Rear Axle Shortening

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dukeboy440

dukeboy440

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For those that have cut the rear axles in their 70-76 Dart Swingers, how short did you go? What wheel specs did you end up being able to use?

I'm about to have my Dana 60 cut down, I'm thinking 51 inches, flange to flange, which would be about an inch shorter on each side.
 
It says flange to flange is 52 37/64" spring perch spacing 43"
 
dukeboy_318 said:
For those that have cut the rear axles in their 70-76 Dart Swingers, how short did you go? What wheel specs did you end up being able to use?

I'm about to have my Dana 60 cut down, I'm thinking 51 inches, flange to flange, which would be about an inch shorter on each side.
Click to expand...

Are you tubbed or mini tubbed, need to know wheelwell width? Are you looking to do off the shelf wheels, in what dia/width?

What I did was mini tub, figured out center of wheelwells @ 56.625", minus axle flange standout, minus rotor thickness. That gave me flange to flange and put me at 0 offset and 6" of backspace on an 11 inch wide wheel. and centered everything inside the wheelhouses. But i also eliminated my quarter lip, cut and flipped my outer wheelhouse bumps and had custom wheels made.

So gonna need a bit more info and intent.
Keith

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IMG_20171209_095306169.jpg
 
dukeboy_318 said:
For those that have cut the rear axles in their 70-76 Dart Swingers, how short did you go? What wheel specs did you end up being able to use?

I'm about to have my Dana 60 cut down, I'm thinking 51 inches, flange to flange, which would be about an inch shorter on each side.
Click to expand...

IMG_20180831_140702263.jpg


IMG_20180831_181837087.jpg


IMG_20180921_161706370.jpg
 
khuebner250 said:
Are you tubbed or mini tubbed, need to know wheelwell width? Are you looking to do off the shelf wheels, in what dia/width?

What I did was mini tub, figured out center of wheelwells @ 56.625", minus axle flange standout, minus rotor thickness. That gave me flange to flange and put me at 0 offset and 6" of backspace on an 11 inch wide wheel. and centered everything inside the wheelhouses. But i also eliminated my quarter lip, cut and flipped my outer wheelhouse bumps and had custom wheels made.

So gonna need a bit more info and intent.
Keith

View attachment 1715347623

View attachment 1715347625

View attachment 1715347626
Click to expand...
Likely full tub. It’s a pro touring build. The tubs now are shot and have to be fully replaced. Quarter lip will be removed. Right now I’m thinking of an off the self rim unless budget expands. Front will have 305s so I don’t want to go super wide. Rear suspension is a custom 4 link with Watts and sway
Axle will be centered in the wheel well vs stock as well. Rim diameter will be 18s due to suspension clearance
 
dukeboy_318 said:
Likely full tub. It’s a pro touring build. The tubs now are shot and have to be fully replaced. Quarter lip will be removed. Right now I’m thinking of an off the self rim unless budget expands. Front will have 305s so I don’t want to go super wide. Rear suspension is a custom 4 link with Watts and sway
Axle will be centered in the wheel well vs stock as well. Rim diameter will be 18s due to suspension clearance
Click to expand...
Buy the rim's you want, and narrow the rear to the dimensions needed with your tire/wheel combo sitting in the wheel well
 
replicaracer43 said:
Buy the rim's you want, and narrow the rear to the dimensions needed with your tire/wheel combo sitting in the wheel well
Click to expand...
Duh!! Thank you!!! I was looking at this backwards!! Makes way more sense now.
 
I’m thinking a 325 on the back
 
replicaracer43 said:
Buy the rim's you want, and narrow the rear to the dimensions needed with your tire/wheel combo sitting in the wheel well
Click to expand...

1000x this.

Pick the wheels first. That’s even more important for wider wheels and tires, the wheel selection really starts to drop off after you go past 10” wide. At least for off the shelf wheels. No point setting a custom width for your rear axle then having to buy custom wheels too.
 
khuebner250 said:
Where do your 4 link bars attach? What's the width of the suspension?
Click to expand...

