Has anyone done a ford nine inch rear on a datsun 210??

[DaBlist]

I've been thinking of doing a 7.5" Ford along with a Detroit Tru Trac for my recently acquired 1980 210. It's going to be getting a KA24DE and I think that would be the perfect axle seeing as I do want an LSD (gonna Auto-X) anyone know if there is any problem narrowing these? I'd really love to have it setup to where I could use a ZERO offset wheel on the back and be flush as possible without rolling the fender lips.

Turbo210

Ford and GM (Ranger, S10 etc.) 7.5 rearends seem like a good choices for lighter cars. Lots of choices for gear sets and LSD units at good prices. In a light street car you will spin the tires before breaking things (as mentioned already) and the unsprung weight isn't so bad. Even if it's not important now I would go with a rearend that it's easy to get a LSD unit for.

[Kisor]

Turbo210

Ford and GM (Ranger, S10 etc.) 7.5 rearends seem like a good choices for lighter cars. Lots of choices for gear sets and LSD units at good prices. In a light street car you will spin the tires before breaking things (as mentioned already) and the unsprung weight isn't so bad. Even if it's not important now I would go with a rearend that it's easy to get a LSD unit for.

 

I wouldn't mess with a 7.5 Ford. There are only a couple LSD's for them and they don't weigh any less than an 8.8 Ford. 8.8's came in everything from '85 up and are capable os handling over 1000 hp in much heavier cars. Parts are cheap and plentiful, they are in every junk yard, can be cut down easily and have options for 9" style housing ends using captured bearings etc... etc...

[Kramer1981]

I wouldn't mess with a 7.5 Ford. There are only a couple LSD's for them and they don't weigh any less than an 8.8 Ford. 8.8's came in everything from '85 up and are capable os handling over 1000 hp in much heavier cars. Parts are cheap and plentiful, they are in every junk yard, can be cut down easily and have options for 9" style housing ends using captured bearings etc... etc...

 

I ran a 7.5 ford in a 68 Valiant with a 318, street car with an auto(yes autos are a little easier on a rear than a manual) and beat on it without issue, BUT, the 8.8 is a better choice for numerous reasons, lotta brake choices including rear discs, better aftermarket following, lots more factory gear options, and the 9" safety bearing setup(wasnt aware of this mod, until now) is a good choice, and I say that simply because I lost an axleshaft at 80 and I assure you its not fun. Explaining it to a wrecker driver at 3am isnt fun either. Taking the next day off work to fix it isnt fun either.

 

Its strange, I broke a c clip rearend and the axle never offered to leave the car, but I overheat a bearing on a safety hub rear and the whole axle goes bouncing down the highway and I have to chase it after I slide in doing a belly landing.

 

oh, the S10 rears, some of those are the "big 10 bolt" which are the same as Camaro, fullsize pickup, caprice, etc. 8.5 ring gear diameter. The later model ones seem to grenade easily in the fullsize trucks, 88-98 seems to be the problem years, or at least thats how it seems around here. Tons of 1500s with destroyed rears, tons of camaros and S10s cannibalized for their rear gears

Edited November 16, 2012 by Kramer1981

[ggzilla]

What are your requirements?

* Lightweight

* Fits w/o narrowing, or do you want to pay to have it narrowed?

* Durable with how much engine torque???

* Rear disc brakes -- important to you or not? Doesn't really stop any faster.

* Inexpensive LSD available?

 

You can swap in *any* axle you want. Jaguar IRS? It's been done. Alfa Romeo? It's been done. Ford 9"? It's been done.

[Kramer1981]

I probably should have also mentioned the dana 44 rear used in D series mail jeeps. pretty narrow already, lots of gear/lsd/locker possibilities. I think the D jeeps all had posi, as they were 2WD. I know alot of the Chevy LUV guys are running these in their drag trucks.

 

Let me do some research...

 

4 bangers had 3.73s and straight sickses had 3.08s, all had posi...now to find a width

 

and that width is 52 inches, bolt face to bolt face...also, some had traclock, some had powerlock. It seems powerlock is more desirable, it apparently locks harder with more throttle...traclock seems to be described more like limited slip, not positraction

Edited November 16, 2012 by Kramer1981

[ggzilla]

Forgot about that, the Jeep axle is strong and already narrow enough for a Datsun car and comes with leaf spring pads.

* 8 3/4" rear end with 4.11 gears

 

BTW, Posi only came on GM vehicles. Jeep called their version "Trak-Loc", same as Dana. Just say LSD and it'll be correct.

[Kramer1981]

I stand corrected, here and from the Jeep people

[ggzilla]

Are postal jeep rear ends easy to find? They are narrower than Datsun rears

[Kramer1981]

Theres a tall glass of warm poop juice around here trying to sell a whole runnning jeep for more than its worth, but theres at least three in the parts lot at the scrapyard, so Im guessing, pretty easy to find. Make sure its a D44 and not the AMC 20. 20's have a perfect round dome cover, D44 resembles an acorn on its side, and funky bolt placement on the cover.

 

Someone would have swapped in the AMC 20, its not factory for a mail jeep. its also a tapered axle rear with a single giant nut holding the hub on.

 

The fact i know this from memory leads me to believe I REALLY NEED TO GET A LIFE!!!

Edited November 17, 2012 by Kramer1981

[Kisor]

What years and model via car-part.com should one look for said Jeep axles??

[Kramer1981]

That would be any 77-87 Jeep Dispatcher, model is DJ-5. Basically anything that is recognizable as Mail Jeep. I will note the Grumman Bodied followers are S10 based, and the newest model is Ranger/Mazda based.

 

i checked and there are plenty if you are willing to ship, lots of yards have all the particulars listed such as LSD, ratio, etc.

Edited November 17, 2012 by Kramer1981