66 barracuda rear end

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joe2018

joe2018

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Mine just completely ceased and need to get it fixed/replaced. Any suggestions on what to get?
I'm looking to improve the performance since I have to get I fixed or replace the whole rear end.

Needs just about everything inside replaced: gears, bearings, etc.

Thanks for any suggestions!

FYI still new to the mopar...was a gm guy until recently
 
What rear end is in the car now?? A pic would surely help!! Also, what bolt pattern does your car have?? That will also help determine the best path to take to get the proper rear end under the car!! Geof
 
Tha Dana 60 is rare, rare, rare so it is about unobtainable so I will list what is out there most. 8 3/4 is the most sought after A-Body rearend. The 8 1/4 has factory BBP so they are second in line. The 7 1/4 is the one that is plentiful and the least wanted. If your car has the original rearend anything other than another 7 1/4 will require driveshaft modification.
 
The rear end its 8 3/4. So would the better option just be to rebuild? If so would going with a aubun posi be a good idea as well...what size gears.
Sorry for all the questions but this is not most strong point yet, but I'm learning now!
 
Rebuild if 8 3/4 for city-highway mix I will be using 3.24 ratio. It depends on what you want the car to do. On sister-in-laws car used 3.27 ratio 8.8 it was a 7 1/4. 8.8 ran 1600 total with drive shaft.
 
Definetly rebuild the 8 3/4!! It may be less than you think unless you have to farm everything out!! You can definetly save some money by breaking down the unit yourself and just paying for the work. Have someone rebuild the center who is knowledgable about the setup, and have the bearings pressed on the axles and you should be able to reassemble the unit yourself with just a little knowledge and the pics you are going to take when you take it apart!! Plus, you have the best service manual available anywhere, the FABO'ers right here!!

Good luck with the project, geof
 
Thanks for the input! I'm just trying to figure out where to go from here... just sucks that this happend
 
I got a quote for a complete rebuild including adding the auburn posi for $2100... too steep?
 
Uhh, yea...waaay too steep!! I completely rebuilt my 8 3/4" for $800 doing the work myself as posted above. That included everything, blasting and painting the housing, all seals and bearings and all the clutches and shims for the SG. I did not have to buy new gears however but I'd did change them for a set I had, so the pinion had to be reset. I believe that was the most I ever Paid to have a rear end redone!!

My rear end guy used to completely go through all my 8 3/4's for $300, not blasting the housings of course, but all the other work!! My, how times have changed!!

Look around, there's cheaper out there, and better yet, yank that puppy apart yourself and inspect everything before you just hand it over to someone you don't know, I'll guarantee you can save some$$ doing some of the work yourself!!! Geof
 
joe2018 said:
I got a quote for a complete rebuild including adding the auburn posi for $2100... too steep?
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Holy yikes, yes that's way too high. I completely rebuilt mine for a shade over 6 hundred with a few less things that Geof mentioned above.

Although you are talking new suregrip, so I dunno. I rebuilt mine with a used clutch type suregrip that I bought, disassembled and refurbished.

I still think that's high even with a new suregrip unit.
 
I called around.....a couple places were even higher! It's crazy, How hard is it to do on your own? Keep in mind I don't have a lift
 
Don't need a lift to pull the rear, just prop the car up on jack stands and rip it out, lol.

Rebuilding the rear is a little time consuming and can be intimidating if it's the first time. There are some special tools needed and you would need to gather all of the parts.

If you are mechanically inclined you can do it.
 
Remove the axles and then remove center pumkin and just take the center unit to be rebuilt. The Aurbun posi runs 550 by itself. Take axles to have new bearings pressed on if needed. Rebuild rear brakes if needed while the axles are out. With new gears and posi expect to be around 1200 range for center pumkin.
 
Thanks for the confidence! Let's get this a shot....might take me a month or so but better than forking out $2100, lol
 
joe2018 said:
Thanks for the confidence! Let's get this a shot....might take me a month or so but better than forking out $2100, lol
Click to expand...

It should take you less than a 1/2 of a day to break it down and about that to put it back together. The hard part is already done when the chunk is built. The rest is almost a no brainer.
 
If you are driving/towing it in and driving it out - that's not out of the realm. You don;t just have the chuck work, but the disassembly and cleaning, axle seals, cleaning/repacking axle bearings, gear lube, gaskets for the chuck and alxe flanges, break in time... I can do a chuck with a Tru Trac (I'm no fan of the Auburn cone design) and any ratio for $1500. But that's with being handed a chuck and handing one back blasted, painted, and ready to install.
 
