9-1/4 rear end question

[troy.70R/T]

I have some questions about the 9-1/4 rear end. I recently bought a 68 Charger R/T with no motor or trans. My plans are to some day narrow a rear end for it. I really don't want spend the money on a Dana but would like it to be a strong rear end. The guy I bought the car from told be that he read an article awhile back that referred to the 9-1/4 as the baby Dana. I was just wondering if anyone here has heard them called that or might have read the same article? I have a 1975 plymouth station wagon that I bought for the motor and trans years ago. it is a 400 in the wagon an I was just wondering if anyone could tell me if they thought that it might have the 9-1/4 in it. The car is at my parents place 300 miles away so I really can't look at it to see. I see someone posted a chart of the rear ends and it tell what kind or rear end usually came in whit kind of cars but I have no idea if the station wagon is a C-body. So would the 9-1/4 be (a lot) stronger that a 8-3/4? Is a sure grip unit available for them and would it be cost effective to narrow a 9-1/4?  thankyou.

[Cooter]

Troy, If it were me, I'd go find me a 3/4 ton Dana 60 out of a truck, then grab myself a set of B-Body alxes from an 8 3/4, weld on the housing ends...

Then, later on, I'd go with a 35-40 Spline Sure Grip unit for the Dana and upgrade the axles at the time I narrowed the rear.
The 9 1/4 rear is a good rear, but just like anything else, when it comes to upgrading it, it can get expensive to get it where you want it....

[RD]

personally, the 9 1/4 aint that bad.  I had a suregrip unit in one in my 87 ramcharger.  All the 1/2 dodge trucks up to at least 2007 have the 9 1/4 rear end in them still.  they were the mainstay for all full size trucks from 94 on up.  Because of this, you will find a lot of them in junkyards, with and without suregrips.

the 9 1/4 layout is just like the 8 1/4 that you may find in a, b, and c bodies.  i have a friend that runs one in derby and it lasts quite well.  the one in my '05 ram takes a lot of abuse (hehe).

[troy.70R/T]

well my brother has some 67 thr 72 chevy and GMC 3/4 ton rear ends would those be Dana 60? Or what kind of trucks should I be looking for?

[troy.70R/T]

Also where can I buy the housing ends and spring perches?

[Cooter]

This may not work for all Dana 60's but MOST of the early 8 lug, 3/4 ton Dana's will have a little "60" cast on the bottom of the housing on one of the strengthening ribs....Summit Racing as well as Jeg's sells the housing ends as well as the spring perches....

Make sure you learn/memorize the Dana 60 cover so you will know it when you see it....1 ton rears have HUGE AXLES!! and will not accept 8 3/4 axles.....BE CAREFUL! There is a Dana 70 under some 1 ton's and 1 1/2 ton trucks that looks almost identical to the Dana 60, cept' bigger...

MUST be 3/4 ton 8 lug set up for the "Cheap" dana to work...The ONLY thing that I can tell that's different is the fact that the 3/4 ton "Truck" Dana does NOT HAVE a provision for a pinion snubber....Hope this helps, as I've got two conversion Dana 60's and love 'em....

BTW, those trucks you mentioned could very well have Dana 60's under 'em..Ford, Chevy, As well As Mopar used the Dana's under their 3/4 trucks, especially, the 4WD versions....It is entirely possible to build a SURE GRIP, Dana 60, with 3.54-4.10 gears for UNDER $700.00 with all new brake shoes, wheels cyl. etc.  I've done it..Now, if you have to PAY someone else for the labor, well it will cost a bit more....

This is not the greatest pic., but you can make out the "Blue" rear..It is a 3/4 ton, "Truck" dana 60..

[motorcitydak]

I have to add it   quickperformance.com  ford 9 inch semi floating housings in any width for just over 600 bucks. Just add the brakes and 3rd member. Thats the route Im taking but I any try to go for the full floater

[RD]

I have to add it   quickperformance.com  ford 9 inch semi floating housings in any width for just over 600 bucks. Just add the brakes and 3rd member. Thats the route Im taking but I any try to go for the full floater

9"? in a mopar? tsk tsk tsk.. no half-breeds buddy

[Cooter]

It's wierd how everybody goes for the 9" Ford, when I've seen too many break right at the pinion where the 9" is the weakest...Snaps like a twig...

One thing I DO NOT like about the 9" Ford is the fact that no matter what you do, it always has one axle longer than the other...Can't be good in a High HP/Torque set up with the shorter axle fighting with the longer on who's gonna snap first....

