Building a 9" Ford Rear - What Width?
 

What width rear end are most of you running in your cars? I'm modifying my 68 Camaro for street and some autocrossing. This will include the DSE mini-tubs. I've got most of the materials for a 9" Ford rearend and am curious if most of you are running stock width or narrowed. I know it ultimately depends on the wheel backspacing you want to run, wheel width, etc. But where are most of you starting out?

I believe 60 1/2" is stock width (axle stub to stub). I called DSE because I just bought a 9" off the used market that was a DSE unit asking what "typical" width was. They're all custom but I was told the common "narrow" axle is 2 7/8" on each side.

That's exactly what this one came out to, 54.75" width from stub to stub. I think he said with the minitub kit etc, it allows for 18x12" wheels and 4.75" backspacing.

Thats about the best I can do as far as explaining it. BTW this is all for 69 camaro so not sure how similar between the first gen years.

William

William

Thanks for the reply. That's exactly what I was looking for. We were discussing about 2" each side, so I know I'm in the ballpark. I've been hanging around the site for a while and learned a lot from you all.

You really need to decide on your wheels first then narrow the rear to fit them.

? stub to stub
 

When you say stub to stub is that backing plate to backing plate? Any help would be great. Thanks

Stub to stub is misleading. The correct way to measure is from wheel mount surface to wheel mount surface. That measurement needs to include any brake drum or rotor hat thickness. The 60.5" for the 1st gen Camaro is measured this way. But again, you need to know what your wheel backspace is in order to determine the axle width. Given the wheels I have I ended up with a 57" wide axle.

Here is the typical 9" housing that we supply with our Torque Arm Suspension for 1st gen's. The housing is 52" "flange-to-flange" so that translates to 57" axle flange to axle flange. This works well with Mini-tubs and most brake combos, but we can build to your specs as well.


http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/...n/BMR9inch.jpg

My Fab 9 was just made to 52-1/2 axle flannge to axle flange. I'm using 12" wheels with 5" back space.

Again, it depends on your wheels. I am running 18x12 Forgelines on the rear and I have a 57" wheel mount to wheel mount. This will change depending on your wheels.

http://hayes-ent.com/steve/images/camaro1.jpg

http://hayes-ent.com/steve/images/camaro2.jpg