Ford 9" Offset

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RAT IHC

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2011
Messages
525
Location
St. Petersburg, FL.
Just curious how those of you that use ford 9 inchers in your builds deal with the offset. Do you center the pinion or the housing? I know most of the cars that rolled off the lines in Detroit had a drive shaft that was off center at the rear.
 
im using the 8.8 ford "exploxder" it too is off set. I centered the housing since the pinion was offset in the housing. Measured the distance from flange to housing on both sides and split the difference based on my springs. dont know if it was right or wrong but it looks like the ring gear is now center of the truck.
 
oldskool: that is the same direction that I'm heading. Thanks for your input. I know some people will center the housing by cutting down the long side, but I think that is for high HP cars and cars with a very short drive shaft. My center housing is 2 inch off center so I don't think it will make that much difference. I was just curious if most of the other guys on here do the same. I know that the 9 inch is a popular rear end to use in builds.
 
off center

HI
I did a 9" for my 34 and did not know it was offset untill I ordered the axles and the guy said they should not be the same. Like its said it came from Ford that way so its OK.
This may help some I cut the axle tube where its welded to the center and move the tubes in. It worked great I did not need to mess with the bearing end of the tubes or the fact they are reduced in diameter on the outer end.

have fun
Tom
 
offset

You can run the offset diff. with no problems, the u joints dont know the difference between up and down or side to side, it wil be fine, just keep the right angle on the trans and diff. you will be fine.
 
Off-set Center Housing

I'm putting a 89 S-10 Bronco rearend in my 30 and found that the pumpkin was off-set by about one (1) inch to one side too.

I split the difference and centered it by the wheel/backing plate spacing from the frame on the inside and it came out OK.

I'll know in a short while now how it's going to "act"....
 
Center the rear end side to side the offset is there to help reduce bearing wear! The only rear I know of that would be hard to use because of this, is a van! Soma of them had massive offset, but I think the engine was offset too!!
The ones I'm talking about were 3/4 ton though, NOT 9"!!!
 
Most truck 9 inch rear have the pinion off set so that the axles are about the same length, Car 9 inch rears centers the pinion so that the drive shaft fits in the tunnel. witch make for the big off set in the length of the axles.

If have found that the offset most time is not a big issue unless the car is real low and the drive shaft is always up in the tunnel.

If you real look there are a lot of car and trucks out there the the line is off set either because the rear pinion is offset of the motor/trans is off set in the engine bay. Yes there are a lot of car out there that have off set engine from the factory. Mopars are on of them. I know guy with 70's cars that cut holes in there just big enough to have the air cleaning stick out of the hood when they put the hood back on the car they find out that the air cleaner is not centered. One guy fix it by pulling a piece of offset stove pipe between the carb and air cleaner.
 
I will be running an 8" out of 1969 mustang in my sedan.Right now axle is buried under pile of parts,but I think the driveshaft is centered and axles are different lengths on that one.
I used a 7.5 out of mid 1980`s ranger pickup in a 27 roadster about 7 years ago.I abused that little axle,but never had any problems.That was one tough little axle.It had an offset pinion.
I also used a 9" out of 1967 pickup in a coupe.It had offset pinion.No problems.
 

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