Scored a Ford 9”

[Pirate83]

Getting a ford 9” for my 63. Looking for any information on the swap that any of you might have. Anything helps! Thanks everyone!!!

[SkinnyG]

I am in the midst of putting a 9" in my '61, from an 80's F150.

Overall width of mine is 65" wide, which (so far) is working great with 18" Jeep Grand Cherokee wheels (6" backspacing). I did order new axles with 5x5 bolt pattern on them to match my Frankenstein squarebody/OBS front suspension.

The new axles are "cut-to-fit", which might be a good way to go: if you shorten the driver's side axle tube, you could then shorten the axle shaft, and thus re-center the pinion and match the width of your original axle.

The existing pinion offset might become an issue with fitting the driveshaft through the X on my '61, but your '63 doesn't have an X, correct? I don't have a driveshaft for it yet. The low-mounted pinion is good for driveline angle on a lowered truck.

I made my own saddles, but Captain Fab makes them too.

[Captainfab]

I do make trailing arm mounts specifically to fit the 3.25" diameter axle tubes on the 9". Send me a PM if interested in those or any of my other products for that matter.

[Pirate83]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I do make trailing arm mounts specifically to fit the 3.25" diameter axle tubes on the 9". Send me a PM if interested in those or any of my other products for that matter.

That’s awesome, but couldn’t I just cut the mounts off the old rear end and weld them on the new one?

[Captainfab]

Yes you can if you want to go to all of that work. It depends on what your time is worth to you.

Originally Posted by Pirate83

That’s awesome, but couldn’t I just cut the mounts off the old rear end and weld them on the new one?

[Pirate83]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Yes you can if you want to go to all of that work. It depends on what your time is worth to you.

Cool. Could you post a picture of the mounts you sell? I might go that route and get them from you. Have yet to pick up the rear end so not sure what to expect.

[Pirate83]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

I am in the midst of putting a 9" in my '61, from an 80's F150.

Overall width of mine is 65" wide, which (so far) is working great with 18" Jeep Grand Cherokee wheels (6" backspacing). I did order new axles with 5x5 bolt pattern on them to match my Frankenstein squarebody/OBS front suspension.

The new axles are "cut-to-fit", which might be a good way to go: if you shorten the driver's side axle tube, you could then shorten the axle shaft, and thus re-center the pinion and match the width of your original axle.

The existing pinion offset might become an issue with fitting the driveshaft through the X on my '61, but your '63 doesn't have an X, correct? I don't have a driveshaft for it yet. The low-mounted pinion is good for driveline angle on a lowered truck.

I made my own saddles, but Captain Fab makes them too.

I dont have the x-frame, so i dont think i need to worry there, but I will still need to recenter the rear yoke, and shorten the axel tube. How much should I shorten the tube? or should i just measure my old one, then cut the other one to match?

[SkinnyG]

Yes.

You could match the axle width of your existing axle, shortening only the right side, or if you had to, both sides. If you're going to shorten it at all - why not big fat tires and tubs??

I got new axles here:

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-19...th-shafts.html

[SkinnyG]

You don't HAVE to center the pinion. But if you do, the housing will be off-center. Depends what you want to look at.

[Pirate83]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

You don't HAVE to center the pinion. But if you do, the housing will be off-center. Depends what you want to look at.

Will the drive shaft being off centered like that be an issue?

[SkinnyG]

No.

The driveshaft needs to have -some- angle, but it doesn't know which direction that angle is going. You could, theoretically, line the trans/driveshaft/pinion all inline with each other with 0° difference, and the offset pinion would take care of making sure the u-joint bearings move.

BUT

The 9" truck axle I have is 65" - a later 12-bolt is 63.5" - the HO32 in my '61 is 62".

That's a lot of extra width.

I've widened the front and am running a FWD offset wheel front and back - that might not be what you want to do, and I have not proven that what I'm doing even works.

[Captainfab]

Here is the for sale thread for my trailing arm mounts.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=620836

Originally Posted by Pirate83

Cool. Could you post a picture of the mounts you sell? I might go that route and get them from you. Have yet to pick up the rear end so not sure what to expect.

[PGSigns]

You can have some off set but you still need to know the angle the offset creates. To much angle is an issue no matter what direction it is in. Once you get the housing you will be able to see what you have to work with. The van housings were offset to the right about 6 inches since the entire drive train was moved over. I prefer to have the pinion dead inline with the trans/engine center line to keep things as smooth at I can get em. When it come to narrowing and welding on a housing you really need an alignment fixture to get the ends on correctly. Welding distorts the housing and it can move a lot depending on how you weld it. On the housing we have done all the brackets and braces are welded first then the ends installed with the alignment fixture. We use a plate that goes on the face of the housing that has a slot for pinion center to both measure the housing for cutting and to order axles once it is cut.
Jimmy

[rvrfoot]

Just cut yours.