Drag Racing

**BadBird** · February 3rd, 2016, 02:35 PM

Dennis, you asked about the weight. I put it on the bathroom scales. (Didn't carry it inside). It weighed 98 pounds.
Either 98 lbs. is a lot heavier than it used to be or I am getting really old and weak. Don't start with your computations Dennis

. I already know the true answer.
Larry

**ew1usnr** · February 4th, 2016, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by BadBird

Either 98 lbs. is a lot heavier than it used to be or I am getting really old and weak.

Nah, 98-pounds is one heavy chunk of steel.

How much do you think that the standard eight-inch rear end weighs?

**BadBird** · February 4th, 2016, 08:10 PM

Dennis, I didn't take the 8" third member out of the other housing. I intend to sell the setup and didn't want to screw up the sealant. I am not sure what the 8" weighs, but it is less. I have picked it up and put it in a vise by myself. Couldn't do that with this 9".

I have the new housing and third member sitting on the leaf springs. But, as in all things, nothing is easy. The U bolts for the 8" are smaller than the 9" so need to buy those. But that isn't the main problem. The plate for attaching the shock absorber that the U bolts go through will not have the correct hole spacing now. I want to keep that plate since my traction bars are welded to them. Not sure if elongating the holes fore and aft will cause any problems. Don't think so, but any input??
Also have questions about the driveshaft length to look at. More to come. Larry

**BadBird** · February 8th, 2016, 06:38 PM

If any of you have changed over to the 9" from an 8", do you remember how much the driveshaft has to be shortened? I remember someone talking about where to get one shortened and re-balanced.

Got the housing installed, axles and brakes reinstalled. Brake lines hooked back up, but the vent hole in the housing is in a different location and different diameter threaded hole, so can't use the old brake line fitting that the breather went through. No problem, just have to rig up something different. Larry

**Luva65wagon** · February 8th, 2016, 09:49 PM

Larry, it's best to insert the driveline fully, then pull it back out an inch and measure at the rear cup of the yoke to the back of the front u-joint. This will give you center to center of the length. Drivelines Northwest is where most go. Right there in Everett.

**BadBird** · February 10th, 2016, 02:36 PM

Getting closer. Rear end is in the car, axles installed, brake lines hooked up.

When I ordered the rear end, I ordered it with longer wheel studs because they require the studs sticking outside of the lug nuts when drag racing at most sites. Soooo, now my lug nuts for the Torque Thrust wheels won't work of course. Need to get different lug nuts that will work with these wheels and plain jane wheels for slicks.

When I get the new lug nuts, then I can put the car on the wheels to check the drive shaft length.
Just more entertainment. Here are a couple of pics.

Larry

**BadBird** · February 11th, 2016, 07:09 PM

Well, measured the driveshaft and it needs to be shortened 1" and maybe 1.25. Here is a picture with the driveshaft pulled out of the transmission 1".

It measures 1" from the cup to the cutout in the driveshaft.

Oh, by the way, thanks Don for the note about the camera. I think the pictures will not be blue anymore. Larry