Need help with axle info!

[Chucksdart]

Hey Guys, I have an 8 3/4 a-body rear in my 67 dart with small bolt pattern axles. A guy on e-bay sells me a pair of what he says are large bolt pattern axles for an a-body. They arrive, and they look too long too me. My originals measure 26" even from the bearing retainer plate to the end of the axle. The ones he sent measure 26 3/4" from the plate to the end. He tells me I need the extra 3/4" because I have to upgrade to wider drums. The wider drums make sense but the extra length is inside, not outside. When I slide the axles in, they bottom out before the bearing plate is seated on the flange of the housing. I'm new at the mopar hobby and admittedly don't know a whole lot, but I know there are some real good wrenchers out there. Can somebody help me make some sense out of this? I would really appreciate it.... Thanks, chucksdart

[John Kunkel]

The axles he sent you are from a '68-'70 B body.

The large bolt pattern A body axle will measure about 28" overall from the outside of the flange to the end of the spline.