Dakota Rear in A-body

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/6 Matt

/6 Matt

30 Degrees Crooked
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My brother is getting a free parts truck for his 92 Dakota, I can't remember if it's a 92 or 93 but either way he's gonna let me take the rear end for the Dart cause mine is going (some of you might remember the thread I posted a week or so ago). I know the Dakota rears are 6" longer so my first question is where can I get custom length axles with SBP? Also are the Dakota rears offset like the A-body's? I know for a fact that I can just use a set of front drums for a Dart cause they use 9"x3" like the Dakota's rear drums and they're also drilled with the SBP.
 
Carolina Wrecking Company High-Point NC 1-336-889-9995 has a 7 1/4 with 10 inch brakes. I would bet there are members on FABO that would about give you a 7 1/4 for cheap for you to get by on if anyone is close enough.
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
Carolina Wrecking Company High-Point NC 1-336-889-9995 has a 7 1/4 with 10 inch brakes. I would bet there are members on FABO that would about give you a 7 1/4 for cheap for you to get by on if anyone is close enough.
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7 1/4's are junk at best, most dakota's (except 4 bangers) have an 8 1/4.

/6 matt,

If your brother is going to sell it to you dirt cheap or free why not experiment around with it a little, you could have the axles shortened re-spilned and drilled for SBP at a local machine shop or do some of the work yourself if your handy alot of members are putting ferd rears under A bodies so it all comes down to what you have to work with anything can be done but choose the cheapest route (not a 7 1/4 though!)
 
66plyValiant said:
7 1/4's are junk at best, most dakota's (except 4 bangers) have an 8 1/4.

/6 matt,

If your brother is going to sell it to you dirt cheap or free why not experiment around with it a little, you could have the axles shortened re-spilned and drilled for SBP at a local machine shop or do some of the work yourself if your handy alot of members are putting ferd rears under A bodies so it all comes down to what you have to work with anything can be done but choose the cheapest route (not a 7 1/4 though!)
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/6 Matt said:
I'm 18 and broke. But I will sell my first born to your dad if he's willing to wait just a longer. :D
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This was refering to a 1958 Apache.

/6 Matt said:
What would cause excessive backlash in my 904? It clunks in and out of gear (going from N to D or R) and sometimes it will clunk going through the gear range. The driveshaft rotates quite a couple degrees by hand with the transmission in park. Anybody got any ideas?
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/6 Matt said:
Think so? The rearend is going, it makes a wonderful racket as you go down the road. Sounds like several bearings are shot. But if the backlash is in the rearend than that would indicate the gearset is damaged or worn which would explain the noise right?



My dad was the one who detected the backlash and he said it was the transmission. I honestly suspected the rearend but I figured he's got way more experience than I so...
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1992 and 1993 Dakota's are 6 lug instead of 5 lug and that could present a problem with machining. Dakota rearends are about 6 inches wider. There will also be a drive shaft issue.

Based off all the above information if the op could locate a good cheap or free rearend he could install it in his /6 and be driving his car. Then he could work on doing modifications to the Dakota rearend without a lot of pressure as money and time permits. If he figures out a solution that works then he can install it and tell us all about the good details. If the Dakota modifications fails he still has had his car to drive the whole time.
 
7 1/4's are junk and I wouldn't consider another one if mine crapped out right now. The dakota rear is free and it's actually an 8-3/8" not an 8-1/4". I'm well aware of the fact that they are six lug axles and if it comes down to if I might (Just for the hell of it) see if Dakota wheels will bolt to it. I can do the work to the housing myself with some help. Since only the last two people gave good answers, I'll go with them and check with machine shops about shortening, resplining and maybe redrilling the axles.

This is a free rearend. Even with the mods to adapt it, I'll come out paying less for a stronger rearend. Can somebody tell me how that logic is wrong?
 
Btw, I don't need a good rearend to hold me over as this rearend has been making the same sounds for about 5 years and the backlash has been present for over 2 and the rear shows no sign of going any time soon.

**knock on wood**
 
/6 Matt said:
The dakota rear is free and it's actually an 8-3/8" not an 8-1/4".
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An 8-3/8" is an 8-1/4".. Same exact rear end, only they call it an 8-3/8" when it's installed under a truck.

You'd be better off, both in terms of money and labor, to locate an A-Body 8-1/4 to install. There's bound to be a few out there that just have an 8-1/4 laying around after they swapped to an 8-3/4 in their car.

EDIT : However if you insist on throwing a truck rear end under your car instead of getting a proper A-Body rear (or early B-body with relocated perches). I suggest you locate a Dodge D50 Rear Axle. They share the same WMS to WMS measurements as an A-body, are an 8.5" Semi-Floating Front Load Axle (like an 8-3/4"), 9 times out of 10 they have a Limited Slip. The most common gear ratio is 3.90. (other gear ratios include 3.55, 4.22, and 4.65) And there is enough meat on the flanges to drill it/convert for LBP 5 on 4.5"
 
I, like the others, would never consider this. Just the cost of custom axles alone will cost more than an 8-1/4 that'll bolt right up in your car. If you do insist of doing this I can answer the question of if the Dakota rearend is offset like an A-body and it is yes they are. The exact same amount. If you do put it under your car you might be able to use the ugly Dakota wheels too as they are near completely positive offset so they'll make up for most of width difference.

