Comments on: Daily Dart progress – Alignment

By: BigBlockMopar

BigBlockMopar — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:36:55 +0000

A narrowed Dana is ‘cool’ to have, but an “A-body” 8-3/4″ will work just as good on the street and is a bit lighter than the Dana.
Another advantage with the 8-3/4″ rear end is that, because of the 3rd member, you can change the gearratio much faster and easier compared to a 8-1/4″ or a Dana rear end.

Too bad about the lathe.
I used mine a lot this weekend when I did install the narrowed 8-3/4″ under my Dart, along with a poly-urethane leafspring bushing upgrade. I also had to shorten the driveshaft about 2″, because I went from a 7-1/4″ axle to the 8-3/4″.
Without the lathe I couldn’t have completed this task by myself.

By: ED Anderson

ED Anderson — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 15:58:44 +0000

I had a 8/14 dillivered today with very tall gears but I don’t think the 81/4 rear is worth putting a bunch of money into when I could spend it on he 83/4 After talking to you I think I will just sell the Dana with the 355 and consentrate on the 83/4 and put the car on the streets.Thank you so much for the information.Wish I had access to a lathe. I could have bought one last year for $600.00 and It was a 60′ oh well.

Thanks for the come back.

By: BigBlockMopar

BigBlockMopar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:14:09 +0000

Hello Ed,

If you’ll be doing some serious dragracing with a highstall convertor and slicks/sticky tires, go with the Dana. Otherwise I would just use the 8-3/4″.
I ordered stock length Dart-axles from Dr. Diff and sized the housing accordingly. Housingflange-widths of various cars are listed on my site aswell under Tech -> Mopar RearAxle Dimensions.
I copied these numbers from other sites, so double check if they are actually correct.

With the ‘green bearings’ which are usually delivered with new axles, you don’t want bearing-preload like on normal coned-roller bearings. So I left the axlehousing a tad wider while still maintaining good spline-engagement of the axles into the center carrier.

I’ve noticed I forgot to show a pic in my post where the center alignment-spindles are mounted in the centercarrier. I will update the story soon with this picture.

By: ED Anderson

ED Anderson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:22:13 +0000

I also own a Dodge Dart, a 1972 which has a big block, and I also am in need of a narrow rear end. I wish you would give more details, and pictures, and how you determined the length you needed. To buy one out here they are $750.00 without shipping. So I would like to build my own. I have been a welder fabricator and machinist for nearly 35 years, so I can relate to some of what you did. Thanks for the information you did give. I have a dana with 355 and also a 8and 3 quarters, some people say the dana is too heavy to build. What do you think.