ford 9" lug pattern...

[DBrown]

ok, I know some people have got to have this question. so I am going to put it out there because I have hit this point in another project I am working on.

I am wanting to either find a set of axles or figure out a way to make a 9" have the 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. wheel spacers will not work for what I am trying to do.

the options I have come up with are to either have the lug pattern redrilled on the existing shafts or get a set of custom axles. I don't realy want to switch over to disk in the rear of the car because I don't think it is needed so I am wanting to make this work with a set of drums. I think disk is going to be my only way out for the breaks because of the lug pattern but any ideas would help.

for those of you that must know I got my old dart back and am thinking of putting a 9" in the rear of it to handle a hi-po 318 I am building. I am planning to use the EB 9" I have removed from my 71 EB

[mccutcheon4]

This may or may not help,

The Ford 9" rears came in many applications with various lug patterns.
5 on 4.5"----Mavericks,Mustangs,Fairlanes,Galaxies,assorted Mercurys and some early E100s
5 on 5"----Galaxies, LTDs, Lincolns, and other big boat Fords
5 on 5.5"----1/2 ton trucks and vans

Ford started using the 9" in 1957 and used it until around 1986. There were many axle configurations, big bearing, small bearing, tapered timken style bearings, 28 spline & 31 spline. The trucks typically had thicker axle tubes than cars also. There was a 9-3/8" that came in a few years of Lincolns and big LTDs, stay away from those.

There were two versions from the factory with disc brakes, the lincoln Versallis version, which had the 4.5 lug pattern, and LTD and full size Lincoln version which had the 5.5 lug pattern. Both disc brake versions were really heavy.

Try this site http://www.kevinstang.com/Ninecase.htm

[Nobody]

Yep, lots of 5 on 4.5 9's out there.

Galaxies were 5 on 5? hmmm......interesting.

[mccutcheon4]

Yep, lots of 5 on 4.5 9's out there.

Galaxies were 5 on 5? hmmm......interesting.

Sorry about that Nobody. In general, the majority of big Fords before the mid 70s were 5 on 4.5. In the later years a lot of the LTDs (Galaxies) , Lincolns & big Mercurys went to 5 on 5. I have a disc brake 5 on 5 pattern 9 inch out of a LTD rotting away in the back right now. They aren't good for much, they are way to heavy, the discs brakes were feeble and hard to get proportioned correctly.

I put a Vesallis disc brake 9" in a 66 fastback in the 80s, it was a major pain in the ass. Years later I upgraded the Mustang, with SVOs 9" disc brake conversion`. The SVO brakes worked very well, the calipers were smaller than the great big Versallis junk, and stopped the car much quicker. The conversion had to weight at least 30 pounds less.

[DBrown]

I have been looking around but cant seem to find an axle chart for the 9" that gives the shaft lengths...y'all know of one?

I am looking for a set of shafts I can maybe just order to work.

[mccutcheon4]

I have been looking around but cant seem to find an axle chart for the 9" that gives the shaft lengths...y'all know of one?

I am looking for a set of shafts I can maybe just order to work.

I am not aware of any axle length charts. Try this guy:
Doug Barley, Barley Machine. (253)-377-3534
3204 RIDGEVIEW DR. BREMERTON,WA 98310
He works wonders with axles.

Also, Bill Scribner in Kent, sells Mosier axles and does lots of diff work.
I don't have his number right off, but I bet Tekatlarge does.

[DBrown]

maybe we should start a chart being as there is nothing out there...I got a few rears I can post up some lengths. there is alot of info out there on the center sections but nothing on the shafts.

I have a feeling I am just going to get a set of 31 spline axles for an EB and have them redrilled for the smaller lug pattern. then run a disk brake setup.