7 1/4?

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sobiecam

sobiecam

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I've embarked on my first A body build and my first build that's made for mostly racing, my Dart. I was going to start bracket racing with a mild (250-300 HP) 318 with a 904 or A-833 behind it and all I can get for a rear end locally that is a direct fit is a 7 1/4.

How long will this (or will it) hold up to the abuse?
Any suggested upgrades (beside 8 3/4 or 8/14)?

Thanks!
 
I have a 8 1/4 that will bolt right in that has a posi . I will sell it complete drum to drum. It has mopar green bearings in it and is ready to go. It should handle what your going to throw at it. If interested let pm me and let me know
 
Ohio Ironhead said:
I have a 8 1/4 that will bolt right in that has a posi . I will sell it complete drum to drum. It has mopar green bearings in it and is ready to go. It should handle what your going to throw at it. If interested let pm me and let me know
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Wish I could afford something like that man, I'm pretty much dead broke, I'm trading a set of Aspen slots and tires for the 7 1/4. I figure it might hold up since it is in a Duster with a 318 now..
 
if it hooks its gonna break. you already know what you should replace it with but if you cant find or afford these maybe a 8.8 out of a blue oval will work. i know some have swapped these in. a early b rear is only 1.75 inches wider on each side and are cheaper than a rears. if you havent bought wheels yet you can purchase wheels with this much more offset.
 
I have a complete housing (8 1/4) out of a 1988 Dakota... I hear its too wide though...
 
A Dakota rear is about 4" too wide, but maybe a set of mustang wheels may be offset correctly for that to go in your A-Body.
 
sorry bud, the rear is not going to last very long. get an 8 3/4 rear. you have to spend a couple bucks or you'll keep blowing out the smaller rears. it ain't worth it.
 
"Racing" and "dead broke". Dead broke usually comes AFTER the racing! lol! It's gonna be tough being broke first. Good luck. I agree w/ the others, put something in that'll hold up, it'll be cheaper in the long run. You might even make money as a result.- That 7 1/4 will probably break on a money run!
 
sobiecam said:
I've embarked on my first A body build and my first build that's made for mostly racing, my Dart. I was going to start bracket racing with a mild (250-300 HP) 318 with a 904 or A-833 behind it and all I can get for a rear end locally that is a direct fit is a 7 1/4.

How long will this (or will it) hold up to the abuse?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Probably less than a day. :angry7:
 
I had a 7.25 break in my driveway with some new street tires on it. it was a stock fifth avenue 318 firing on 7 cylinders. I would go for a 8.25 probably. I think one out of a cordoba or something like that fits right in with out too much difference in length. might find one pretty cheap in a junkyard... I do like the 8.8 idea though
 
Alright... would it be at all possible to fit 7 1/4 axles in an 8 1/4 housing or am I stuck cutting up a Dana 60 out of a ram?
 
My "Why" question was really about the OP being low on funds and needing a rear. Having a 9" built for his car would be just about the least cost effective answer.
 
I busted a 7-1/4" in a slant six Volare. There was a hole where something exited the rear cover.

I went to the work to replace the rear axle only to find out that the trans was now junk. It would be ok in first, then shift to second and make some nasty noises and shake the whole car. Apparently, the trans didn't like the shock load caused by the rear end's failure.

Needless to say, I'm not a fan of the 7-1/4. Have some patience, save your money, and get an 8-1/4. I would hate to see you with a busted 7-1/4 and a busted trans.

Oh yeah... it's possible that you'll need to mess with driveshaft length - watch out for that extra cost.
 
A 7 1/4" with a Sure Grip and at least 3.55 gears will last a surprisingly long time behind a fairly mild 318. However, it WILL eventually break and the money spent to beef it up is wasted. For the cost of a Sure Grip and gears, plus setup, you would be money ahead to get a better rear in the first place. I personally do not like the 8 1/4" because it is a C clip rear and I have broken axles with a 4 cylinder Dakota. If I had a Dana 60 on hand, that is what I would use since having it narrowed to fit is way cheaper than buying an 8 3/4" that would fit.
 
If you save up some money let me know I iwll sell my 8 1/4 pretty cheap and like I said it is ready to bolt in. BBP axles and ws jsut rebuilt with a posi.
 
EITHER DO THE 9 INCH (I HATE TO SAY IT ford, i am throwing up now) rear or the 8 3/4. if you have the bucks, do the dana. screw the 8 1/4, throw the 7 1/4 in the river, it is garbage. you want the rear to last.
 
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