[WANTED] complete rear end for my 1969 Barracuda

[Father son project]

Want to replace my 7 1/4" rear end with an 8 3/4". Need to change my bolt pattern from 4' to 4 1/2", for disc brake conversion, so I'd prefer to upgrade the rear, rather than trying to find axles with a 4 1/2" pattern for the smaller rear.

 

[doug 371]

The stock a body 8 3/4 still has the small bolt pattern...

 

[Mtrhead]

I have a abody big bolt rear 7.25

 

[AJ/FormS]

Ford 8.8 already has 4.5bp and discs
Or there is the early B-bodies,
or you can narrow a C-body to fit fat tires, like 295/50-15s, which can be fit into the factory tubs if you also move the springs in a bit.
IMO, discs on the rear is overkill, the P-valve only allows about enough pressure for the rears to contribute about 15% to the braking. I think 9" drums could do that with no proportioning at all, or perhaps still a lil bit.
235/60-14s are about the widest tires you can fit into the unmodified front fenders. Fatter can be fitted if you move and/or cut stuff, but steering will suffer. If you need more braking than those tires will provide, then yur gonna have to modify stuff. 10" rear drums can easily keep up with whatever brakes you install on the front that still use 235s. Those skinny hard 235s are the limitation, not the brakes.
Going to 4.5 pattern wheels on the fronts only changes the profile of the tires you can wear; the height and width is still limited to what doesn't rub on something or stick out in the wind... which messes with the scrub-radius and such-like.
You don't need a lot of brake power up to 65mph, so unless you are going racing, I don't see discs on the rear as being useful, and I don't see big aftermarket front discs as a particular advantage either. Both the factory F-body discs or the KH 4-piston jobs are more than adequate, cuz those 235 fronts are the limiting factor.
Before you call bs, I did try some sticky-compound 245/50-15s on custom wheels. Yeah they were ok, but after about 4 weeks they were bald, just driving on city streets. And the KHers had been more than adequate the whole time.
I'm not saying you shouldn't swap , just with 235s, you can only expect so much.

 

[barracudakid]

i have an 8 3/4 rear for a barracuda with bbp axles

 

[Father son project]

The stock a body 8 3/4 still has the small bolt pattern...

But it should be easier to find the right axles for it though

 

[Father son project]

Ford 8.8 already has 4.5bp and discs
Or there is the early B-bodies,
or you can narrow a C-body to fit fat tires, like 295/50-15s, which can be fit into the factory tubs if you also move the springs in a bit.
IMO, discs on the rear is overkill, the P-valve only allows about enough pressure for the rears to contribute about 15% to the braking. I think 9" drums could do that with no proportioning at all, or perhaps still a lil bit.
235/60-14s are about the widest tires you can fit into the unmodified front fenders. Fatter can be fitted if you move and/or cut stuff, but steering will suffer. If you need more braking than those tires will provide, then yur gonna have to modify stuff. 10" drums can easily keep up with whatever brakes you install that still use 235s. Those skinny hard 235s are the limitation, not the brakes.
Going to 4.5 pattern wheels on the fronts only changes the profile of the tires you can wear; the height and width is still limited to what doesn't rub on something or stick out in the wind... which messes with the scrub-radius and such-like.
You don't need a lot of brake power up to 65mph, so unless you are going racing, I don't see discs on the rear as being useful, and I don't see big aftermarket front discs as a particular advantage either. Both the factory F-body discs or the KH 4-piston jobs are more than adequate, cuz those 235 fronts are the limiting factor.
Before you call bs, I did try some sticky-compound 245/50-15s on custom wheels. Yeah they were ok, but after about 4 weeks they were bald, just driving on city streets. And the KHers had been more than adequate the whole time.
I'm not saying you shouldn'swap , just with 235s, you can only expect so much.

Thanks for the info. I'm actually not planning on discs in th rear. I just need the bigger bolt pattern because all the front disc kits I found, only come with the 4 1/2" pattern and I'd like for all 4 wheels to match.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Somehow I just knew you were gonna say that,lol.

 

[SGBARRACUDA]

Want to replace my 7 1/4" rear end with an 8 3/4". Need to change my bolt pattern from 4' to 4 1/2", for disc brake conversion, so I'd prefer to upgrade the rear, rather than trying to find axles with a 4 1/2" pattern for the smaller rear.

Well if you weren't so far away, I have a Big Bolt pattern 7 1/4 in a 75 Valiant.

 

[Father son project]

Well if you weren't so far away, I have a Big Bolt pattern 7 1/4 in a 75 Valiant.

Thx anyway