New Axle Housing

[JimNolan]

Guys,
   I need to know something by tomorrow morning. I thought I'd ask on a new thread instead of keeping the Equa-Loc thread going.
As you guys know the biggest tires I can get in and out of my rear fenderwell on the highway is 215's. While everything is dismantled on my car I've decided to fix that. I've got to buy axles anyway so I'll just fix that problem also. My question is:
  WHAT'S THE SHORTEST AXLE HOUSING LENGTH I CAN PUT UNDER MY CAR AND NOT WORRY ABOUT GETTING A TIRE INTO THE SPRINGS USING A STOCK 14" WHEEL . (THE AXLE HOUSING LENGTH I HAVE NOW IS 53"- EXACTLY). On their website Moser claims they can have the whole thing done in two days. Jim

[Zapato]

Jim, just how low does your car sit that tire changing is an issue? Or are the tires so wide there's no wiggle room? With my 3 inch channel I figure that tire changes will always require two jackstands a floor jack and undoing the rear shackles. Figuring on running some run flat tires.

Zap-

[JimNolan]

Zap,
   My axle housing is 53". And, I run 205 tires so I can get them out of the wheel well. The rims I use are no problem but the tire's cross area is. The tire gets caught between the fender lip and the drum. The tires I have now are 8.375" at the widest point. The wheel lip is wide on my car. The body guy didn't trim them any when they came from EMS. The car has plenty of room under the fender for big tires if you want to drop the shackles. I won't put up with that. If I have a flat it has to be able to be changed along side of the highway. I have to calculate how big a tire I can put on without hitting the leaf springs. Jim

[JimNolan]

Forget it. I've measured all day long and the tires I have now are 1.200" away from the leaf spring now. To get a new axle that's only cut down 1/2" on each side is absurd. Let this thread DIE.  Jim

[Ford Blue blood]

Jim you can get a wider tire in there by going to a lager diameter wheel and a lower profile tire and still keep the same overall diameter.  The lower profile lets you swing the wheel under the axle and then ease the tire past the wheel well.

[RICH MUISE]

Jim...As far as housing length, what would be your advise for someone who has yet to have their's built? I am of course talking about an unaltered car as far as spring perch location and wheel wells. Also I'm confused, I thought you had said your axel housing was 52". I figured when I had mine done, I'd have them shorten it 1/2" as you mentioned wouldn't be worthwhile for one already built and in the car.   Rich

[JPotter57]

Rich, my last `57 had a 50 inch housing, 1.5 on each side shorter.  I used 15X10 with 5 inch bs and 295 50 15 tires..looked cool.  I was also able to run identical wheels with 28 X 10.5 slicks for drag use, easy to swap wheels and tires on it.  The big drums are really the aggravating factor on these cars, causing the car to have to be raised to get the tires out of the narrow fender opening.  I found that I could have fit almost the same size tire in the car without cutting if I had just moved the springs inboard alone.  I moved the springs to the inside of the frame, but also minitubbed it (lots of work for little gain).  Best bet is to either really tub it, or run a normal size tire.  On my current Custom, I can fit a 255 70 15 on it without cutting, and I can still get it out.  I built a set of 15 X 8 steel wheels with 5 inches of backspacing to accomplish this.  They work great.

[JimNolan]

Rich,
 You're exactly right. I found that the expense of 1/2" didn't mean that much to me especially knowing that you couldn't put that much wider tire on the car to begin with. As far as the housing length being 52" that was just mis-information by me trying to measure around the hump on the differential case. When you can put a tape measure straight thru the housing you can get the correct distance. In all the publications on housings they claim the Ranchero and Station Wagon housings are 52.250". I don't know that for sure. But after the last week of measuring I can give you Precise information on my housing and axles.
Housing = 53.000" (no backing plates involved), Spring perches = 42.625" center to center, Housing tubes = 3.000" OD, Axle mount pads = 2.375" wide X @ 5.000" long ( hard to get to ) with .500" from bottom of pad to axle tube and the leaf springs are 2.000" wide.
  Theoretically the Flange to Flange distance will be 57.340", I say that because it would be the same mis-information by trying to measure around the axle hump, it would take 3 guys, two holding straight edges against the flanges and one measuring the distance between the straight edges away from the hump to get a precise measurement.
Axles = Axle length (flange to end of axle) LH = 26", RH = 30.375", Brake offset = 2.170", Pilot Hub Diameter = 2.435", Brake shoe width = 1.750", Bolt circle on Flange = 4.500" X 5, with 1.187" hole to tighten the retaining nuts, Flange Diameter = 6.000", Bearing surface diameter = 1.378" (RW207CCRA bearing) and the wheel studs are .625" knurled press fit. These axles had one small drilled hole in the center of the Pilot hub and two larger drilled holes to the side of the small one. In the articals I've read they say that these axles should be 31 spline axles, Wrong, mine were 28 spline axles.
  I hope this helps you. My advise is don't take a 54 year old axle and expect a 390ci engine not to break it. I didn't expect to get this involved with having to know this much about my rear end but I had no other choice. Another piece of advise is let someone that makes axles make yours, a one size fits all axle doesn't cut it. As far as I know this is a stock rear housing and axles using a equa-Loc differintial from an early 60's galaxie. At least thats what the guy that put it together in the 70's told me. Jim

[shopratwoody]

To achieve the look that I wanted I cut mine 3/4" per side. Price depends on how bad you want
it to look right in your eyes. It depends on wheel backspacing to keep them off the springs.
Have fun

[Zapato]

 I moved the springs to the inside of the frame,

Once you did that, what did you do about a gas tank? Fuel cell in the trunk? Different tank?

Zap-

[RICH MUISE]

Thanks for the info. My lack of mechanical know-how will warrant me ordering a complete build of my rear end to the specs that I want. I'll unbolt it..bring it to whomever when I'm ready, and pick it up ready to be bolted back in. If I were a younger guy, I'd want the experience of doing it myself..but at my age I don't want to have to be learning the expensive way..trail and error....I meant trial and error...but lol I'd probably be leaving a trail of parts on the pavement, so maybe that misspelling was appropriate.  
Would converting the rears to disc afford more room for tire removal?
Rich

[Zapato]

Rich, would be speculating and say yes. As the larger part of a rotor sits farther back from the hub face it should allow  a bit more room up on top to squeeze a tire on. And that may on some cases just enough to get by.

Zap-

[shopratwoody]

Seems to me there would be more room with discs also. Do some good measuring. They cut
it to your specs. Curry Ent. did mine for me.  I had to take it back to them once, as they failed
to cut it. All the work of re installing it and it wasn't narrowed. Typical computer screw up.

[iamflashman]

To achieve the look that I wanted I cut mine 3/4" per side. Price depends on how bad you want
it to look right in your eyes. It depends on wheel backspacing to keep them off the springs.
Have fun

I have to agree with you.  I had mine cut down 3/4" per side and it makes a big difference.  I was able to fit bigger tires and I can use stock offset wheels.  That will save you $100 easily per wheel and pays for itself right away.

[RICH MUISE]

Discussions like this sure help a guy in the planning stages...after reading this I now know when I do mine, it will be shortened a 1/2 per side, it will have trac-loc, and it will have disc brakes. I also know with all of the potential variables as Jim mentioned it is something I won't consider attempting myself other than installation of the completed unit.
Jim...when you measure straight thru to housing as you mentioned, are you still measuring to the inside of the flanges where the 52 1/4 that most sources  give is measured to.