Mudd340
mudd340
Nice..
I think my 8 ¾ housing is toast.
- Thread starter flyfish
- Start date
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Mudd340
mudd340
Anyone here have 10 x 2 rear backing plates for 8 3/4 want to sell PM me ..
You don't have to lay in bed to eat a good bowl of bean soup ..
You don't have to lay in bed to eat a good bowl of bean soup ..
You could probably fix it, provided the dented portion of the axle tube can be moved back into position for rewelding of perches. I'm sure there is a way to do that. I had similar issues, although the dents were from the U-bolts.
In my case, the housing axle tubes were bent banana shaped, so much so that my tires rubbed the forward portion of the rear tire opening. My first clue was someone's comment that smoke was coming off my tires as I went down the track. When I looked at the housing, I was amazed that it indeed was banana'd with twist marks indicating the pinion angle had changed.
I had moved the springs inboard (002/003 SS springs) without narrowing the rear end. I figured this left a bigger moment arm allowing the tube to more easily bend.
Long story short: I took the housing to a guy in Pennsylvania I read about in Mopar Muscle (or something) who could straighten the housing. He had a "gage" which he used along with a press to straighten. I brought that "gage" home with me. I can now tell if a housing is straight any time I want to mount that "gage".
I subsequently back braced my housing and extended the conventional brace shown in this thread to the tube end. I added some support around the perches, shimmed the pinion angle, and have not had a problem since. So, I think it could be fixed if you desire to do so.
OldmanRick
Well-Known Member
Dana, 4 link, mono leafs, floating perches......see how easy it is for us to spend your money....lol.
Seriously, i love your car and good luck on what ever you decide.
I've seen moly tubes used on salisbury type housings before. Not sure that's even possible on a 8 3/4. I never had your kind of power to break one before:cry:.
One of the big magazines, Car Craft possibly, did a back to back 8 3/4 vs Dana strip test and the Dana was only a few hundredths slower even though it weight about 50 lbs. more IIRC. Don't think you'll lose anything if you go that route.
P.S. looked thru my magazine archive and was unable to locate that article...may have been tossed by now? A google search turned up a post at another site from about 5yrs. ago recalling the same article...said it was HotRod mag. and the dana was a few hundredths faster. So either way, performance wise should be a wash.
Seriously, i love your car and good luck on what ever you decide.
I've seen moly tubes used on salisbury type housings before. Not sure that's even possible on a 8 3/4. I never had your kind of power to break one before:cry:.
One of the big magazines, Car Craft possibly, did a back to back 8 3/4 vs Dana strip test and the Dana was only a few hundredths slower even though it weight about 50 lbs. more IIRC. Don't think you'll lose anything if you go that route.
P.S. looked thru my magazine archive and was unable to locate that article...may have been tossed by now? A google search turned up a post at another site from about 5yrs. ago recalling the same article...said it was HotRod mag. and the dana was a few hundredths faster. So either way, performance wise should be a wash.
Sorry, just saw this post...The perches were standard spring perches (not HD or fully boxed). I foot brake, bring RPM's to 2500 and the converter flashs to 5000 as soon as I hit the gas and take off.
I think I'm either going to do a Strange 60, or do the MO875 with a back brace...both are out of my budget...I need to get the 8 3/4 apart to see how bad it is inside. The MO875 will only be a good option if my pumpkin is still in good order....but I think I will probably just fork over the extra money to upgrade to a dana to make it bullet proof.:angry7:
pettybludart
Well-Known Member
The axels not bent,it,s just the splines twisted.I guess it looks bent but was holding the straight edge and camera to take a pic.That axel was the first one I bent before replacing it,just to have the next one twist and the housing bend $$:banghead:.Dana with CM driveshaft and 1350 u-joints(904 slip yoke)from Mancini,s.No more bending/twisting
turbodart68
Well-Known Member
Someone is drinking the turbo kool-aide Hahaha.
I made a jig myself with 4 aluminum pucks and a solid steel 1 1/4 bar. EVERY rearend I have chucked up in me jig is bent, well except the new ones. LOL. Anyways If your handy with a welder you can fix your 8.75 housing for very little money. Borrow or make a jig then weld new thicker tubes to the banjo and weld on the reinforced perches, a back brace, and new housing ends or reuse yours. I have $100 in my jig, the aluminum pucks I madde on a borrowed lathe. I do have a friend that I built one of these housings for his mid 9 second dart and it worked for many seasons with a 1.30 60'.
