire and it starts to curve at about 9". i think it will be fine. now, will my 5 on 5 bolt pattern rims ever be able to bolt up to a for 9" axle, stock or modified?
Sounds like you've pared a BUNCH of weight out of the Wildcat. Bare bone stock, non a/c '69 Wildcat, I'd figure 4250, then add in a 200lb driver, add fuel, add 8 point roll bar... easy to hit 4500lbs. Wheels cant answer... have no idea what you have for wheels, size wise, or weight wise. The stock Ford 9" rear cores listed above either have 4 1/2" bolt pattern or 5 on 5 1/2 bolt pattern. Don't believe you're going to come across oem Ford 9" rear that has 5 on 5 axles. Shouldn't matter, as custom Moser or Strange axles will be part of a custom 9" build. Personally I try & stay with 4 1/2 or 4 3/4" bolt pattern. Around here, there are always deals popping up on these bolt pattern of used wheels. While some GM 1/2 ton pickup guys may be running aftermarket 5 on 5 15x10" wheels, they are too heavy for what I'm usually working on. Got Posi? :3gears: Roger
i am running 5 on 5 8.5X16 the rims on this are relatively new, probably about 8 months old and are 5X15 front 8.5X16 back, all 5 on 5. im not sure what the offsets are, because to fit them american racing had to custom make these wheels, which is why id like to just stick with them. There torque thrust 2's, painted not chrome. already sold off my mint 15" rally wheels, i actually like the new ones better. stock i saw it listed as 4078 stock, i believe. that makes about 4300 with driver, minus all the extra weight weve taken out and then the heads and intake. although i didnt figure for gas. so on a 10.5 second car, would roll cage be required at the strip? how about the rear battery?
I know how to tell a 8 from a 9. i know on the 9" the lower bolts holding the carrier to the housing have to be removed by a box end or combination end hand wrench, because the sockets wont reach. does the 9 3/8 have this same thing?
Steven, you're going to run 8.5X16 wheels because you've already purchased them, and are only now asking these questions???? No offense, but if you keep up this plan of attack you will be out of money and in posession of a bunch of parts you can't put together. With a 4300 lb car, 600 hp and 8.5X16 wheels, you aren't going to get very close to a 10.5 second 1/4 mile ET. New question: How much money do you have in the budget for this car? We can go from there. :Smarty: You really need to give us this simple info here so we can give you good help. Devon
the rims are 8.5 by 16, it has 8.5's on it right now, but im not keeping them. i want to put a 10 on, i found some with tread width of 11.5" that sounds pretty good. i doubt it will ever be a complete drag car, mainly street, but if it will be we wouldnt keep it on 10's. and im pretty sure if i moved to 12's or higher they wouldnt fit on the 8.5 rim right? the differential has a seperate budget than the engine, because were doing engine first, then after light driving the tranny to support the engine, and then driveshaft and diff. replacement.
Going to repeat myself from your earlier thread, again would urge you Steven to look at what others have done with similiar big cars, whether 69-70 Buick Wildcats or 2door LeSabres, or same couple of years big Olds, in respect to rear chassis work. Even researching whats been done on similar size & wheelbase '67-68 Buick or Olds big cars in high horse/torque builds. The 9" rear would then be built to attach to the rear suspension that BEST suited getting a well over 4200 lb 123-124" wheelbase car to hook & put the car in the mid 10's, high 10's, low 11's, where ever the drivetrain & chassis could take it. At the same time I would also address a rollbar build & what its going to take to safely stop such a beast. W/o putting SERIOUS thought & planning into chassis work... just blowing the bucks on installing a very strong BBB engine under the hood & whatever can be made to fit for a 9" rearend, hate to say it, but you're not going to have much more than something to do burnouts with. From a good roll, such a non thought out big car may be able to hang, but from a streetlight or at the strip, whether you'r next to some moderate budget built 5.0 Stang or a tuner built WRX Subaru, it's is going be embarassing. In closing, I would strongly urge you to find a good longtime race & street/strip chassis builder. One who has vast experience & can make such a vehicle a reality. Good luck to you. Got Posi? :3gears: Roger
burnouts are good enough for me i could beat almost every car in my town thats street driven with the stock 430 with a bad piston. maybe rolling into the throttle, then i could show them... how big of tires would you think i need to make this car go?
OK, quick questions. whats the biggest tire size that would fit on an 8.5" rim? and im running 3.07's with 28" tires, if i got a 3.50 and ran 32" tires the speedometer would read accurate, but would it act just like a 3.07 with 28" tires?