[troy.70R/T]

Thanks for the info Cooter. Can a pinion snubber be attached to these rear ends? Or is there something avaliable after market?

[Cooter]

Unfortunately, I haven't seen anything that will allow a pinion snubber to be installed...I just figured in my app. I'd just run either bars or four link and omit the snubber.  It is a cheap way to a Dana 60 though, Especially if you score one with a Sure Grip...

[troy.70R/T]

will the stock springs from my 8-3/4 work with the dana?

[motorcitydak]

It's wierd how everybody goes for the 9" Ford, when I've seen too many break right at the pinion where the 9" is the weakest...Snaps like a twig...

One thing I DO NOT like about the 9" Ford is the fact that no matter what you do, it always has one axle longer than the other...Can't be good in a High HP/Torque set up with the shorter axle fighting with the longer on who's gonna snap first....

Not trying to get off topic, but the 9 inch I am running in my Hemi 96 Dakota is from a 78-79 Bronco/F150 and the shafts are equal lenght. You can also have em custom made rather cheaply and have the center placed where ever you want to give yourself equal length shafts

[Cooter]

will the stock springs from my 8-3/4 work with the dana?

They should as the housing's are 3" I believe...Although, later on, you might wanna step up to a set of SS springs if you plan on hooking the car with leafs..

[troy.70R/T]

How much does a set of springs cost? any you would recomend?  What about traction bars on the stock springs?

[Cooter]

Slapper bars are frowned upon by most, but I admit, I run 'em and they do work. SS Springs can be had from Jeg's, Summit Racing, Mopar Perf. Etc...
The prices are listed as well...

[troy.70R/T]

Cooter when you say that you have built Dana 60 from truck rear ends did you narrow them to the stock width or did you narrow them more that what a stock rear would be? 

[Cooter]

Cooter when you say that you have built Dana 60 from truck rear ends did you narrow them to the stock width or did you narrow them more that what a stock rear would be? 

Done them both ways...I put one under a Duster that was Narrowed quite a bit (31X18.50 Mickey's on the rear) and I had one narrowed under a RoadRunner which was stock B-body width...

If you `go with the stock width, you don't have the cost of axles..Course, if you narrow it for huge rear tires (Pro street), the axles will put more onto the cost of build...

[troy.70R/T]

Thanks I am not sure yet of the measurements but I am thinking that I will only want to narrow mine about a couple inches on each side. I want to run some 15X10 slotted mags on the back of my 68 Charger with out tubing it or moving the springs. I just want the 15X10's to fit under the car a little bit more. I dno't even know if this is possiable yet as I still have to get some tires on the rims to check clearances. 

[Cooter]

With the correct offset, I've seen that size wheel under the fenders quite well....Again, it's all in the offset of the wheel....

[troy.70R/T]

Well the back spacing on the 15X10 rims I have is 3-1/2. I also have another set that is 3-1/4 back spacing. Not real sure on tire size but I have 295/60/15 on the back of my 70 R/T on 15X8.5 slotted mags. I was also thinking those would be alright for the 10 inch wide rims as well. So any ideas on wether or not you think I will be able to shorten a stock width rear end a couple inches on each side and still have some clearance from the inner wheel well without mini tubing it? Not asking for an absolute 100 percent yes just wondering if you think this will work. Even if all I can shorten a rear end is an inch on each side.

[Cooter]

I do know a Charger has a HUGE rear wheel well, so I would think that a 295/60 would fit under it with the proper narrowing for thise DEEP dish wheels...I have seen 10" wide wheels under the fenders with Weld Racing wheels with like a 6 1/2" backspacing and looked good. A 10" wheel with only 3 1/2" backspacing will leave almost 7" to the outside and that's a DEEP dish wheel, but can be done with ALOT of measuring and calculations...

[troy.70R/T]

well thanks for the input. One last question. Is there anyway to tell if a Dana 60 rear end is a posi without taking it apart? Is there a certain casting number to look for? Do you know if lower gear rear ends were more likely to have posi's?   Thanks again.

[suntech]

295/60- 15  on 10 " rims should fit under there fine, with app 5-5,5 backspace on a standard rearend. I have 295/50-15, 10" rims, and 4,5 backspace. needed to roll the lips, but i like the wheels as far out as possible.
Narrowing the rearend to 2 inches narrower than original should get you there!
Sorry, cant remember from top of my head the standard width, but that should be easy to find out 

[troy.70R/T]

Thanks Suntech. Is there anyway I could get you to post a pic of that setup?