I thought I had broken the spring perches and bent the axel tube when my pinion angle had moved up by 5°, but after taking it all apart it looks like the axle housing is still strait. I opened it up and looked down the weld seam inside the axle tube and everything was perfectly strait (and took lots of measurements), and the axles/spool look as good as the day I installed them 9 years ago. The only issue was the dent left in the tube from the spring perches getting pushed in.
My question is: after removing the old spring perch can I just weld on my new one? The problem Im seeing is there is about a ¼ inch gap where the perch is not contacting the axle tube due to the dent in the tube (the tube is a little flat on one side). Is this a problem, or can I just weld it in? I ordered a back brace and Calvert Racing HD spring perches to weld on my 8 ¾, but if this thing is trashed I dont want to waste my time (and money) fixing it Ill just get a MO875 housing or something. The Calvert perches cover a lot more surface area (cover 180° of the axle tube) compared to the stock perches, so they should stay put.
Here are a couple pics if that helps:
My question is: after removing the old spring perch can I just weld on my new one? The problem Im seeing is there is about a ¼ inch gap where the perch is not contacting the axle tube due to the dent in the tube (the tube is a little flat on one side). Is this a problem, or can I just weld it in? I ordered a back brace and Calvert Racing HD spring perches to weld on my 8 ¾, but if this thing is trashed I dont want to waste my time (and money) fixing it Ill just get a MO875 housing or something. The Calvert perches cover a lot more surface area (cover 180° of the axle tube) compared to the stock perches, so they should stay put.
Here are a couple pics if that helps:
cudaspaz
Well-Known Member
Not trying to be an *** here but do you think maybe you could have cranked the U bolts incredibly tight that it may have bent or caused extra stress near the spring perch area upon hard launches?
The reason I ask is because I had a buddy do this with very similar results.
center it up and weld it in then take a peace of 2x1/4 flat steel and go from the front edge of the perch over the top of the tube to the rear of the tube weld both ends then were its on the tube.along with the back brace your 83/4 will be race ready I have dun them like this for a 4speed car leaving at 6000 with the wheels in the air.with no trouble..just trying to help......Artie
I don't think so...The Calvert instructions said to torque the u-bolts to 70-80 foot pounds. I thought that was a little high, so I only did 65 foot pounds.
OldmanRick
Well-Known Member
4spd, 6 grand, wheels up......doesn't get any better then that
.My concern would be the dent in the tube may now be a weak spot that may not take as much abuse as before.
Although the back brace would probably absorb a good amount of the load.
I don't have experience with Caltracs and i know they don't recommend any other devices be used with them, but the housing is pretty much on it's own with this system and i was wondering if anyone has run a snubber along with them to absorb some of the shock on the housing?
4spd, 6 grand, wheels up......doesn't get any better then that
My concern would be the dent in the tube may now be a weak spot that may not take as much abuse as before.
Although the back brace would probably absorb a good amount of the load.
Yes, that was one of my concerns too. I was thinking that it might be ok since the new perch goes 1/2 way around the tube (and is fully boxed) and the addition of the back brace...but I don't know.
This is the perch I'm using:
http://calvertracing.com/springperch.php
OldmanRick
Well-Known Member
OldmanRick
Well-Known Member
With a little more thought i suppose a snubber set too tight could actully cause binding and put even more stress on the tubes/perches....idk
dam they must be new never seen them like that its about time but think I would still put the flat steel on it like I described...and I dont think that little dent is going to hert it.............Artie
vitamindart
Well-Known Member
those are some nice perches. i do like the idea of the strap over the top.
will have to try and remember those for my next one.
will have to try and remember those for my next one.
Mad Dart
Nothing to see Here!
You can sand them in and make them fit perfect before you gusset and weld them off if it is a concern of yours.
pettybludart
Well-Known Member
I think with the housing already soft in the perch area and will also get weaker after welding new perches on.(JMO)I would either weld flat steel in place as mentioned or buy a new housing before it collapses more.It,s up to you and your racing fund.Good luck.
You can probably get good answers to all your questions by sending an email (or calling) to Dr. Diff at
[email protected]
He doesn't try to sell anything and he replies quickly.
[email protected]
He doesn't try to sell anything and he replies quickly.
After re-reading my reply above, I need to clarify that my suggestion in no way implies that I think the answers to this thread have not been good. They have all been good and sent in the right spirit. Instead, I should have written that Dr. Diff has probably seen and dealt with this problem before. My bad, and I apologize to anyone who felt offended.
Mudd340
mudd340
have a url link to CALVERT RACING
turbodart68
Well-Known Member
Here is a sample from a 9 second Nova that 60's in the low 1.30s. It has a 10 bolt (which everyone says isn't strong enough) with cal tracs and the perches reinforced with some strap steel (cold rolled). Runs hard no problem.
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