Rearend housing id

[fletcherson]

ok I have a aftermarket chrome rearend that is a ford 8" center section, but the axle flange is big gm, being 3-3/8 center to center across the top and bottom studs, left to right, and 2-5/8 center to center across the left and right studs, top to bottom, and has a 3" od axle tube. Looks like the rotor offset is 2-1/2" best I can tell without removing the axle. I am having a time locating a disc brake kit for it. Anyone have a clue who made such a beast? It's from the late 70's.

 

[kcline40]

Hope this helps

 

[railroad]

Sounds like it is all Ford expect the axle flange is drilled for GM. I would match the rotor at a parts house, verifying off set and lug pattern. I would bet the caliper is Ford unless you have a bolt on adapter plate. Pics would help a lot.

 

[fletcherson]

Yea, it seems they used a ford housing and added big gm flanges and drum brakes. I guess that was thought to be the thing to do? I actually spoke with a man from jeggs who called and spoke with a company that I think they own, and sell, but they can put a bolt on set together for me. It was a pleasure to have someone actually take time to make calls and get back to me to help, sort of rare these days. Thanks for posting the flange chart! You just never know what you can get into on these things, never assume anything! Lol.

 

[railroad]

Well for some reason, I envisioned disc brakes. Now I see you are running drums. A picture would help verify the type of backing plate you have. What do you need to replace, just the shoes and drum?

 

[fletcherson]

Well for some reason, I envisioned disc brakes. Now I see you are running drums. A picture would help verify the type of backing plate you have. What do you need to replace, just the shoes and drum?

All I have are the backing plates. When I bought the car, it had been disassembled to repaint and never finished, it then sat in a garage for 30 years so parts got lost. I was considering just running the drums on the rear and adding front disc, but when I started adding up the cost of all of the pieces, even from rock auto, it rivals converting to disc. So I started looking at kits. That's when I discovered the hybrid housing... I actually thought it was a 9", as the seller said, until I actually got serious about looking at it. I will get some pics, I was going to the other day, but my camera battery was in need of a charge...

 

[Hackerbilt]

I converted from rear disc back to drums.
The car stops great and, as a planned bonus, I now have a very strong and reliable hand brake system.
Doubt I would drop my big front discs though.
I definately like the stopping power I get from them, but I think rear disc is a bit overrated for our light little cars.
They CAN be a nicely finished style addition however. Lots of options!
Not a whole lot you can do to spice up a set of drums. LoL

 

[railroad]

If you try to buy the brakes by the piece it might be more costly than buying an assembly. I have been surprised at how cheap drum brakes are. Pics are really going to help. The guys on here have seen just about everything.

 

[fletcherson]

Ok, with any luck, here are some pics oh the housing and brake setup.

 

[fletcherson]

[/IMG] Second try

 

[fletcherson]

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[fletcherson]

Sorry, the darn thing refuses to cooperate, I give up on the pics.

 

[fletcherson]

 

[2old2fast]

Show pic of the center section please.
dave

 

[kcline40]

Looks like a 64 Chevy Impala rear end housing, similar to what I was going to run on my car.

 

[fletcherson]

 

[fletcherson]

Looks like a 64 Chevy Impala rear end housing, similar to what I was going to run on my car.

It does look like it. Perhaps that's the answer to this mystery. I don't remember gm having front load diffs. I thought that was Ford and Mopar. That could explain what looks to be GM on the carrier? I didn't notice that before. Live and learn.

 

[fletcherson]

I think you nailed it! After a quick search, it appears to be a 59-64 GM 8.2" diff. I feel like a fool. It sure resembles the ford 8". The guy I bought it from thought it was a ford 9" and I took it for granted until I noticed the flatness. The old GM rears must be a forgotten item, I looked at numerous brake upgrade sites and none listed any info on them. Does anyone have any experience with them? I will have to go through it because it has a spool in it, and that just won't due on the street for me anyways. Thanks for your input!

 

[2old2fast]

Parts are out there for those ,they are fairly weak rear , especially the axles...I'd be fairly surprised if that had a spool just because of that factor...This might be a good time to think about either a 9" ford [cheap parts available everywhere] or 8.8 ford or an s-10 rear [again ,popularity & cheap parts]...I gave away 3 of those housings,2 center sections & 1/2 dozen axles 18 years ago because the cost of putting brakes on them was nearly as much as a complete 9" ford ready to go...
dave

 

[fletcherson]

I haven't opened it, but it is solid, the wheels drag when turning, and when you spin one wheel back and forth, it's very rigid, both wheels move in exact fashion like a spool. I would be pleasantly surprised if it isn't, and glad to be mistaken. I won't try to run it on the street with one. It was a drag car, with slicks, ect., that was the story about the overly stiff rear suspension per previous owner...wheel stands? I ran it up and down the street once with no functioning brakes when I bought it and it was a handful. Btw, I have the inspection pan for that bellhousing too.