9 in ford rearend
You are not currently logged in. Login to myAccount   Forgot Your Login?   SignUp For a Free Account
 
Sell Your StreetRod FAST!-Help-Contact Us
Quick Search:
9 in ford rearend
Posted: July 08 2008 10:55 AM
Crazyhorse Rod Shop [ View ] [ Email ] [ Website ]
19708 East Highway 1188
Bluff Dale Texas 76433

Phone: 254-728-3510
 
 
why is everyone so hung up on the 9 in ford. i wish the damn magazines would forget about them. they are too damn big for most streetrod applications. unless you build some serious hp they are not needed. the 8 in will fit better, is just as strong. very few streetrods will ever get enough traction to break one. if your building a new car ignore this 9in bs . 9 times out of 10 the pumpkin bottoms out hitting the floor. it's harder to find the right width. oh i forgot theres a half dozen vendors out there selling housings for twice what they're worth. then they want to sell you a new pumkin for it, then you have to have double rump rump high dollar axles. first thing you know you have 2k in a freakin rearend. sorry to rant but this just wrinkles my bacon .
 
 
Comments
 
Posted by Starfire  -  07/08/2008 11:31 AM
Go ahead and rant, someone needs to! I think it almost boils down to a "fad" that more or less got started by magazine writers who have never turned a wrench in their entire life. Just another one of those things that got started forty some years ago in California because of some probably pot smokin' rod builder putting it on the list of things he did to a street rod creation. There are a lot of really stupid "fads" in the world of street rods and street customs.

Mechanically, an 8 inch or 8.8 inch has more than enough guts to withstand just about anything you can throw at them. Not going to hold up too well with over 750 hp with lots of torque and a pair of racing slicks, but then not too many cars like that show up at the local cruise-in or car show.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by srodder39  -  07/08/2008 12:06 PM
Not many 9 inch housings narrow enough for a street rod without spending big bucks to narrow the housing and respline the axels. I agree the 8 inch is plenty and can be found. Ford Mavericks, Garnadas Mustanngsand others work well and can be converted to disc brake fairly reasonable.
srodder39 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] santa fe, Texas
 
Posted by fordguy55  -  07/08/2008 12:52 PM
I actually have two 9" rearends from a Versailles. If you get one from a Lincoln Versailles, they bolt up under anything. 55-57 Chevy's, 55-56 Ford's, Mopars, Mustangs, and pretty much any streetrod on the market, and they came factory with disc brakes.Except those being tubbed for pro-street. I bought both of mine for $400 each. The only thing they needed was cleaned up, painted and the calipers rebuilt. Have about $600 in each one. One for my 46 Ford Coupe and the other for my dad's 54 Mercury Monteray convertible. I believe the main reason for the 9" craze is the ease of changing gear ratios. You can swap out center sections in less than an hour and change your gear ratios to whatever you want. Don't get me wrong, the 8.8's out of the explorers are great rearends, but from what I've seen, you can't get those very cheap. Unless they need completey overhauled. And another thing, you are also more than correct about 80-90% of rodders don't really need the strength of a 9". It's serious overkill, but they are so easy to repair, maintain, and service. However, the 8.8's are super stout as well. The are the drivetrain of choice for most rock crawlers. Those are just as bulletproof as the 9". Just my two cents, for what it's worth. Salute.
fordguy55 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Decatur, Illinois
 
Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  07/08/2008 01:10 PM
8 in ford is same as 9 in. only fits better. change the pumpkin the same way. and most of them are 3:55 gear for overdrive. i pay around 2oo for one .
dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003
 
Posted by jgregory21  -  07/08/2008 05:55 PM
I have used them all. I have a '57 Chevy. in back of my '39 Chevy. It has been in there for 30 years, and has had some abuse and keeps on ticking. Have replaced wheel bearings I used a 8" Maverick in '33 Ply. a 10 bolt Chev. Nova in several. I have a 10 bolt in back of my '49 Chevy; pick up with big block 454. I really haven't any touble with rear ends,, usually universal will go first. The 9" is great for a H. P. Drag Car, you really gwet by with 8" or 10 bolt Nova. I have used 8 and Quarter Dodge Truck, they work good also.
jgregory21 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] blanchester, Ohio
 
Posted by hidollartoys  -  07/09/2008 07:48 AM
Seems to me that one of the things that we have overlooked is when this FAD was created the 9" WAS the rear to have. It did come from those caliguys that like stated really only built mag cars on mag budgets. Seems the reasons were1. easy gear swaps (but only w/extra pumpkins around) 2. big axels that didn't break as much as others. Although to big (width) for anything but trucks, the 12 bolt GMs are also almost bullet proof. Also like stated, unless you launch a 3000 lb car with 500+ horses HOOKED, you really dont need something that big.

I think that any late rear from a reasonable big 3 auto maker vehicle will work for as long as anything. Width is the most cost effective consideration. Eventhough most of us want/have 300 to 400 hp these cars dont HOOK like a drag car. We need a rear that is reasonably easy to repair, have a good available gear ratios and that will not be obslete in a short time. I am considering a corvete rear. Seems that the cost is reasonable due to the self contained full suspension. Prices range from 500 to 1500 complete. I like the mid 70s for their simplicity and gear ratios. The later rears are geared @ 3.09 or higher. Just my .02
hidollartoys [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] gardner, Kansas
 
Posted by jimmothershead  -  07/09/2008 08:01 AM
Yep, been using 8" Mavericks for years. Most street rods are cruizers, not killers.

Havin' fun with rods, Jim
Jim [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Huntingtown, Maryland
 
Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  07/09/2008 08:03 AM
i can run an inch lower in the rear with the 8 in housing. buy it with 3:55 gears already in it. i buy every 5 lug i find and any 4 lug with 3:55 s . inderweed will have an s10 rear in it. i am not a big fan of corvette rears.
dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003
 
Posted by jimmothershead  -  07/09/2008 08:08 AM
Ditto on the Vette/Jag rears.
Jim [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Huntingtown, Maryland
 
Posted by DavyJ  -  07/09/2008 09:44 PM
Most light streetrods would never break a 10 bolt let alone an 8".I agree the 9" thing is mostly just old racer hype, I remember when everyone in the 60's had to have an "Olds" rear, man where they huge!!
Still driving the wife's car, cause I am slow. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Niagara Falls, Canada Charter Member since February 2005
 
Posted by aosborn  -  07/09/2008 11:10 PM
If you can make it fit, and are not going drag racing, the independent rear suspension from a C4 Corvette is hard to beat (I just bought a complete front and rear with upgraded brakes for $1500.00) and would much rather have one of them than an aftermarket IRS. For solid axle cars in most cases, an 8" with a nice posi unit is the way to go...The Versaille rear axles are great, I just don't care for the brake calipers on them much.
aosborn [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Olympia, Washington
 
Posted by hidollartoys  -  07/12/2008 12:27 PM
Lincolns were great for awile BECAUSE of the rear discs. Today we have so many options available for rear discs that this not really an issue any more.
hidollartoys [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] gardner, Kansas
 
Back To Top
Please Login or Register to Comment
Existing Member? Sign In.
New Visitor? Click Here to Get Started!
 
Existing Member but forgot your Login Information? Click Here.