Rear end choise?

What rear ends will fit my 65 skylark. Looking for something I can't really break although I don't want some crazy 18 wheeler axle that my motor can't move. So far found out

Chevy 12
Chevy 8.5
Dana 30,60,44
Ford 9

 

If you can kill a Dana 60, you'd be doing something.

Ford 8.8 31 spline Explorer disc brake rears are an excellent choice as well.

 

Ford 8.8? never thought of an explorer axle. Are they that strong or should I save up for a 60 or a ford 9 (or is the 8.8 like a version of the 9). I just want to do it right the first time, fine waiting for a 1500 dollar axle, but if a cheaper one will do fine, good enough.

 

To the best of my knowledge an 8.8 is a pretty stout axle. Alot of Jeep guys swap them in and thrash them offroad and don't have an issue. Most of the time the Jeep boys are using the 8.8 to replace a Dana 30/35 so I'd take that off your list.

For the axle it kinda depends of how much power your going to be making. If your making like 600hp, you'd want the Dana 60 or Ford 9in. If your making like 400hp an 8.8 would be suitable. That's my two cents, good luck!

 

On that explorer rear end do the spring perches need to be reworked or are we talking a pretty much direct bolt in ? ...Thanks J.

 

Newb follow up, looks like an 8.8 will work, and everywhere in junkyards. What about bolt patterns, there different.

 

an 8.8 is not an easy fit.. you have all kinds of problems to overcome. control arm mounts, spring pads, brake lines, bolt pattern etc etc why not buy a 71-72 8.5 10 bolt and get readily available gears and posi. it will handle everything you can throw at it and are cheap to build. they use bolt in axles like the fords yet have the correct brake line junction. correct bolt pattern and many gear ratios to chose from. the 8.5 will bolt right in.. I know i have one in my 66. I know guys making in excess of 500 hp who are running them at the track

 

the 8.5 isnt the same as newer 8.5s is it

 

71 up ar the same.. it's the 70 under that you can't find chit for.

the dana 60... that is very simular to the gm 14 bolt. both are huge and heavy.. way overkill these are suitable for a one ton. :laugh:

i'd say 71 up 10 bolt

12 bolt passenger 68-72

9" if you like to fab. although you might find one already done.

 

Control arm mount locations are different between the 71-72 8.5 and the 85-87 8.5.

 

Thanks for the info, John

 

If you're trying to hook up to the stock 4 control arms, the GM rears are a better option.

If you were going for a ladderbar or 4 link setup, the 8.8 is a pretty stout option. You'd be removing the stock perches/spring mounts anyways for this type of setup.

Good gear ratios can be had in the junkyards....with or without TracLoc. The axles are as beefy as the Dana 60....bearings are good sized too.

Yeah, the bolt pattern is 5x4.5". That can be rectified with aftermarket axles or redrilling the stockers. I've seen plenty of rearends converted to use Chevy front rotors on the back. Then make/buy a caliper bracket and use the Eldorado rear calipers w/E-brake.

Depends on how involved you want to get I guess. Dual pattern rims are the simplest way out.

 

To bring back an old thread, I am too in this same spot. I can fabricate and weld no problem. Im thinking of a ford 8.8 for the rear of my 455 skylark. Find one with disk brakes already on it. most of the jeep guys dont want to 3.xx gears. But I do! re drill the axles for either 4 3/4 or 5 on 5 and do the large disk brake conv. in the front. and weld on all the mounts. Make a truss for the upper brackets. ( Im a jeep guy myself and have installed many axles into jeeps)

OR! just swap in an aging 10 bolt???

A complete new axle by currie or whoever is just not in the budget.

Heck I wouldnt even rule out a dana 60. semi float. Yes overkill but great piece of mind. IF I had access to a screaming deal on one.


Im re starting my resto and need a LOT of upgraded parts. LOTS!!!!!!!!

 

Just wondering why nobody recommended the 12bolt.

I was planning on installing a 12bolt i have that came from a 66 chevelle.

Thank you,
Gary
65 Skylark GS Post

 

That's what I did w/ my '64. It is even the sme width. C-clip eliminators don't cost much. All the 8.5 units are too wide for '64-'67 cars. I have no regrets.

Randy

 

Thanks Randy, that's why i searched high and low for this...because of the width.
I don't see why an 8.5 built right would be as good as a 12bolt built right but i'm not an expert. Also i like the numbers/dates to be as close as possible. I tried for a 65 but these earlier ones are so hard to come by.

Cheers,
Gary

 

Wow... you guys need some help huh...lol.

What is it your going to do with the car? That is the FIRST and most important item you will need to figure out. (PERIOD)

IS this car street??? DRAG strip only Both? Will slick be involved? You must be realistic in answering your question too. WE ALL want to think we have the FASTEST wheels on earth BUT in the real world tires do not stick to pavement like glue....lol.

Even 1000hp on the street just will not make any difference unless we know the details of the car and its job needed to be accomplished.

The 8.8 ford rear is a C-CLIP 10 bolt rear it was designed with the best parts of the 8.5 chevy and 12 bolt chevy in mind...Sorry Ford you copied...lol.

BUT if you really want that 8.8 ford in your car try a LTD rear with some control arm bracket mods and spring perch mounts from a donor GM 10 bolt 8.2 the uppers will be DAMN close to what you need. We build 8.8 GN 442 g-body rears all the time from the 8.8 fords. We have upper control arms that make the fit perfect for the g-bodys.

IF you are in the market for aftermarket rims then the 8.5 71 72 Buick and Olds rears will bolt right into the Buick with only 1" extra back spacing need to bring the tires right back to stock location under the car. usually 4.5 back spacing and 8-9 inch width tires are no problem for the early Buicks.

As ford 9" I was never a fan...lol.

12 bolt from a 65-67 chevy will work quite nicely and can be upgraded fairly cheaply to 33 spline if needed and will still have great street manners too. NOT a welding MOD required.

DAna 60 is great for the leaf spring mod BUT when you start throwing the upper control mods making them from scratch... I think time else where spent is better. Time is money. Besides it would be easier to just buy the housing from strange...Is all done.


You did say money was tight RIGHT? If it is just a project and you want to have fun... Well throw money out the window and lets have some fun!

Easiest strongest cheapest fix is the 8.5 hands down and it would keep you Buick heritage intact

Good luck on the choice and if you need any help shoot a PM we build'em All except for the 9" thing. JIM. :3gears:

 

Thanks Jim (monzaz).

This is the answer i was looking for when i inserted myself in this thread.
BTW, maybe i should have started my own thread to get help but that is why i squeezed in. Just so everyone is clear here i was not giving advice to the original poster, i was only trying to get answers to justify my decision on the 12bolt i purchased......cheers guys.

"12 bolt from a 65-67 chevy will work quite nicely and can be upgraded fairly cheaply to 33 spline if needed and will still have great street manners too. NOT a welding MOD required."


Gary

 

Lot of info that I was looking for. Thanks Jim!