Question after converting a 7-1/4 to 8-3/4

txstang84 said
Ok, so from what I gather, I cannot use the backing plates from my SBP 7.25" on the 8.75" assembly, right? If that's the case, are the brake parts compatible, or do I need to source new hardware, cylinders, shoes, and drums? What about the driveshaft-is it the same length? Is there anything else you can think of I'd need apart from a center section? My brother said he'd give me his old pig for the cost of shipping-741 with highway gears. I know it's not the big pinion 742 or 489, but it'll only be behind a stock 5.2 Magnum converted to 4bbl with a dual plane intake and 904.

The "green" bearings are a ball bearing whereas the stock bearings are a tapered roller bearing. The tapered bearing is a heavier duty design and will take more of a load before it fails. That being said, both bearings are held onto the axle shaft in the same manner.....pressed on with a pressed on lock ring. It's unlikely an axle shaft would escape with either setup but if it did, it would be because the axle slipped out of it's lock ring and bearing (both just as unlikely) or from catastophic bearing failure. In the latter case, it would be more llkely the green bearing would allow an axle to escape than a tapered roller bearing but I've never seen either one allow that to happen. You'll usually hear an axle bearing going bad long before it gets to the point of total failure.