What needs to be changed to install a 8.75 rear end in a 73 Charger

[cudaken]

I am trying to help Petar find a 8.75 rear end for his 73 Charger. His Charger is a 400 2 barrel with 727. What I need to know is what all I need to find for him.

I am looking for a load 8.75 with backing plates, brakes and hardware. Once I find one, will talk with him about getting new brakes and hardware and ship at the same time. I think the only other thing we will need is a drive shaft and U-joints. Am I missing anything? Shocks for example?

I will also try to score U-bolts with the rear end. Are the parking cable the same?

Make me a shopping list guys. I have never owned a 3rd Gen or a 8.25 rear end so I am a little clueless. This needs to be a one time shopping trip so to speak. Shipping to Europe is oing to cost more than the parts.

On the shipping, what does a loaded 8.75 rear end weight in at? Remember, will have drums and brakes.



                                                      Cuda Ken

[andy74]

ken, when i swapped from 8 1/4 to 8 3/4 i used the same drive shaft,bolts and even brakes!!just has to come from a 3rd gen car,others are to narrow(?)i used one from a 72 wagon,about 1/2 inch wider on each side,but still fits-spring mounts and all are the same.

[moparguy01]

my 8 3/4 was out of a 73? cuda i just relocated the perches. i have to say im amazed a 400 car came with a 8 1/4. Id say get new shocks at the same time, in his situation it might be worth getting new drums, as i'm sure those will be costly to get over there. and a new drum would at least give him some meat to turn them a few times.

that should be about it I'd say.

[cudaken]

 One I will pick up if I can will be a B-body. When I say pick up, I mean pick up and lift. E-body may be a little wide, but I need to dig up the chart that was listed.

                                 Cuda Ken

[RD]

One I will pick up if I can will be a B-body. When I say pick up, I mean pick up and lift. E-body may be a little wide, but I need to dig up the chart that was listed.

                                 Cuda Ken

ken, e bodies are like 1 1/2" shorter than the 71-74 b bodies.  When moparguy01 said he relocated the perches, he relocated outwards toward the backing plates to get them to fit.

[moparguy01]

yea, i gained 3/4" of tire clearance on each side.

['CUDA360]

Here is the chart..

Moparguy1, are you saying that you cut the spring seats off the rearend housing and welded new ones on or did you change the brackets and shackles ?

[moparguy01]

i relocated the spring perches on the axle itself. i bought new ones, plasma cut the old ones off, and measure and welded up the new ones.

['CUDA360]

Looking at the chart then the early B-body rear is too short to use huh?

[RD]

Looking at the chart then the early B-body rear is too short to use huh?

not unless you put a spring relocation kit in there.

[74Charger]

I have a 74' with a 400, 727, 8 1/4 rearend.  And I am right in the middle of trying to gather all the parts to make the swap.  It took me forever to find a housing locally that would work.  I did not want to have to move the perches.  I found a housing from a 72 Road runner.  I just got my drop out unitin the mail yesterday.  It weighed 82 lbs.  The housing with the backing plates seems to weigh about the same.  So I would guess the complete rearend would probably weigh somewhere around 250-300lbs?
But I am sure somebody here on the forum has shipped a complete rearend?  That can give you better idea. 

Good luck with your search.  I did find a couple of complete 71-74 drum to drum rearends for sale awhile ago.  And I still have the email addresses to those peeps.  If you are interested pm me.

[cudaken]

 74 Charger, for the offer of help. Andy, your's had a 8.25 rear end and you keept the stock shaft? What about U- joints.

                                       Cuda Ken

[Charger_Croatia]

First of all I would like to say BIG THANK to Cuda Ken, and than another BIG THANK to all OF you guys.   

I hope to get somehow 8.75 here so I don't have to worry about blowing up 8.25 which is now on the car. Transport price?? Well, in one post I said if you want to enjoy you must pay for it. But I hope that overseas container transport wouldn't take a fortune, although final price would be higher than 8.75 itself 

[71charger_fan]

At some point, I think from 72 to 73, the locating holes on the spring perches were made larger. An older rear won't sit on the spring perches without having the holes drilled. Conversely, there's too much clearance when putting the latest ones in the older cars. You have to bush the holes.

I too put an 8 3/4 in a car originally equipped with an 8 1/4. Same driveshaft, no problems. I've seen mention on Moparts of all kinds of misfortune that will befall you if you reuse the same driveshaft. News to me and my driveline.

[andy74]

bingo!  all the people on moparts said i would need differnet u joints,shorten the driveshaft 1/4 inch,blah blah blah,i changed it all in the frigging driveway,2 jack stands and a floor jack.

[cudaken]

 Petar as you seen we have the rear end. Just need to make a few more calls and then pick it up.

                                      Ken

PS, Ron seems to think the 74 HP exhaust manafolids would be a better bang for the buck than the 68 HP's I found.

                       

[71charger_fan]

 "all the people on moparts said i would need differnet u joints"

That part might be true, depending on which yoke is on the 8 3/4. I was fortunate enough to have found a small yoke 8 3/4 so it just bolted right in.

[firefighter3931]

Mopar performance and Spicer make conversion u-joints for adapting 7260 driveshafts to 7290 yokes. The 81/4 rear end will have the smaller 7260 joint. If the new 83/4 has a 7290 joint just order up the right part and you're in business. 

Ron

[cudaken]

 Well the deal is sealed. Petar rear end is out of a 71 Road Runner. Look's like it never been opened as well. Is there a problem with the spring perch? Might see what they want for the Runner's springs? Better anyway.

                         Cuda Ken