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Narrowing a Ford 9"

Israel

NAXJA Forum User
I have a 9" from a late 70's Big Bronco that I want to throw in the back. From my measurements, it looks to be about 65.5 inches wide (wms-wms). I'd like to take 2 inches off both ends bringing it to 61.5 which would match the waggy width D44 I want to put in the front next year. My initial plan was to cut 2 inches off the ends and weld the ends back on, but looking at the currie heavy duty 9", I see that they press the tubes 7 inches into the housing while my stock tubes look to be only 2 to 3 inches into the housing. So instead of cutting the ends off and rewelding them, would it be possible to carefully grind off the weld at the housing/tube juncture and press the tubes a further 2 inches into the housing, then reweld the tubes in? It might not be the easier of the two methods and would most likely require the use of a big press, but it should also increase the rigidity of the housing, right? What do you all think?
 
Depending on how the housing looks, that may be a prohibitive amount of grinding. Some of those 9" housings have a pretty healthy welded seam.

Whatever you do, you need to get a couple of pucks that mimick the bearing race with a 1" or so hole in them. Then a very straight piece of solid bar stock and two more machined pucks to mimick the outer bearing races. This is your bearing alignment tool. Don't perform this job without one!
 
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Like CRASH says.
I'd say just get a new set of housing ends like these:
ce95011.jpg

Currie Housing ends - $75
Cut your old ones off. Should be close to 2" a side by just cutting them off at where the weld meets the tube. Slip in your new housing ends, use your alignment tool and weld.

You could save your old ends but for $75, you might have to ask yourself if the effort to clean them up for re-use is worth the savings.
 
It definitely looks like cutting the ends is the way to go. If I were to press the tubes in further I'd have to brace the end of the tube in the housing somehow for any benifit since the housing flares out inside.

While googling 9" tech, I came across a good page of a guy who did a full floater conversion and he used a jig like what you are talking about. I have a local shop that will narrow it for me for around 150 so I think I'll go that route and know it was done right.
 
Israel said:
It definitely looks like cutting the ends is the way to go. If I were to press the tubes in further I'd have to brace the end of the tube in the housing somehow for any benifit since the housing flares out inside.

While googling 9" tech, I came across a good page of a guy who did a full floater conversion and he used a jig like what you are talking about. I have a local shop that will narrow it for me for around 150 so I think I'll go that route and know it was done right.

For $150 I wouldn't bother doing it myself either. Some people have been known to butt weld the ends onto the housing. Even if it costs a little more make sure it isn't done that way. I hate that. :D
 
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