I was wondering if anyone knew of a narrow rear end (around 49 inches drum to drum) that has decent highway gears in it. I want something around 3.08 or so but could like with something as high as 3.30.
It'll be going into the MGA and be up against a T-5 and a 5.0 engine. I have a Mustang Traction-Loc but it's slated for another project and I didn't want to pay out to narrow it anyway.
I know that the Dana 44 that came in the Postal Jeep is the perfect width, but is also impossible to find here in Massachusetts, and far to heavy to ship from anywhere.
Any suggestions on what I might try/look at/check out? Maybe run out and measure your own rear ends for me?
Thanks !
T
Flange to flange on an explorer 8.8 is supposed to be 51 inches. Too wide?
WOW ! ! Just a smidge, but not by much, I would have thought that the Explorer would be much wider. Of course then there's the extra two inches per side for the drums, but still, that's a nice narrow width.
Oooops! Wrong thread. Never mind. 
I had this thought on a mg midget I was thinking about building. What about a light duty straight axle off the front of a truck. Take the long side and have it cut to match the length of the short side. Pull a matching short side out of a junk yard and bam custom narrowed axle on the cheap. There is an issue with reverse cut gears but not all front axles have those. I think I figured out that the front axle out of a Jeep xj is a pretty good candidate.
Go get an 89-97 Thunderbird V8 rear end (IRS setup), use the center section and spindles, make custom control arms and shorten the CV axles. That would be a cool setup, something I thought of doing myself in a small car (way too many projects in my mind). But maybe a bit too much work.
S10s have fairly narrow axles, but they might not be narrow enough.
axles can be shipped for cheap via greyhound..
The Salisbury axle out of an MGB would work. It's a heavy berkeleyer, but it also won't cost you much money.
I'd give you one if you were closer.
MGB axles were different widths dependent on whether it was wire or disc wheel. IIRC the wire axle is 49" and the disc wheel is 55" wheel flange to flange.
1990-92 Explorer axles are 56 1/2 wheel flange to wheel flange.
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Explorer8_8.html
The later ones are wider, and IIRC on those you can use two of the short axle shafts, then cut only one side to narrow it to around 53" and it centers the pinion at the same time. Measure carefully before taking my word on this one!
Mazda RX2, RX3 and GLC rear axles are 53" flange to flange and use 1st gen RX7 limited slip parts, they will also accept Miata R&P etc. They generally come with 3:89 gears, though. I think the highest gear available was a 3:44.
1st gen RX7's are about 57" flange to flange, IIRC. I do remember they are almost exactly the same width as the axle we had under our '86 T Bird LeMons car.
Chevettes and Opel GT's are 51" f-2-f, but don't think they'd live behind your motor.
In reply to Curmudgeon:
Yeah, I narrowed a 31 spline Explorer 8.8 myself from 58.5" down to about 56.5". You can do the same with the Ranger axle to get down to around 53.25", but I think those will only take 28 spline axles (should be fine for a 5.0 though). You'll have plenty of ratios and trac-loc units to choose from in the yards, but it's still pretty wide.
This thread title should be called False Advertising
Hurrrumph
My wife gets mad when I look at other rear ends,
but this thread is not relevant to my interests because I like them wide=]
My Buddy has an MGB parts car out back, read end width is almost dead on, but the best ratio available is 3.9 without waltzing into MGC territory whch is WAY to pricey for me.
A 3.9 would be terrible against a T-5/5.0 package. But the price is right for either and it would probably last until I was able to find somethings that had more appropriate gearing.
Also have a friend who is an RX7 Guru, again though, terrible gear ratio.
So far, it looks like a professionally narrowed Ford/Mustang with shortened axles is the only really viable option, just gotta find another two grand hanging on the money tree out back. For such a small, light car, I think that a 7.5 will work just fine. It'll only be for the street, might be able to live with drums in the rear as well.
Damn, money tree? I'm gonna backtrack your IP address.
Hey Tom the RX-7 axle will take the Miata centre section I think, so maybe there is a better ratio available from them. I also have a couple RX-3 housings if that helps you at all. Just the housing and some axle shafts though so you would have to find a centre, but they should also accept RX-7, and Miata stuff.
