[46ChevyPU]

I am looking for a housing centered 9-inch Ford with bearings and axles. Who offers a reasonably priced package like this? Also do I really need 1/4 inch thick axle tubes and new hardened axles or will re-splined axles be ok? I will be using a 4-link on my project but not a ton of horsepower. It will be just a driver.

BTW this is my first post.

Thanks !!

[302 Z28]

Let me be the first to welcome you to the forum, hope you enjoy it.

Your best bet is to visit your local salvage yard. That is going to be your cheapest route. Of course you could lay out some serious bucks to a firm like Currie.

Vince

[tpi runner]

moser sells kits with the housing axles bearings housing ends and correct brackets from4-650 depending on what its going in tubes are 1/4 in thick builkd it once build it right

[Notorious]

For a driver w/o a ton of HP, any 9" that meets your fitment criteria should be quite adequate. These things are pretty tough as I'm sure you well know. When I was a kid I had several early 60s Galaxies, a couple with 4 speeds even. And being a kid, I flogged the doggy-doo out of them of course. And even in those two ton tanks, I don't remember ever breaking one.

[Crosley]

a vehicle that is just a driver can use a standard 9 inch housing... The 4 link used would be a parallel bar 4 link, not the 4 link for drag race use.

It sounds like you do not need the HD expensive stuff to me.

[bentwings]

I just went thru a lenghty build of a 9 in for my Willys. There were a trial and tribs over this and some learning for even an old salt. I've done lots of these things over the years but you can never know all there is to know about these things.

Starting from scratch on a 9 inch is not a cheap item. The junk yards are wise to the value of them so be prepared.

It depends on how much work you can do yourself. It's not hard to set up the ring and pinion. You need to buy a bearing and shim kit and a ring and pinion. You'll need a dial indicator and mag base. You'll need a stout puller for the bearings for the pinion. I made mine out of frustration again. You can carefully cut the carrier bearings off but the pinion needs to have the yoke pulled then the pinion needs to be pushed out. Normally this is not a big deal but a junk yard one may be rusted pretty good.

Cleaning the housing and pig can be a problem. I got kicked out of 2 car washes for cleaning rear ends already. haha

The axels can be resplined in some cases. Usually 31 spline can be done if you narrow the housing enough. The splines have to be cut off and there must be enough diameter on the axel to cut new spines. The biggest problem here is that shipping is expensive. I think it is better to spend about $100 more and get good axels with ball bearings. The Ford bearings are roller and external seal with a stamped retainer. If you damage the seal it's R&R bearings which means replacing the bearings if they are damaged in the removal...they usually are it means new bearings. With the ball bearings the seal is built in and the retainer works as is or you can get an after market one. The trick is that the ball bearing is about .030 smaller id thanthe axel so you need to have th axel cut for this.....extra charges.

If you can get the housing narrowed locally it will be less expensive. I bought my own narrowing kit after getting frustrated with the local work. Cost me more but I can narrow any rear end now and do a few occasionally for others. Try not to get a truck housing as the tubes are 3 1/4 dia and reduce to 3 in at the ends. The best was is to get new ends anyway so you can get the new style. Again shipping is expensive on this item. Also truck axels are usually 5 x 5 and larger od onthe flange. This means another charge to fill and redrill the axels for a new bolt pattern. Next the flange OD is larger so you need the flange cut down so it will fit disc brake hats....another $75 or more.

I would look at both Moser and Currie for a rear end if I were you. A one time shipping charge for the whole thing is better than several. Plus it will eliminate mistakes in measuring (them). I got one axel cut too short and one cut too long. In this case I just re-narrowed the housing, my pinion is not dead center but close enough not to cause problems.

Sit down and look at the whole rear end and add up prices, labor and shipping.

With a parallel link you won't be able to really load it up unless you have huge HP and a lot of weight on the rear end. A 4 link is a different story. Never the less these 9 inchers will take a lot of power and abuse as noted above. I think you would get a big traffic ticket before breaking a 9 incher on the street. haha

you can pm me if you want a little more info.

welcome to the site