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By ogasman - 7 Years Ago
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I know I can buy a custom width rear, but what fun is that. I have a 65 inch wide rear out of a 78 F150. Going to cut it down to 54 inches for the 1955 t-bird. Wondering where is the best place to cut it. The tubes are pushed into the center fabricated area about 3 inches. Any reason not to cut off the tubes there? I figure if I split the factory welds on the center pumpkin area a few inches I should be able to press in the new length tubes and get a stronger weld. Has anybody done it this way?
Thanks
Paul
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By Small block - 7 Years Ago
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The main thing is to keep it square and straight It don't matter were you cut it but it is easier to keep it straight if you cut on the straight tube!
Or just Cut the ends off and replace with new ends! Currie and Strange Both sell replacement ends for the 9" housing!
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By ogasman - 7 Years Ago
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Since we are going down this road.. I have a large metal lathe, and a lot of fabrication toys. I made up a set of pucks to work with a 1.5 inch bar of 1018 cold rolled steel. Took the guts out of the center section, and am using it to line up the rod in the housing. Mocked up everything in a stock housing, and all looks good. The truck housing uses the same length axles on both sides. t-bird pinion is offset 1 inch toward the passenger side (Dana 44) . I figure if I take 4 inches off one axle and 7 inches off the other I will be where I need to be (54 inches wide). The truck came with 31 spline axles. I plan on sending them to Moser to get them shortened and re-splined. Just trying to figure out if I can get a stronger final product by cutting the axles off by the center section, rather than butt welding them in the tube section.
Paul
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By Small block - 7 Years Ago
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It sounds like you have a handle on what your doing, Every thing should turn out just fine. You may find that you can buy new axles for little more than you can have the old ones re-splined for.
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By Pete 55Tbird - 7 Years Ago
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Before you start ripping and tearing have you considered using a 1957/1959 Ford car 9 inch rear end. It seems as if that will be a lot cheaper and easier. Pete
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By ogasman - 7 Years Ago
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This is not a stock car. Putting on a set of american racing wheels. Need a 54 inch wide rear to get the tires where they need to be. The stock 57-59 fords are 57 plus wide.
Thanks
Paul
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By miker - 7 Years Ago
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FWIW, I’ve still got the Dana 44 (truck unit) under my 55 bird. Tri 4 bar from Art Morrison, with coil overs. I’m running 235/60 15’s on American Salt Flats, 7” wide. I think (I could go look it up) 4 1/2” backspace. The most they could make. That’s all that’s going to fit without tubs, and I had to center the body on the frame to do that. That said, I’ve spent more changing gears on the 44 than it would have cost to put a 9” in. I ran a set of 10” cheaters on 4 1/2” backspace 7” steel wheels before that. No skirts.
Sounds like you know what your doing, but just my experience.
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By CreatureFromThe BlackWagoon - 7 Years Ago
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Like you said, a custom width rear end can be bought, but Amazon? LOL
Who knew?
https://www.amazon.com/CURRIE-STREET-BRAKES-PARKING-BEARINGS/dp/B01EW0876M
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By paul2748 - 7 Years Ago
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ebay too
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By MoonShadow - 7 Years Ago
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If you can find an old pipe cutter, works like the brake line cutter but bigger, you can get a straight cut on the tube. Then buy the ends and have them welded in. The BIG problem is warpage while welding can really bend the tubes. There is a fixture to hold the rear while welding. I think Speedway sells them along with others. Or maybe a local shop has one and would do the welding for you.
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