Rear axle options?

[Anonymous]

was wondering if anybody has an idea of the feasibility of taking 2@ 7.25 axles of different years and swapping the innards to refresh the guts but not change the total width??-- say put all the innards from a 65 into a 62 houseing. Is this a complicated shimming exercise?
Another thought; is the rear tire clearance less with a station wagon rear end due to the 2&1/4" brakes over the 1&1/2" car brakes?--just seems it would have to make a difference. I really mean the station wagon backing plate and drums not the rear end as i realize they can be changed out.

 

[xctasy]

If you keep this post alive, you should be able to master a swap. Its an information thing, not a hugely technical matter.

Ford never changes I6 axle components very often, and there are a lot of people here who have round and square Falcons, Comets, Rancheros, Mustangs that could help you out. Any thing that used the XK 200 series shell (60 to 65) should have bits that swap over.


4.00,3.55,3.20,2.83 seem like common enough ratios which can be found with realitive ease. Generally, ring and pinion swaps can be done with most Salisbury axles, but they a dispilned swaps. You have to have some help to check backlash and pinion bearing preload, and the bearings for the crownwheel need to be on hand before the swap. Seeing how well you've doe with your carb swaps, you've got the skills to do this.

Generally, the lack of good knowledge on the bearings, crush spacers and preload settings for each year create the problems.

Over in Australia and New Zealand, people always go for 'lift out" or third member Ford diffs like the 8" or 9" swaps before reworking a stock Ford I6's diffs. This is because you can waste a lot of money finding stock diff components, whereas companies like Summit, Richmond et al have really good quality stuff which customers buy because of its durability. Just recently, people have started rebuilding Salisbury differentials from the old six cylinder Falcons because people have learned to network together and get information on what works.

 

[Anonymous]

Eventually i will end up with a Mav 8". But i really need a short break from all these modifications LOL. I think I may have damaged the pinion bearing when i was messing with my driveshaft during the T-5 swap. Tried (unsucessfully) to remove the pinion/u-joint collar. I noticed the other day aftera 4 mile ride the pinion bearing area of the diff was pretty hot and no other bearing areas (such as axle etc) were even warm yet. Plus the slop in the ring/ pinion is pretty bad. Narrow 7&1/4 rears are pretty scarce but 64 - 67's are plentifull but too wide. Just wondering how hard to use say 65 guts and 62 houseing and axles.