Suggestions for a centered Diff for a T bucket

taxpyer · March 04, 2010, 07:26:18 PM

This might seem to be a stupid question but :oops: ,,,,,,,,,,,, I'm finishing my T pickup roadster and I would like to change my differential to something a bit newer so I could easily get parts for it in years to come,,,,,,,,,,,

What would you Pro-rod builders suggest for a centered, newer style rearend for my T bucket?
Thanks for any and all suggestions

enjenjo · March 04, 2010, 07:29:28 PM

how long is the driveshaft? How wide do you want the rear end?

Digger · March 05, 2010, 03:19:17 AM

Some early Broncos had a centered 9 inch that was fairly narrow.

butch27 · March 05, 2010, 10:33:38 PM

I'm sticking with this pain in the butt banjo rear end. Would like to get a better gear than the 4:11 but it's open drive shaft and there is no other gears I know of for it.

Harry · March 05, 2010, 11:47:44 PM

Corvette

tomslik · March 06, 2010, 06:34:00 AM

newer than what?
A body mopar (duster/demon,etc) were 56" wide, parts can be had fairly easy.
got about a grand in mine for the rambler BUT mine was a narrowed big car housing cut down to a body size and good stuff in it...
A body rear will bring 600 bucks used...

peek under a toyota truck and see if there's something you like, too.

taxpyer · March 06, 2010, 11:47:00 PM

My drive shaft is 34" long and the diff is an 8" ford out of a 65 fairlane and it's 51" from backing plate to backing plate.
I guess I'm after something more current so parts are more accessible and you don't have to send off to some specialty shop for brake shoes.

I have been checking out some new cars and trucks and some look good but have disk brakes and I feel that is as bad as something that is out dated as far as a pain to repair goes. :? Yes I can default to the big buck diffs that are out there but I don't need that kind of strength as I'm abit on the carbon side when it comes to driving.

something in the 90's would be nice. Most diff spec sheets don't cover many newer models.
That mopar diff sounds interesting. A centered pumpkin is a must though.

One night on the chat system we were talking about I-beam versus tubular axles and which ones should have four bar and which should have hair-pin radius rods,,,, I could use more feed back on that topic too.

Digger · March 07, 2010, 05:10:17 AM

They claim you should use a 4 bar on tube axles because they are more rigid than a beam axle and they need the extra freedom a 4 bar gives them to prevent cracking. (I have never seen a cracked one on either system). The 4 bar will give you better ride & handling.
The only rear I know of that is centered is the Bronco I mentioned earlier and probably hard to find. S10's are pretty narrow, you could just shorten the long side to center it.

wayne petty · March 07, 2010, 12:31:03 PM

just curious.... the 8 inch rear end was used up through 78 on mustangs and the pinto variants with the V6 motors..

so its not that old... and parts should be available almost anywhere .. with the net..

as for brake shoes.. what kind of brakes are you running... do you know the FMSI number or part number on the end of the box...

or can you measure the width of the shoe and the diameter of the drum..

if you don't have the part numbers... i have been in a LOT OF parts stores... that when they don't know what something is.. they say its NOT AVAILABLE any more.. just so you don't go down the street and find it sitting on a shelf there. a lot of places also don't have the catalogs or computer data on old cars...

when i worked at the cad restoration shop.. i used to sell brand new delco voltage regulators to cad dealers... as i had a 1970 delco catalog that showed everything... that boss almost cried when i left and took it with me..

i am not saying not to change the rear end... as that is your choice.. but its not that old a rear end... and much later brakes are available.. as a bolt on..

the 8 inch ford is NOT A WEAK rear end either.. and rarely need work.. if properly assembled.. and the housing is straight..

brake sure part numbers for 65 fairlanes...
Part Number: 151
With 10 x 1 3/4" brakes

Part Number:152
With 10 x 2" brakes

Part Number: 169
With 10 x 2 1/2" brakes

taxpyer · March 07, 2010, 01:44:12 PM

I sure appreciate the input guys...........

Most of the time I find I'm thinking the same things

but it sure is nice to be able to bounce it off someone and get the feed back.

I will post some pics when I have something worth while to look at.

tomslik · March 07, 2010, 02:40:10 PM

Quote from: "wayne petty"just curious.... the 8 inch rear end was used up through 78 on mustangs and the pinto variants with the V6 motors..

only 30 years old

so its not that old... and parts should be available almost anywhere .. with the net..

as for brake shoes.. what kind of brakes are you running... do you know the FMSI number or part number on the end of the box...

or can you measure the width of the shoe and the diameter of the drum..

if you don't have the part numbers... i have been in a LOT OF parts stores... that when they don't know what something is.. they say its NOT AVAILABLE any more.. just so you don't go down the street and find it sitting on a shelf there. a lot of places also don't have the catalogs or computer data on old cars...

when i worked at the cad restoration shop.. i used to sell brand new delco voltage regulators to cad dealers... as i had a 1970 delco catalog that showed everything... that boss almost cried when i left and took it with me..

i am not saying not to change the rear end... as that is your choice.. but its not that old a rear end... and much later brakes are available.. as a bolt on..

the 8 inch ford is NOT A WEAK rear end either.. and rarely need work.. if properly assembled.. and the housing is straight..

brake sure part numbers for 65 fairlanes...
Part Number: 151
With 10 x 1 3/4" brakes

Part Number:152
With 10 x 2" brakes

Part Number: 169
With 10 x 2 1/2" brakes

just how often ARE you gonna rebuild a rear OR do rear brake shoes that parts availability is an issue?

taxpyer · March 07, 2010, 11:11:32 PM

Hopefully never.

enjenjo · March 08, 2010, 03:07:08 AM

Rangers used the same brakes well into the 90s.

Harry · March 08, 2010, 10:48:11 PM

I have the '66 Ford 8" in my '51. I bought new seals, bearings, brake shoes etc. at NAPA here in Victoria, BC. All were in stock.

brucer · March 13, 2010, 09:56:09 AM

most 9 inches the pinion is offsett atleast 1 1/2 inches...
same goes for 8.8 ford rears, especially if you get one out of a 4wd, its more.. on conventional rears, if you center the pinion, your housing will be offsett making it look out of center when you look at the rear of the t-bucket.. so becareful there.. i think nothing looks worse when you look at the back of a T and the housing is out of center...

my T i have 2 rearends ready, an old frankland quickchange with 9inch housing ends, and i also have an older smooth 9inch housing ready to use also, cant make up my mind if i want to use the quickchange or not. I myself think the quickchange is to big for my chassis, so i'll probably go with the smaller 9inch housing, plus i know 9inches inside and out, the quickchange is a bit different.