RR I will be doing the same thing to a Dana.Luckily a member offered me his setup tool to use.My buddy will weld it up as he is totally certified in all welding apps.I just need to get some extra cash.Im going to shorten mine about 1/2 inch each side and move the springs inboard.Rocky

Rock if I read that right on the tool site, a Dana takes a different setup tool than the 8&3/4 does. After sourcing the needed rod I'll have a chunk of change into this but I sure wasn't comfortable paying Moser ~3 bills to do something that seems pretty simple especially when I have a good welder available. Holler how it goes for you and do you already have the axle part taken care of/or know what you want to do on that?

Gus with the nice 64 gave me the Dana.Its a truck unit.Im going 4.30s and a good SG.Ill get 35 spline axles also.Ill buy them from DR Diff as I know nothing about Danas.It will be a while till I start on it.Then it will be one piece at a time.I also have to decide if I want to shorten my DS or go with another 4 speed and shaft.Mine is the B&T shaft.Rocky

I've narrowed several including a Pontiac rear for a 55 chevy. the bars used were 1 1/2", 1 1/4" and a hydraulic cylinder shaft from a back hoe. we were lucky that the shafting around here was for trading services, the pucks were bar ends from the scrap pile which we machined at home to fit the rears bearing ends and center sections, and we straightened the housings as needed using a 20ton jack, chain, a piece of 12" heavy I-beam and a rosebud torch. that allowed the pucks for the bearings to just breeze in with a .002 clearance on the bearing and shaft holes for the axle ends. just a side note, on the Pontiac rear, before we started, just for grins we tried the alignment and the one end was off almost 3/8" ! the car the rear came from was never in a crash nor was there ever any problems with the rear reported ! if I remember correctly, the rear had approximately 80k on the clock. anyway, the point of this saga is around here we have to look around to find the best bang for the buck. we usually have more time than $$$ plus, it hones our skills as an added benefit.

You sir are "the man"!!

I have learned that I will always have more time than money and whenever I can properly solve a problem by myself (or with a little help from a friend) I count that as a win.

I recall Cass, aka doc diff telling me 9 out of 10 8 3/4 housings are out of wack before you narrow it. You may want to check it before you start. You can straighten a slightly bent housing by welding on the tube, as welding expands the metal and then grinding the weld off, some say they stay straight longer that way, I don't know one way or the other.

Yes I have my work cut out for me still as I still have to locate a bar and an empty pumpkin. Luckily my buddy welds for me for very chaep