Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
small bolt pattern axles #2460599
03/03/18 08:13 PM
03/03/18 08:13 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,444
NEW JERSEY
D
dynamite Offline OP
pro stock
dynamite  Offline OP
pro stock
D

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,444
NEW JERSEY
Can small pattern axles. be changed to 4.5 pattern , or do I need different axles. on an 8/3/4 rear ??

Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: dynamite] #2460613
03/03/18 09:17 PM
03/03/18 09:17 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,618
Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
Too Many Posts
John_Kunkel  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,618
Rio Linda, CA
It has been done, the new holes get pretty close to the outside of the flange so it's a good idea to use screw-in studs.


The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway
Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: John_Kunkel] #2460658
03/03/18 11:33 PM
03/03/18 11:33 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,444
So Cal
autoxcuda Offline
Too Many Posts
autoxcuda  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,444
So Cal
Originally Posted By John_Kunkel
It has been done, the new holes get pretty close to the outside of the flange so it's a good idea to use screw-in studs.



I’ve run a screw-in stud conversion since 1994. About 70K miles

Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: John_Kunkel] #2460672
03/04/18 12:18 AM
03/04/18 12:18 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
C
Cab_Burge Offline
I Win
Cab_Burge  Offline
I Win
C

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
Originally Posted By John_Kunkel
It has been done, the new holes get pretty close to the outside of the flange so it's a good idea to use screw-in studs.

iagree
I've had more than one set of A body 8 3/4 axles drilled and tapped for screw in studs to move and change the pattern to 5 on x 4.5 so we could use the stronger 1/2 inch studs and cheaper and easier to find wheels up


Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: dynamite] #2460702
03/04/18 01:41 AM
03/04/18 01:41 AM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
R
RapidRobert Offline
Circle Track
RapidRobert  Offline
Circle Track
R

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
As said there ain't alot of meat to work with so go with the screw in studs. You would need lug centric wheels cuz the BBP wheel center hole will be bigger than the SBP axle register. You could fit a stiff fiberboard template with 5 ~7/16 holes and the center hole already cutout over the axle flange. make a pinprick for the center starting point in the template then 5 ~7/16" holes out on a 2" radius snug enough so the template will fit tightly over the current 7/16" studs then drill 5 new holes for the larger 1/2" studs. You want 5 pinprick marks equidistant around a 4.5" dia circle. figure where you want to locate the new holes correctly then make your first pinprick mark in the right spot then another 2.645" in a straight line tangent around the 4.5" circle then 3 more & the last one should be that same 2.645" distance then drill/tap the flange & drill the drum.


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: Cab_Burge] #2460704
03/04/18 01:48 AM
03/04/18 01:48 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,115
A Red State
SNK-EYZ Offline
I Live Here
SNK-EYZ  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,115
A Red State
Originally Posted By Cab_Burge
Originally Posted By John_Kunkel
It has been done, the new holes get pretty close to the outside of the flange so it's a good idea to use screw-in studs.

iagree
I've had more than one set of A body 8 3/4 axles drilled and tapped for screw in studs to move and change the pattern to 5 on x 4.5 so we could use the stronger 1/2 inch studs and cheaper and easier to find wheels up


I just had this done on a set of stock A-Body axles (8-3/4) at a guys shop that specializes in building custom rear ends.
With machining the axles for the screw in studs, installing new green bearings and drilling the drums it cost me $300.


Kayse can't keep up at all now. lol
Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: SNK-EYZ] #2460731
03/04/18 02:59 AM
03/04/18 02:59 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
C
Cab_Burge Offline
I Win
Cab_Burge  Offline
I Win
C

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
Originally Posted By SNK-EYZ
Originally Posted By Cab_Burge
Originally Posted By John_Kunkel
It has been done, the new holes get pretty close to the outside of the flange so it's a good idea to use screw-in studs.

iagree
I've had more than one set of A body 8 3/4 axles drilled and tapped for screw in studs to move and change the pattern to 5 on x 4.5 so we could use the stronger 1/2 inch studs and cheaper and easier to find wheels up


I just had this done on a set of stock A-Body axles (8-3/4) at a guys shop that specializes in building custom rear ends.
With machining the axles for the screw in studs, installing new green bearings and drilling the drums it cost me $300.