One thing to remember from the start if it is an 83/4 rear it was not for one original to the 66 as I had one built for my 66 when I drag raced the car in street class. More than likely your rear was narrowed also as 8 3/4 rears are too wide to fit early a body cars. So be sure you measure and keep all the parts possible as you axles were custom to your rear. If it is just the internal parts bad no problem repair replace and move on. But be sure about what you got before you lose or throw away any parts, as someone did a lot of work to make that rear fit in your car. When I customized, actually had a rear end specialist build the one for my 66 cuda, it was built for drag racing/street the car ran high 12 second quarter miles and was soon to go faster, before a fool backed out of his driveway into it! I was able to sell many of the parts to others who did well with them! Enjoy your ride it looks nice and welcome to Early A body fun!

65Cudalover!
 
65cudalover said:
One thing to remember from the start if it is an 83/4 rear it was not for one original to the 66 as I had one built for my 66 when I drag raced the car in street class. More than likely your rear was narrowed also as 8 3/4 rears are too wide to fit early a body cars. So be sure you measure and keep all the parts possible as you axles were custom to your rear. If it is just the internal parts bad no problem repair replace and move on. But be sure about what you got before you lose or throw away any parts, as someone did a lot of work to make that rear fit in your car. When I customized, actually had a rear end specialist build the one for my 66 cuda, it was built for drag racing/street the car ran high 12 second quarter miles and was soon to go faster, before a fool backed out of his driveway into it! I was able to sell many of the parts to others who did well with them! Enjoy your ride it looks nice and welcome to Early A body fun!

65Cudalover!
Click to expand...

Not true 65...the 8 3/4' was available in a 66 A-body and his very well could have been original to his car. And even though this may not be the case, an A body 8 3/4" is an A-body 8 3/4", meaning that the dimensions are the same for any A-body, even the early A's. Are there differences in A-body rears?? Of course, but they are limited to the center section offered between the years and the location of the brake distribution block on the housing, otherwise all other dimensions are the same!! Even the brakes never changed between the years!!

Just by the fact that he has the small bolt pattern would indicate to me that this is a completely stock rearend, although closer inspection will surely reveal whether it has been modified. Things like large bolt pattern or green bearing ends would surely tell the tale of his rear end, but I can only assume that because of the SBP, he will find that it is a stock application!! Maybe a few pics from the OP will reveal it's true origin, things like the center case number, the style of SG unit (if his has one) and the gear ratio will surely help, as there were only a couple different options for the 66 A!!

Dont mean to trump you or cause any hard feelings, but I have worked on many an A-body rear and know a few things about them!! Just sayin', Geof
 
X2, my dads 66 Cuda has a factory 8 3/4 rear, seen many other 65-66 a-body cars with this too.

cosgig said:
Not true 65...the 8 3/4' was available in a 66 A-body and his very well could have been original to his car. And even though this may not be the case, an A body 8 3/4" is an A-body 8 3/4", meaning that the dimensions are the same for any A-body, even the early A's. Are there differences in A-body rears?? Of course, but they are limited to the center section offered between the years and the location of the brake distribution block on the housing, otherwise all other dimensions are the same!! Even the brakes never changed between the years!!

Just by the fact that he has the small bolt pattern would indicate to me that this is a completely stock rearend, although closer inspection will surely reveal whether it has been modified. Things like large bolt pattern or green bearing ends would surely tell the tale of his rear end, but I can only assume that because of the SBP, he will find that it is a stock application!! Maybe a few pics from the OP will reveal it's true origin, things like the center case number, the style of SG unit (if his has one) and the gear ratio will surely help, as there were only a couple different options for the 66 A!!

Dont mean to trump you or cause any hard feelings, but I have worked on many an A-body rear and know a few things about them!! Just sayin', Geof
Click to expand...
 
Joe 2018 - where are you located ? If near Chicago, you should be able to do better than this awful 2100 $ quote.
 
post up some pics of that rear---,

if it is an 8 3/4 your are in good shape, rebuild that thing!!
find out exactly what is wrong-- your in Chicago area--- see if you can entice a local to help---

search this site many knowledgeable people aboard, you can also buy good used parts for that & save some coin.

Nice looking ride!! Lawrence
 
if its a stock rear its probably a 7 1/4 8 3/4 in those 66s are rare,,and would only come in a V8 car as an option,,,if its a 71/4 it will have a back plate,,,with a lot of bolts visable looking at it from behind,,,smooth and round if its an 8 3/4,, parts for the 7 1/4 are hard to find and not worth it,,,

if its an 8 3/4 go to doctor diff fro the parts he will treat u right
 
Thanks for all the input, I'm located in the Joliet area of IL. Love all the input I'm getting here, the other boards I have been on I rarely get a response let alone input from numerous people. Appreciation all around!!
 
Just as a matter of reference, my 66 Valiant Signet convertible also came with a factory installed 8 3/4, which is still in place!!
 
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