Mopar 8 3/4" repair?

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Mike Correll

Mike Correll

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The 8 3/4" rear end currently in my 1966 barracuda has a weird issue that we can't seem to figure out. The seals have been replaced multiple times, and every time they still end up leaking gear oil right into my drum brakes. My drivers side rear wheel also wobbles as if the axle is bent. (The shaft isn't actually bent, they're brand new). Because of this mess, I thought it'd just be easier to replace the axle housing. I was lucky enough to have a friend give me the rear end out of a junked 72 Duster. I tore it apart with the intention of rebuilding it and using it. I have 2 problems. I had to destroy most of the differential studs to get the differential off because they were so corroded. The leaf spring plates are also pretty well corroded. Does anyone know where I can get new studs and plates to weld on? I was considering just finding another cheap A-body housing, but I found out real quick how lucky I am to have gotten an extra A-body rear end for free when I went to Carlisle and asked around at the vendors... I found all kinds of B and E-body housings for 50-100 bucks and only one A-body housing that I figured would be the same price, but the vendor wanted $480 for it. And to think that the only difference is a few inches...

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My 8.75 housing had no axle or housing studs. Axle stud replacement was easy as they used modified grade 8 bolts/nuts which came with my rear disc conversion.

Looked all over the net for OEM housing studs which seem to be non-existant. Might have been Dr Diff (don't remember) who said use Ford 9 in studs which are a bit longer than the originals. Bought and installed them and they work just fine.
 
Your original housing most likely is bent. It is also possible that your replacement housing is bent. The wearing out of oil seal is a indication. A good shop that rebuilds rear ends should be able to check and straighten your housing. I made tools to do my own. Almost all rear ends are bent to some degree. The 8 1/4 rear end I did last was out 1/4" on the drivers side and 1/2" on the pass side.
 
whitepunkonnitro said:
Your housing could be bent into a U and it still wouldn't cause wheel wobble.
New or not, that axle shaft is out
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The axle shafts have been replaced twice. Not sure if it was wobbling before because I didn't notice until someone driving behind me pointed it out.
 
Mike Correll said:
.........(The shaft isn't actually bent, they're brand new).............
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Unless you've indicated it in centers or at least on "V" blocks, because it's "new", don't always mean good.
What axle bearings do you have? Did you set axle end play correctly?
 
65 Dartman said:
My 8.75 housing had no axle or housing studs. Axle stud replacement was easy as they used modified grade 8 bolts/nuts which came with my rear disc conversion.

Looked all over the net for OEM housing studs which seem to be non-existant. Might have been Dr Diff (don't remember) who said use Ford 9 in studs which are a bit longer than the originals. Bought and installed them and they work just fine.
Click to expand...
I have just one question... how do you install them? It looks like the originals were machine-pressed into the holes from inside the housing.
 
Daves69 said:
Unless you've indicated it in centers or at least on "V" blocks, because it's "new", don't always mean good.
What axle bearings do you have? Did you set axle end play correctly?
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I didn't do the work myself, because it was long before I took interest in working on the car myself. I am still learning as I go, and I haven't done any axle work on it yet. So I'm not sure how to set "end play" and I don't know what kind of bearings are in it.
 
I assume, did not check 66 8 3/4 but wonder if your thrust block is in place! You will never get end play adjusted with out it and it indicates the issues you are having.
 
Mike Correll said:
I have just one question... how do you install them? It looks like the originals were machine-pressed into the holes from inside the housing.
Click to expand...

It was super easy to install them - push them through from the inside till they start to mesh with the housing. Run the nuts on them till the stud is seated in place. Can be done using a rachet and deepwell but much easier (and quicker) if you have air and a small 3/8th impact - which is what I used. No 1/2 in deep wells so didn't use the 1/2 in impact and I couldn't put my hand on the 1/2 to 3/8 adapter (and still haven't found it and it's been over a year since I installed the studs!!)
 
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