These after market Ford websites are confusing me...The thought that I'm getting is that I can purchase a 9" rear center section and install it in my 8" rear housing, is this correct...if so what is required for the install?
Can't be done. Different size, different bolt pattern, etc. Need to find a 9" rear to use a 9" pumpkin. Otherwise, we would ALL be using 9" rears.
Yep. "Third member", center section, center chunk, pumpkin, banjo, differential, etc. 'All means the same thing...
Yep, in some circles. Third member, center section, differential carrier, carrier, or pumpkin. With the 9 inch and eight inch they are all called the same things. It is not so with other rear ends because some of them don't have a removable carrier. their carrier is all part of their "center section" that has the axle tubes welded on it. It gits more confusin' if you start talkin' redneck.
I don't remember what one website stated word for word but I think it said something about welding a 9" center chunk to your existing 8" tubes and reusing your axles. Does something like this sound even remotely correct?
It might work; IF: you had axles that fit the larger splines of the 9" side gears you had the same size tubes as were on the 9" you wanted to waste your time making something new when you could just drop in the right 9" rear end and be done with it. or cut a 9" down to fit your application.
Yeah, that's why I said "etc". There are many terms for it. Basically, it is a removable carrier. GM-type and the Ford 8.8" rear-ends (and some Chryslers) don't have removable carriers, but rather a removable cover on the back, in which case the carrier is part of the axle housing...
It's not a "might work", it's a "will work" thing to do. This is what Ford did to come up with the 9" rears for the 65-66 289 Hi-po Mustang's. You don't need 9" axles, both the 28 spline 8's and 9's use the same axles. This is a cheap easy way to get a correct width 9" for any Ford that came with an 8" rear. If you wanted a 31 spline 9, then you'd have to also get new axles with the smaller 8" and Mustang 9" bearings.
What he said! The guys are thinking you are refering to the chunk when you say "center". You have to take the center out of a 9" housing, and weld your 8" housing tubes to it. Then you have a 9" housing with 28 spline axles. After this is done, you can pick up what the other guys are refering to: A 28 spline, 9" chunk... or any of the other words they called the carrier.
The last two posts are correct. It might be easier to locate a new housing though. On the used market, look for the 58 Ford, or the early model Bronco. But these are getting tough to find. I think that I saw custom built ones on e-bay for like $350. You can then use the 28 spline axles that your car already has, or upgrade to the larger 31 spline axles. Of course 31 splines are in demand and are hard to come by, so you're back to the aftermarket. The center chunk can be found in either 28 or 31 spline varieties with various gears and posi/non-posi units. One thing that can be said about the 9", there is plenty of parts and upgrades out there for them!
Ya know, I am kinda tired of trying to put the mod into words... They say a pic says 1000 words, so here is my crude representation of the mod. Like posted, Ford did this in the past, as well as Shelby. Locally here it is about a $200 mod. The top is an 8" housing... The bottom is a crude rep of the resulting 9" housing. The axles need no work as the 8" axles are just 28 spline 9" axles.
Great references guys, well I guess since I'm a great welder and my father is a 30 year plus American motor head, we can make this thing work. Do any of you know of a probably cheap place or website where I can order the 9 inch "chunk" from?
Look for one in a Bronco. I bought a complete 31 spline 1981 Bronco rear a few months ago at a local junkyard for $200. 31 splined axles, traction loc, 3.50 gears. The Trac-loc unit is still good, took a torque wrench set to 85 ft/lbs to break the axles loose from the clutches. I just bought a narrowed to 52-1/2" 9 inch housing on ebay for it. All I need now is a set of axles. I'll have a complete 9" rear for the 77 Comet for about $750 with new 31 spline axles. Gonna sell the other two extra 9" housings I have to offset the costs some. I simply went this route as I didn't have time to narrow or section and weld a rear myself.
