pressing in axle tubes?

[buickspec6231]

So for my little hybrid project I needed a strong rear end that was fairly cheap for me to obtain/build. I tried a rear end out of a late model chevy blazer, but that was too wide by about 2 inches for the wheel/tire combo I wanted. I would have had to run a very narrow tire on it. Even narrower than the 195's and 205's on my wheels now. I had done research and found that the Ford 8.8 is a much stronger rear end with 31 spline axles and disc brakes found in '95 and newer explorers/mountaineers. The 8.8 is about 59.5" wheel mating surface (WMS) to WMS while the Blazer was approximately 59". The 8.8 has an offset pinion. I read that you can cut down the longer side tube 3" and use two short side axles. Some people said just cut the tube and butt weld the tubes back together. Others said cut the end of the tube off and upgrade using aftermarket parts to use the outside Ford 9" bearings and have those ends welded on. The right way to do this and still maintain all over the counter parts is to press the tube out, cut off the needed amount and press the tube back in. Well, I got the tube pressed out using a 12 ton bottle jack and some clever backyard engineering. I cut the tube, and even got it pressed in most of the way, again using some sketchy back yard engineering. Unfortunately, I have exceeded the pressure to press the tube in safely in my little garage at home with basic tools. What I am looking for is if anyone in the CNY region knows of a shop that can do this for me or if someone else has done a similar thing and has a method that they are willing to share. I only need the axle tube to move about another inch, but I don't have a good way to do it. I have already had two nylon lifting straps get cut on a sharp edge sending my little press flying and it hit me in the shoulder which is very sore now. If it had hit me in the head, I probably would have ended up unconscious in my driveway until a neighbor got curious to why I had been laying in the driveway for so long. Also, before anyone comments about the Ford rear, I am not going to pay big money for an over the top 10 or 12 bolt. The car I am building ('62 Buick Special station wagon) is fairly narrow and almost every factory rear would need to be narrowed. The Ford rear ends are readily available, cheap, and have a huge aftermarket. I won't change the wheels I am using to make the Blazer rear work. I am using factory T-Type 15x7 wheels and determined to make that work. I only paid about $100 at a local pick-n-pull for the rear with 3.73 gears and limited slip differential, another $13.00 for the short side axle and some blood, sweat, and tears. So probably a round figure of about $250.00 I will have a practically indestructible rear (because I am not going to be drag racing) that is still serviceable with parts from my local parts chain. Any additional ideas would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long read. Probably only a few will make it down to this point. Thanks.

~Dan

Here are a few pictures of my project too.

 

[dartguy340]

You should have just cut the ends off and then welded on new ones, or cleaned up
your old ones and reused them. The problem now, with doing it the way you did, is
that if you get the tubes back in, you have to make sure they are parallel with the
center carrier side gears or you will have axles that aren't running true. Could be a
failure in the near future. I've seen the jig used to align the tubes...it goes in one end
of the axle tube and out the other end. And in the middle it is running thru the side
bearings to assure it is running true.

 

[KEVINS]

As was mentioned above. The tubes probably won't be parallel now.
If you're not going to be racing it why install different ends on the 8.8 tubes?
BTW, The 8.8 will have completely different control arm geometry than the factory 10-bolt, so much so that one person said it was dangerous to drive when he hit the brakes.

Sent you a PM..

ks

 

[buickspec6231]

I'm not changing the ends. I am leaving the ends the same. The area that is being cut is the tube, where it meets the carrier. I drilled out the 3 plug welds and pressed the entire tube out. Outer ends are being left untouched and are maintaining the normal tapered down ends and factory caliper bracket mount along with the c-clip axles. All the original installed leaf spring brackets, sway bar brackets, and shock mounts are going to be cut off the axle tubes and a 4-link suspension installed. The 4-link brackets were purchased from a company called "Paul Horton's Welder Series" (www.welderseries.com). I understand the need to make sure the tubes are trued. But unless I get the tube in all the way, there is no way to even check if it is staying true. Like I said, I don't have lots invested in this experiment. Before I go spending big money on a rear, I would rather try this little set up out. Thank you for the responses.

~Dan

 

[chopped39]

My right side axle tube was forward 3/16 of an inch. I got the axle out but it would not go back in. I gave it to a friend of mine and he got it done through either Strange or Moser. I should have put a 9 inch in the car for what I have in my 8 1/5 I could have had some extra money to