Upper bars are inside the frame rails, lower bars are underneath the frame rails. No part of the suspension sticks out past the centerline of the underside of the frames.
 
72bluNblu said:
1000x this.

Pick the wheels first. That’s even more important for wider wheels and tires, the wheel selection really starts to drop off after you go past 10” wide. At least for off the shelf wheels. No point setting a custom width for your rear axle then having to buy custom wheels too.
Click to expand...
Very good points, thanks.
 
Yup buy the wheels and tires, cut out the old tubs, lower the car over the wheels and tires, measure, done.

Dont forget about the break stand off length.....

20181124_102027_zpsciz2stvh.jpg
 
I think my ford disks were 1.5 inch? I have a 9" rear end.

Find out what you have and know for sure because it's super important that you get that number right.
 
Cope said:
I think my ford disks were 1.5 inch? I have a 9" rear end.

Find out what you have and know for sure because it's super important that you get that number right.
Click to expand...
I have nada right now. I just have a Dana 60 out of a truck I’m having moser cut down.
 
Then it easy, just figure out what brake set up you want and the standoff length should be listed in its info or call the mfg and they will know. THIS IS NO JOKE, YOU WILL F IT UP WITH OUT THIS NUMBER.

once you have the car lowered over the wheels (with tires mounted) measure inside to inside of the wheel hub, minus brake stand off length (X2 because this number is on each side.) (Brake off set is what some folks call it.) And that is the total length of your axle. (Flange to flange)

Call strange engineering, they can walk you through it over the phone. Then buy their axles. They are great and I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them again. Their customer service is second to none.
 
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So you gonna pay to ship an axle housing, then pay to get it cut and pay for shipping back to your door?

I dont know were La la land is but I have to think there is some one with a dana 60 jig with in driving distance....

My ford 9" cost 200 bucks to get cut and welded. Hell the jig is 800 bucks from summit.
 
Cope said:
Then it easy, just figure out what brake set up you want and the standoff length should be listed in its info or call the mfg and they will know. THIS IS NO JOKE, YOU WILL F IT UP WITH OUT THIS NUMBER.

once you have the car lowered over the wheels (with tires mounted) measure inside to inside of the wheel hub, minus brake stand off length (X2 because this number is on each side.) (Brake off set is what some folks call it.) And that is the total length of your axle. (Flange to flange)

Call strange engineering, they can walk you through it over the phone. Then buy their axles. They are great and I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them again. Their customer service is second to none.
Click to expand...
Will do thanks!
 
Cope said:
So you gonna pay to ship an axle housing, then pay to get it cut and pay for shipping back to your door?

I dont know were La la land is but I have to think there is some one with a dana 60 jig with in driving distance....

My ford 9" cost 200 bucks to get cut and welded. Hell the jig is 800 bucks from summit.
Click to expand...
No. I live about 90 minutes away from Moser, for them to cut it and weld it to whatever length I want, 150 bucks.
 
dukeboy_318 said:
how close to the quarter is your tire?
Click to expand...

It's pretty close. About 7/8" if I put a straight edge on the tire. But my lip has been cut. My car isn't all together yet. Still sits a little high in the rear until I can get the driveline, interior and rear glass in. Also, barracuda's have a taller wheel opening than darts. Darts have a pretty low quarter lip where you can tuck the tire inside the lip for a nice reveal. I'll be lucky if I can hide any of my tire.
 
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khuebner250 said:
It's pretty close. About 7/8" if I put a straight edge on the tire. But my lip has been cut. My car isn't all together yet. Still sits a little high in the rear until I can get the driveline, interior and rear glass in. Also, barracuda's have a taller wheel opening than darts. Darts have a pretty low quarter lip where you can tuck the tire inside the lip for a nice reveal. I'll be lucky if I can hide any of my tire.
Click to expand...
Awesome thanks!

I’d like to go with a 18x 10 but those seem to be difficult to find to say the least
 
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