What can a 7 1/4 rear take???

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Excellent! You're happy with what you have and plans for powerplant to go with it. I'm happy with what I have. I could have done it cheaper if I'd waited and shopped more, or if I did the fabrication but I didn't.

ATB

BC
 
What's an 8.8 rear? What kind of car is it out of and do I need to modify it in order to install it?
 
I hear you on the Wheel bearings! I've owned several A body cars over the years with 7 1/4 rear ends. And I had to replace the bearings on every one. Definitly a weak point on these among other problems.I blew the spiders on my 70' Cuda and a 71 Dart I owned both had 2 barrel 318's. So be careful!
 
I have had two 7-1/4's in my dart. The first was a 2.76 unit that lasted 41 years and 180,000 miles. Now I have a 3.55 unit from a '70 Duster, I've put 3,000 miles on it since the rebuild.

An 8.8 rear is from Ford's infamous Exploder. Many have low gear ratios, some have sure grips and alot of them have disc brakes. All of them I think have 4.5"X5 bolt pattern, which opens up possibilities for wheels. The modifications required are spring perches (like being relocated) and then there's the fun one. The center chunk is offset to one side, the solution, pull the rear from one Exploder and pull the shorter axle from another Exploder. Cut down the longer axle tube on your rear and insert the extra axle you pulled. These are the only major mods I'm aware of aside from obvious stuff like plumbing brakes, running E-brake cables, driveshaft length and u-joints blazee blah.
 
I see. After reading the 8.8 sticky thread, I think I would need a lot of help to accomplish that modification. Probably not for me. Ill just stick with my 7.25 until it blows or I find another alternative.
 
If you wanted to you could also find an 8.8 in the 80's and early 90's full size Broncos and f-150
 
If by "a lot of help" you mean paying an axle shop $150-200 to cut the tube down and re-weld it back together and the perches on.

The rest of the work your going to do with any other axle regardless of its origin. Hell, you'll have to chop down another axle unless you can find the rare one that sits under an a-body already.

I did a 8.8 myself and I don't consider myself amazing or anything. The parts for them are dirt cheap. The 96+ Explorer 8.8 is the best bet for strength, most plentiful, and comes with disk brakes.

"Another alternative" is way more expensive. Ask me how I know. Don't discount this option. It's the real deal up to 500+HP on stock axle shafts.

Just a thought.
 
Go with the 8.8. its worth it in the long run unless you find a cheap mopar rear like me. 8 3/4's are way way to expensive.
 
I was also curious about this too as I was thinking about going to a 17 x 8 wheel with a wide tire on it (anywhere from a 245-275). I'm not sure if my open 7 1/4 with 2.94 gears behind a 273/904 will handle it.
 
Why not spend the money you were going to spend on the wheels and tires and get a new rear end with it....I am just curious?
 
7 1/4, not much more than a slant six or mild 318. Don't beat on it and you'll be fine...... If you do burn outs or dump it on excelleration you'll kill it eventually..... Length of time it takes, who knows....... Depends on your real world driving habits. If it were me I'd just take it easy and just cruise while saving up to build an 8 3/4 rear. It will take whatever you throw at it. Not too expensive to find a junkyard core to build up.
 
Well I have some really nice five spoke wheels and low profile tires on my current setup. I will definitely keep the 8.8 in mind, but I am not ready to go that route yet. If I can't find a mopar rear end at that point, I'll look for the 8.8.


Very good info for me guys thanks for the help!
 
Your welcome, most of us here at FABO know how much a restoration or mods cost, and I personally hate to see people spend any more than they need to to have fun in a 40+ year old vehicle, I'm sure many others feel the same way. Plus you live in San Francisco, you need all the financial help you can get, it ain't cheap to live there!


This might help in your quest for an a-body axle:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1969734081



As they say in Asian restaurant: Please take sheet, enjoy!
 
71swanger said:
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Mrgtx after you had the 7.25 rebuilt/fixed how does the car run? To clarify, does the rear end work as it did before, or do you think it can take more abuse because of being freshly built?
Click to expand...

Oops...just saw your question.

I drove it with the rebuilt axle for about 2 years befor parking it...and I was much nicer to it after shelling out the cash. So I have not yet done any "test to failure" since the rebuild. I will say that it seemed to operate exactly the same...the shop got the gear mesh perfect for whatever that's worth. :)
 
going to be building up an 8.75 for my 67. i pulled the brakes off the 7.25 from my parts car since they were 10x2" drum setups. they will fit the 8.75. i had a 7.25 from my 67 bcuda /6 and the one from my 74 dart parts car. didnt want to mess with them, they added $$weight$$ to my scrap trailer , along with the slant, and 3 speed manual behind the slant, and slant 9" brakes and slant K frame

the slanty guys will prob flame me for that, but i tried to sell some of this stuff off a couple years ago when i was pulling the cuda apart for its restoration and transformation to a V8 car. nobody wanted any of it. so i got scrap weight out of it, and the leftovers from my dart parts car i couldent sell, or intend to use myself.

from following the thread, its a roll of the dice apparantly with these lil peglegs. ya may get a good one to beat on and it not break, or ya get a hand grenade that goes boom the first time you stomp on it. i gave the 8.8 mustang / explorer rear a thought, theres lots of gear options for these, the BBP setup, rear discs, etc, but decided to stick with the sexy 8.75 with finned drums. i love that welded on rear cover. "smooth"

theres many ways to do this one, best way to do it is within your budget, and time frame you need it. my cuda is a looong term project, i can lurk on evilbay and other placed like craigslist till i come up with the right parts cheap to build it up.

i like to swap n trade to get what i need. so far im into my build up for $625
742 center chunk and housing from C body $100
clutch type sure grip $75
A body axle housing $100 (score they didnt know what they had)
new A body axles BBP w green bearings $300 (ebay)
completely rebuilt rear drum brake setup $ 50.00

i have a friend who does 9" fords for circle track. very close to an 8.75. he offered to set up mine for beer LOL. i got to get the bearings, rear end gears, and clutches for the sure grip. then we hot tank and build the chunk.

good luck whichever way you decide to go on your project.
matt
 
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