LUVTruck.com

So I was thinking about swapping my rear end in my 1975 chevy luv for a ford 9 inch and I really don't know where to begin with it. First off, what length of a housing am I looking at that will directly replace the OE rear end?

If you do a search a few members including hotrod80 had the measurements with certain rim backspacing.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

You will find that a 52" wide rear end, backing plate to backing plate will fit right in. This gives you just the right clearance between the springs and backing plates. I have gone to a 51" but it is really close and you will have to use wheels with a 3 1/2" back spacing.
You might be able to save a lot of money by using a 8" Ford? You can look around and buy a 8" from a Maverick 302 powered Grabber. These were 54" wide so all you have to do is install new spring perches and go. These rear ends will hold up to 450 hp and can be built to hold over a 1,000!! They also are available with Trac Lock but the lowest factory gears available are 3:50. and most are 2:79 so you might have to have new gears installed. Good luck, dp

So do you have any more info on these mavericks? I'm looking at car-parts.com and I see a lot of the rear axle assemblies for the years 70's through 77's and I don't know what I should be looking for other than it being in a 3.08 or 3.00 ratio. Any useful info on the year models and what widths and ratios they are?

If you find any kind of 9" that was in an s10 it will fit. I bought my housing off of ebay. Just look up s10 9". Its a direct bolt in. Got to be pretty expensive after i built the whole thing though.

Sorry, been busy and off site for a while, the Maverick you are looking for has to be a "Grabber" edition with a factory 302. While not as numerous as the 6 cylinder ones these are out there and pretty cheap too. I just saw one at the Ontario Pik a Part complete for $1300 and it had a 302 4 bbl, P/S. PDB, C4 and factory a/c! Good buy!
dp

The one I'm putting in my mudd racing luv comes from 70's model bronco 53" pad to pad, haven't put it in yet but should have it in by the weekend.

I think the sought after Granada 9" disc rear is 54" wide flange to flange (side the wheels bolt to ) but please don't hold me to it.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

There are a couple of pretty good options
!. build a 9 inch from scratch . 1979 Bronco rear axle with tag 3L.50 . This gives you a 3.50 gear with trac=loc (Fords posi) , big bearings , 11"x2" drum brakes and 31 splines . Imo this is the best option . Dis asseble the axle , have the housing narrowed and the axles cut off . Send them Moser for a respline and bolt pattern of choice . Rebuild factory truck drums and factory brake cables snap right in . Yhis can be done for $750

S-10 7.5 almost a bolt in easy and cheap . variity of gears and brakes . Weak wont take much power stock. 54.5

S-10 8.5 rare same width as 7.5

8.8 explorer disc or drums 3.55 ,, 3.73 , 4,10 most are limited slip . 31 spline . to wide , so have to be narrowed , but you can use 2 short side axles and cut 3 inches out of long tube for center diff . ends up at 56"

8 inch is expensive and gear choises are limited , posi expensive and hard to come by and small axle bearings

mail Jeep Dana 44 closest bolt in with perches moved . Ford truck bolt pattern 5x5 bolt pattern . Getting hard to find , but strong

Just a small list of options