And as for them calling it an 8-3/8 if it's under a Dakota, where did you here that? I bought a 93 Dakota brand new and it said on a sticker under the hood that it was a 8.25" rearend.
 
fishy68 said:
And as for them calling it an 8-3/8 if it's under a Dakota, where did you here that? I bought a 93 Dakota brand new and it said on a sticker under the hood that it was a 8.25" rearend.
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Certain 70's/80's model dodge trucks called them an 8-3/8 for some reason. My '92 5.2L Magnum 4x4 Dakota lists it as an 8.25" too. So does my '74 D100 (which had an 8.25" instead of an 8.75" or the more common 9.25")
 
74Dusted said:
Certain 70's/80's model dodge trucks called them an 8-3/8 for some reason. My '92 5.2L Magnum 4x4 Dakota lists it as an 8.25" too. So does my '74 D100 (which had an 8.25" instead of an 8.75" or the more common 9.25")
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Interesting... that's ma Mopar for ya
 
/6 Matt said:
7 1/4's are junk and I wouldn't consider another one if mine crapped out right now. The dakota rear is free and it's actually an 8-3/8" not an 8-1/4". I'm well aware of the fact that they are six lug axles and if it comes down to if I might (Just for the hell of it) see if Dakota wheels will bolt to it. I can do the work to the housing myself with some help. Since only the last two people gave good answers, I'll go with them and check with machine shops about shortening, resplining and maybe redrilling the axles.

This is a free rearend. Even with the mods to adapt it, I'll come out paying less for a stronger rearend. Can somebody tell me how that logic is wrong?
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If you're going to all the trouble of narrowing a rear end, why not start with an 8 3/4? Get a C-body one and narrow it to the A-body width and then buy SBP or BBP axles off the shelf. To me, narrowing the Dak rear and having custom axles made, makes no sense when there are better, stronger, alternatives for less money. Now if you can do it all yourself and you want to invest the time to do it, knock yourself out. I'd be interested to see how it turns out........and holds up.
 
fishy68 said:
Interesting... that's ma Mopar for ya
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Only ma mopar... :D

I've got a '72 Demon (late '72 production, almost into the '73 production year) with a factory fold down rear seat and rear defogger (in the glass, not the blower motor) however, both options were not supposed to be available until 1973.

And my '74 Duster has the A51 code/package (Twister package) on the fender tag, but we all know the Twister wasn't available in '74. It also has the A62 code (rallye cluster). yes the fender tag matches the car, and the vin (also have the original buildsheet too).

Leave it to ma mopar to turn out oddball stuff :cheers:

edit : of course my car didn't actually have a Rallye cluster or twister package, but the codes are there on the fender tag (i did add a rallye cluster at a later point though)
 
I think a better option would be a Ford exploder 8.8" rear diff. You'd get disc brakes in the deal as well.
 
needsaresto said:
I think a better option would be a Ford exploder 8.8" rear diff. You'd get disc brakes in the deal as well.
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I agree. around me you can pick one up with a limited slip diff, disc brakes and 3.73 or 4.10 gears for about $250. Can't really beat that price. Thank god for ford exploders.:cheers:
 
/6 Matt said:
7 1/4's are junk and I wouldn't consider another one if mine crapped out right now. The dakota rear is free and it's actually an 8-3/8" not an 8-1/4". I'm well aware of the fact that they are six lug axles and if it comes down to if I might (Just for the hell of it) see if Dakota wheels will bolt to it. I can do the work to the housing myself with some help. Since only the last two people gave good answers, I'll go with them and check with machine shops about shortening, resplining and maybe redrilling the axles.

This is a free rearend. Even with the mods to adapt it, I'll come out paying less for a stronger rearend. Can somebody tell me how that logic is wrong?
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Yes, free is too high when you can use any of the suggestions listed above cheaper. The most expensive deals I ever got were free in the begining. I picked up a 8 1/4 a body rear end for $85.00. It had gone through eBay for $10.00 and ended up without a bid. It was near St. Louis Mo. and a couple of weeks after the eBay auction ended I contacted the buyer and bought it. The cover hade been removed and inspected. I ended up buying a truck load of parts from him too.
 
Thank you to all who came after my last post and actually answered my questions. I now have things to mull around in my mind. I'll get back to you guys as soon as I figure something out. My question is though, the D50 rears and Ford rears, any chance I could find one steeper than a 3:1? I have 2.76's and spin 2500 rpm at 70 mph and I already find that unbearable. I can't imagine going with gears much lower than what I have now.
 
I doubt you'll find any of them with taller than 2.76 gears. You must have pretty short tires on your car now. What size are they? Is putting taller tires on the back an option that you can do?
 
/6 Matt said:
Thank you to all who came after my last post and actually answered my questions. I now have things to mull around in my mind. I'll get back to you guys as soon as I figure something out. My question is though, the D50 rears and Ford rears, any chance I could find one steeper than a 3:1? I have 2.76's and spin 2500 rpm at 70 mph and I already find that unbearable. I can't imagine going with gears much lower than what I have now.
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3.55 is the highest gear and 4.65 is the lowest gear I know of for the 8.5" D50 rear.


Another option is the Dana 44 Rear Axle from a Jeep Grand Wagoneer. It measures 60" WMS to WMS. for comparison., the a-body 8-3/4" measures 57-1/8" WMS to WMS and the b-body 8-3/4" (pre 1970) is 60" WMS to WMS and is popular to install in an A-Body.

The grand wagoneeer Dana 44 has a few gear ratios available from the factory, one is a 2.7x or 2.9x ratio I believe and the others are 3.23 and 3.55.
 
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