We use to pay $25.00 a axle plus the screw in 1/2 inch allen studs, my how I miss those days whiney We would drill our own drums also to keep cost down, I always made those new stud holes a little bit bigger and use the drum centering ring to locate the drums on the axles up


Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: dynamite] #2460770
03/04/18 10:27 AM
03/04/18 10:27 AM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,089
Valencia, España
NachoRT74 Offline
master
NachoRT74  Offline
master

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,089
Valencia, España
If you are going to install green bearings, I'd get the new replacement aftermarket axles which are made just right for that to A Bodies Small bolt pattern conversion to big bolt pattern removing the thrust block. Doesn't make sense to keep the original ones converted.

A friend of mine BELIEVE IT OR NOT, cut the hub from B body axles donor, cut the hubs from his own A body axles and installed the ones removed from the B body ones. He made splines on axle to fit the B body hubs by pressure and also seam welded those. He ran at 1/4 mile races for long time with that on his 70 Swinger.

That's something tipically done down here when fixing heavy duty trucks axles.

Just an idea if you wanna try it. Can't tell the cost of that kind of job up the or even if you take care of doing that.

IMG_0790.PNG
Last edited by NachoRT74; 03/04/18 10:32 AM.

With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela
Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: dynamite] #2460857
03/04/18 01:17 PM
03/04/18 01:17 PM
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,679
Florida
BDW Online content
master
BDW  Online Content
master

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,679
Florida
How much are new axles? If your paying $300, I think I'd prefer something exact.

Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: BDW] #2460921
03/04/18 03:06 PM
03/04/18 03:06 PM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,020
Pangaea
B5 Bee Offline
master
B5 Bee  Offline
master

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,020
Pangaea
Last set I had done, I took to the machine shop.
Machinist put them on a lathe, scribed a 4" circle, drilled and tapped 1/2"x20 every 72*.
This was back in the early '80s when new axles were about the same cost as they are now, $300. Lot of $$$ back then.

Best reason to buy aftermarket axles, you can have 10"x2" or larger brakes. With OEM 4" on 5 axles, your stuck with 10"x1.75" or smaller brakes.

Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: B5 Bee] #2460965
03/04/18 04:33 PM
03/04/18 04:33 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,115
A Red State
SNK-EYZ Offline
I Live Here
SNK-EYZ  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,115
A Red State
Roughly $100 of the cost was the green bearings and installing them.

Since one of the original bearing felt rough when spinning the axles needed bearings.

Originally he was talking $150 to drill the axles to change the bolt pattern to 4.5 but he wanted to use Chevy studs because the use a smaller knurled diameter.

I wanted 1/2 inch studs, so that meant screw in studs to keep the diameter smaller.

I wanted the ability to go back to the original 4 inch bolt pattern in the future because at some point the car will be restored since it's a factory 383 car.


Kayse can't keep up at all now. lol
Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: NachoRT74] #2461093
03/04/18 08:03 PM
03/04/18 08:03 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,618
Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
Too Many Posts
John_Kunkel  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,618
Rio Linda, CA
Originally Posted By NachoRT74

A friend of mine BELIEVE IT OR NOT, cut the hub from B body axles donor, cut the hubs from his own A body axles and installed the ones removed from the B body ones. He made splines on axle to fit the B body hubs by pressure and also seam welded those. He ran at 1/4 mile races for long time with that on his 70 Swinger.


Fairly common back in the day, just bore the flange from both axles, press the SBP shaft into the BBP flange and weld at the outer end of the shaft. Henry's Axles, one of the first custom axle suppliers did it that way. As strong as the original when done properly.


The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway
Re: small bolt pattern axles [Re: dynamite] #2461114
03/04/18 08:39 PM
03/04/18 08:39 PM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,089
Valencia, España
NachoRT74 Offline
master
NachoRT74  Offline
master

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,089
Valencia, España
Cool!


With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela






Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1