8 3/4 rearend

[1duster]

i have aquired an 8 3/4 rearend from a 72 chrysler 440 station wagon? Length from drum to drum is 55 inches but the length on my duster is 51" from drum to drum. Im prety shure this wont fit so how much will it cost to shortin it? how much should i shortin it? Since im doing this is there any way to allow more tire clearence or will it not matter? thanks

[wedgehead]

Since you're only dealing with a 4" difference I would trial fit the rearend to be sure of the fit and clearances and would probably order offset wheels for it. You can get jusr about any offset that you need. For instance, on my car I have 12" wheels with 8" offset to the inside and 4" to the outside. You won't have any problems with only 4" because that's only 2" per side. Wedgehead

[LarsD]

I put a B body rear in my 70 Dart, I didn't narrow it, but I had to get the leaf spring perches re-welded.

L.C.D.

[1duster]

thanks, i gues ill trial fit the rear end. How much would i have to move the rear springs in? how can i measure how much offset i will need?

[John Kunkel]

Drum-to-drum is supposed to be the measurement from the outside extremes of the rear end (where the wheel mounts). It sounds like the measurements posted are to the inside of the backing plates.
The rear end from a '72 C body is the widest 8 3/4" ever made, 64 3/8" drum-to-drum and the A body is the narrowest ever made, 57 1/8" drum-to-drum, a difference of 7 1/4" so that's how much the C body rear has to be narrowed to match the A body.
It usually costs around $200 to have the housing narrowed and both axles shortened and resplined.

[1duster]

ya both measurements on the a body axle and the station wagon axle were from inside drum to inside drum. so it has to be shortend?

[leon441]

Centerline offers 7.25" back spacing with a 9", 10.5", 12" and 14" wheel that is the most I've ever heard of. Weld stops at 6.5". Soemthing to think about if you move the springs in later to get more tire clearance the 7.25" backspaced 10.5" wide wheel fits a 67 and later A-body. I would shorten the rear to 51" minimum. If you want to run weld wheels with a nice looking dish I would go for 47.5" and run a weld wheel with 5.5" but only if you move the spring and minitub the car. Otherwise 51". I assume you will run the 4.5" boltpattern where 72' model cars had 4" get the upper control arms and spindles disk brakes form 73" and later and you got 4.5" bolt pattern and disk brakes on the front.