Ford 9" question
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,456
Likes: 0
From: Brockport NY
Ford 9" question I have the opportunity to get a ford 9" out of a 76 van for free, but had a couple of questions. What am I going to need to get it all to fit and will I have to have the axels shortened or lengthened for my application, and I would really like to keep my abs so what would I have to do in order to keep that. Or is it not even worth all the time and money and save the 2k pulse for a strange or something. Right now my posi is shot and I don’t want to fix it because I have the m6 and want to go back to the track in fear of breaking something else. Thanks
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 595
Likes: 0
From: Clarksville,Tn
The only way you can tell if you have to narrow it is to measure from axle flange to axle flange on your stock rear and on the 9". I just got done with mine last week, it came out of a 76 (I think) country squire station wagon and was only a 1/4 inch wider than the stock 10 bolt so I didn't have to narrow it at all. It's not the easiest task but not that hard either. All I did was level the 10 bolt up in a vise then used a protractor to see what degree all the mounts were at so I could put them back stock and keep the pinion angle right. I then ground off all the brackets on the 10 bolt(you will destroy the 10 bolt doing this), reshaped them to fit the 9" plus take a lil bit off the curved edge of the brackets because the tubes are a bigger diameter on the 9" and this will throw everything off if you dont cut some off them, then I welded the brackets on the 9" making sure I leveled it up in the vise first and put them back on at the same degree they were on the 10 bolt. As far as a torque arm mount, I don't have one anymore 
. I made my own z bars so I don't use the torque anymore but I found one place online that sells a bolt on torque arm mount. Not really a whole lot to it but it takes time, just like everything else.
. I made my own z bars so I don't use the torque anymore but I found one place online that sells a bolt on torque arm mount. Not really a whole lot to it but it takes time, just like everything else. NXSLT1 - Seems like you are top notch at modification work. Kudos to your excellent work. Jditlfm - You have to be very good at welding especially since the stock 9 bolt is most likely cast, requiring controlled heating and cooling procedures. The torque arm mount is most likely where you will have breakage problems. Also the 9 inch you chose has a stock center section using with cast iron and a small pinion support, this center will not hold up very long to higher amounts of power. And it probably has an open diff, no good for putting power to the pavement and even if you had it set up with an after market posi it would cost you a pretty penny to purchase the parts and have it set up.
CMC
CMC
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 595
Likes: 0
From: Clarksville,Tn
Thank you for the compliment but the only thing cast iron would be the center section and you wouldn't be welding on it anyway. The stock pinion bearings will be fine, you'd be surprised at the power a stock 9 can take and I only have about $1150 in this rear and that's with new everything except the housing and center section. Like I said though it takes some patience and it won't be done in just a weekend. I forgot to mention that you'll have to make caliper brackets if you wanna keep the stock F body disc brakes. Weld on brackets would be the easiest but I made bolt on ones similar to the stock ones. Yes I have a lathe and a milling machine to do this on. 
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,456
Likes: 0
From: Brockport NY
Thanks for the input. 
As far as welding my dad would be doing all the welding for me as that is what he dose for a living. Im not so sure about all the modifacation tho im not sure i have that kind of skill or tools to make everything right and straight. Also would i still be able to keep my abs? As of now i have four options.
1.) Do the 9" rebuild it and put a posi in it. (over the winter)
2.) Get the guts out of a 3rd gen trans am 10bolt and use the 4.11 and the mini spool that was put in it with 0 miles for (free). (I have a m6)
3.) Get a complete 10 bolt out of a 3rd gen z28 and bolt it in(free)?
or 4.) just get a new posi unit and hope nothing else brakes
What do you guys think my best bet is since i dont have alot of money and the car is my dd but it will see more track time mabey a couple times a month in the summer. And thanks again guys for all the help.
As far as welding my dad would be doing all the welding for me as that is what he dose for a living. Im not so sure about all the modifacation tho im not sure i have that kind of skill or tools to make everything right and straight. Also would i still be able to keep my abs? As of now i have four options.1.) Do the 9" rebuild it and put a posi in it. (over the winter)
2.) Get the guts out of a 3rd gen trans am 10bolt and use the 4.11 and the mini spool that was put in it with 0 miles for (free). (I have a m6)
3.) Get a complete 10 bolt out of a 3rd gen z28 and bolt it in(free)?
or 4.) just get a new posi unit and hope nothing else brakes
What do you guys think my best bet is since i dont have alot of money and the car is my dd but it will see more track time mabey a couple times a month in the summer. And thanks again guys for all the help.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 595
Likes: 0
From: Clarksville,Tn
If yer gonna race very much I wouldn't spend any money on a 10 bolt. If it's all free then that's another story, no money lost just the time spent working on it. I understand about the money situation, that why I did my own 9". If you launch an M6 car very hard with sticky tires very many times you will grenade the stock 10 bolt pretty quick. I twisted an axle off right at the differential (you couldn't drive it out of it with a sledgehammer) and busted every spider gear in it the third or fourth time I launched with Mickey ET streets. I was launching at around 3500-4000 and knew it wouldn't last long and I'm just a measley bolt on LT1, just an excuse to put the 9" under it. It doesn't take any special tools to put the 9 under the car, all I used was a grinder, mig welder, tape mesurer and a protractor, it all measures out perfect too. I did have to use the lathe and milling machine for the z bars and caliper brackets but you can buy a bolt on torque arm mount so that does away with the need for the z bars and you can make weld on caliper brackets with a bandsaw, grinder and welder. Just depends on how bad ya want it, if you need any suggestions just ask.
It doesn't take any special tools to put the 9 under the car, all I used was a grinder, mig welder, tape mesurer and a protractor, it all measures out perfect too. I did have to use the lathe and milling machine for the z bars and caliper brackets but you can buy a bolt on torque arm mount so that does away with the need for the z bars and you can make weld on caliper brackets with a bandsaw, grinder and welder. Just depends on how bad ya want it, if you need any suggestions just ask. Last edited by NXSLT1; Aug 18, 2005 at 12:20 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,456
Likes: 0
From: Brockport NY
What about the abs on the 9" will i be able to transfer it?
If so then i might just do that as a nice winter project.Then mabey throw the 4.11 and a spool in it for the rest of the summer and have a little fun.
Thanks for helping so much i realy appretiate it.
If so then i might just do that as a nice winter project.Then mabey throw the 4.11 and a spool in it for the rest of the summer and have a little fun.
Thanks for helping so much i realy appretiate it. Trending Topics
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 595
Likes: 0
From: Clarksville,Tn
Does yers have the reluctor rings on the end of the axles for the ABS? I don't know if all models are like that or not. I don't know if you could get those put on new axles or not, never tried it. I know Moser can make yer axles just about any way you want it, you might give them a call and see. If you can get those put on somehow and then mount the sensors for them I don't see why it wouldn't work. I didn't keep my ABS so I didn't study that part any at all. Maybe somebody else can answer that one.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
