I was agreeing that he was right that Southern California was where it all started and there are lots of people who know what they're doing there. You found one that does not.
Did they make 5x4” axles for 8 3/4 rear ends?
- Thread starter 72DartGuy
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I care that he knows what's right, so that's what I told him. What harm is it in him knowing what the correct years are that came with the small bolt pattern? Obviously who he's dealing with does not know that, so that knowledge puts him a leg up......right?
RIGHT?
RIGHT?
Dale Davies
Well-Known Member
9
It is the young pups coming out of school.Thanks guys, yeah, the guy is a stubborn dude. I proved he messed up and he agreed to replace the axles. I shouldn’t have had to bring him a wheel and lug nut from my car to get him to agree with me, but I did. I’m 60. Not a mechanic, but worked in construction for 30 years. I know how to read a tape measure
Go to McGaggers on a Saturday for a juice of the Java bean. When you walk up to the till to order, almost guaranteed the kid will say "Hi". Put your hands on your hips and say "I am not!" See what happens. Some get it and older people.
My understanding is only the 4-speed hemi A bodies had Danas; automatics had 8 3/4 with 4.5 inch bolt circle axles. ???
SLOPAR72
Well-Known Member
I forgot about Ford and the 4 bolt pattern..... Maybe GM is the only one who kept it all the same. Everything I have ever touch GM is 4 3/4..... I'm just happy that the OP is getting is resolved with no out of pocket expense....
JW
GM had the big cars with the 5 x 5 pattern too. Buick, Cadillac, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac. All the bigger cars in those lines = 5 x 5.
Mr. PNW
Active Member
Memories
Back in the 80s when we wanted to put an 8-3/4 rear with the LBP, large brakes and discs up front we used the rear out of the 66-67 b-body and a-arms/discs from the 73 and up a-bodies.
The 8-3/4 a-body rears were expensive and as noted had the SBP.
The 66-67 b-body rears were roughly 2” wider and we used those offset rear shackles which fit the roughly 1” per side offset. It wasn’t perfect but the setup sure made my 71 Dart Swinger with a 360 (upgraded from 225) really, really fun to drive.
Back in the 80s when we wanted to put an 8-3/4 rear with the LBP, large brakes and discs up front we used the rear out of the 66-67 b-body and a-arms/discs from the 73 and up a-bodies.
The 8-3/4 a-body rears were expensive and as noted had the SBP.
The 66-67 b-body rears were roughly 2” wider and we used those offset rear shackles which fit the roughly 1” per side offset. It wasn’t perfect but the setup sure made my 71 Dart Swinger with a 360 (upgraded from 225) really, really fun to drive.
Dale Davies
Well-Known Member
When swapping axle housings numbers match got tossed. Year is not important. What is important is the width WMS toWMS, spring pad spacing or control arm location, brake size and bolt pattern. For us hot rodder characters spring perch width probably needs to be the same. If the wheel mounting is an inch or so narrower we can get away with a bit more wheel and tire.
Not wanting to get into splitting hairs on this.
When trying to figure out WHAT came in what and WHEN, year model most certainly is important. The rest, I can agree with.
Dale Davies
Well-Known Member
I can go along with that.
Swinger 340
Well-Known Member
Good thing he didn't redrill for the 4" with the 1/2" studs, U-ALL may have another problem not drilling for the 7/16. I don't believe the 489 came on the darts but it is a stronger chunk than the others. It will work, that is what I have in my 69'. Also going with the 11" drums I believe you need 15" wheels instead of the 14" ones to clear the drums so maybe you would want to use the BBP axle after all. Just like building a home, you need a plan for your needs. Unless you are building an all out race car I would stick with the SBP complete set up.
72DartGuy
Well-Known Member
I’ve found a couple that do as well. I never meant to sound like I was saying that there aren’t any guys who know about Mopars here. I very much meant that you can’t find any working in the shops around me. If you can even find a place that will work in a 50 year old car. Have only been referring to my personal experiences
Swinger 340
Well-Known Member
Don't forget the 7/16" studs on the A-body instead of the 1/2" ones on the others. Also the left and rights threads. I would change out the lefts for rights through. On my stock 69' I left the lefts in but need to baby sit the tire shops while removing and installing the wheels. The last tire change I did I brought them the wheels off the car and did the on and off myself. Not fun replacing studs.
Swinger 340
Well-Known Member
Never say never. Yes all Hemi 4-speeds had the Dana but I believe the Hemi automatics could also have the Dana as an option.
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Dale Davies
Well-Known Member
That is another issue to look at. Likely want all the same size studs.
Colin Chapman had a bit of a war with the LeMans officials over I think bolt patterns. The front and rear did not match. Why that would be a problem is beyond me. The mechanics just had to know which wheels were front and rear. I think the Lotus was competing against a Frech car and would have spanked it. Never returned to LeMans out of spite.
Years ago a farmer brought me his older Dodge that the wheels had not been off of in forever. It was from the days when mother Mopar had a brain fart and the left wheel nuts were lefthad thread. I broke all 20 trying to get the wheels off to do the brakes. They were all rusted solid. I had no trouble getting the RH thread studs but the left were a problem. Thread diameter was not an issue but the serrated part that pulls into the hub was either too big or too small. Should have just converted to RH thread like everybody else but the next guy would break a couple by looking at the year and figuring they would be LH.Chrysler Corp thinking was the left nuts or bolts would work loose if they were RH threads. Finally gave up on that one.
Yes they did, ALL A body cars with V8 and 8 3/4 had small bolt pattern except.. Except those who got a car with the HD suspension, option wheels, etc got the large bolt pattern. I had A 67 Barracuda Formula S with the 273 High output motor, it had 8 3/4 with small bolt pattern. Also a 69 Dart with 383 with he suspension with large bol5 pattern.
Martin Koiryohann
Well-Known Member
what motor was in thw a-body from the factory? a slant 6 or a 318? then what rear end did it have ? im no expet on it but just about all the slant 6 & many of the 318 had te small light duty 7 1/4 rear end & tey all had a small bolt pattern maybe the rear ed builder can re-drill yhe axle end but as far AS I KNOW MOPAR NEVER made a small bolt pattern 8 3/4 axle sorry the other thing u could do is buy different wheels
Sorry, but they had the 8 3/4 in there with SBP for years. It's not hearsay, its fact. All/most I believe are in agreement with that.
OP, have you got everything straight with "builder"?
OP, have you got everything straight with "builder"?
Studebakers had left hand lugs on the left side, too. And I'm thinking if you go back far enough, so did Fords. I think the idea is that right hand lugs on the left side might tend to loosen from the rotation of the wheel. In practice, though, it wasn't a problem, and everyone now has right hand lugs all around.
My 69 Cuda 383 four speed has the small bolt pattern all around.
72DartGuy
Well-Known Member
The original motor is a slant 6. Rear end is the 7 1/4. Changing the whole drive train out. I’ll never do it again!
72DartGuy
Well-Known Member
Yeah, thanks! He ordered the right axles. SBP with 7/16 lugs.
Awesome! Hey he messed up, everybody does, and it took some pressure, but in the end he owned/fixed it!
Yeah, thanks! He ordered the right axles. SBP with 7/16 lugs.
72DartGuy
Well-Known Member
.Awesome! Hey he messed up, everybody does, and it took some pressure, but in the end he owned/fixed it!
That’s it! Thanks for your help!
mcodecuda
Senior Member
Not true. None of the A-bodies from 1972 and under came with a 4-1/2 bolt pattern axles, (except 1968 Hemi Dart’s & Barracuda’s). They were first available in 73 with the V8 and possibly with HD suspension and brakes.
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