Thread: Narrow Rear-end Cost?

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Guy's I have a 8.5" ford rear end in my 32 Ford with manual Disc Brakes. I have been playing with wheel offset to bring my wheels/tires in towards the car more but am scared I will run into brake caliper clearance with 5.25 inches of offset. I would like to bring the wheels in 2 inches on the passenger side and 2.5 on the drivers side since right now my drivers side is .5" wider than the passenger side.

Trying to get actual inner/backside wheel measurements from these wheel companies are like pulling teeth! I only need to know the measurement at about 2-3 inches inside the rear lip but they give you the narrowest point measurement closer to the center of the wheel which is too narrow to clear my caliper........

What would the cost be to have a shop do this? Would they be able to do it on the car or have to remove the whole rearend? I have a 4 link set up in the 32 on American Rails Frame.

Cost info and or other ideas I have not thought of are also appreciated.

Thanks,

First thing I'd suggest is find out if your axle housing/4 bar brackets are really off by a 1/4", or if the setup is wrong. If the brackets are symetrical then the adjustments are off by 1/4". Make that right before trying to do different wheels on each side to cover it up.

As for your basic question, yes, the housing has to come out so they can get a good square cut on the axle tubes and then a good weld all around when reattaching. If you have someone who knows what they're doing perform the operation they'll jig the housing up with a long rod and centering blocks in the bearing points to maintain straightness during welding. Cost varies from area to area but you can probably figure around $500, or more if you have someone do all the work involved of taking out the axle, reinstalling, etc. If clearing the caliper is the main issue, and you've already prepped your mind to change wheels why not go up one size in diameter, e.g. 15 to 16". A new pair of tires would be cheaper than narrowing the axle.

In your case---buy the tires and wheels for the look you want and then modify the rear end to fit

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

First thing I'd suggest is find out if your axle housing/4 bar brackets are really off by a 1/4", or if the setup is wrong. If the brackets are symetrical then the adjustments are off by 1/4". Make that right before trying to do different wheels on each side to cover it up.

Can you please explain how I would start with this, first? Sounds logical to me, but I have never done it. I bought the car completed, but not by a professional builder.....

Thanks much!

bucs012 You can call Mosser Enginerng in Indiand look them up on the web I had them do a rear for me some time ago don't recall it costing that much and the shorten the axles too. Shipping may cost a bundle.

Originally Posted by bucs012

Can you please explain how I would start with this, first? Sounds logical to me, but I have never done it. I bought the car completed, but not by a professional builder.....

Thanks much!

Typing this all out could get complicated sounding though it's simpler than it will sound. The key basic thing is determine "squareness", done by diagonal measurements from fixed, like located, points. To make this less complicated it would be helpful to know three things.
Is the four bar a parallel or triangulated style?
Have you ever done a 4 way alignment?
Have you followed the car down the road to notice if it runs straight or like a dog?