How to shorten a 9 inch Ford rearend

shorting a 9 inch Ford using basic tool and a old 8 inch housing

[@timrussell1559]

Built an entire street stock circle track car using a 110 volt stick welder and just basic tools. The cage, chasis, and all components passed technical inspection and the car was raced hard for several seasons. The fancy equipment is nice to have, but you use what you can afford, and with careful attention to detail the results can be amazing

[@ajw6715]

I am 70 years old and been a ford man all my life and you have taught my a new trick. Lol.

[@davidlevinson8283]

I really have to thank you for not only providing an excellent tutorial of how to narrow a Ford 9" but just watching you get a work out brought a chuckle as you had me holding my breath too! 😉 lol

[@dwightcarlson7136]

Amazing to see someone who knows this much about rear ends/differentials!

[@johng397]

Another awesome video. I'm a ford guy and got absolutely glued when the old school nitty gritty tech started rolling. Very cool!

[@Ed70Nova427]

Awesome video Fitzee, really good way of explaining what your thinking and how you intend to do it and a real nice easy way to do that job. Thanks again Ed D

[@jacquelerock6938]

Absolutely love your videos Fitzee. Always very informative and full of little tidbits of knowledge.

[@ariyanadumon4549]

I was just thinking about doing this to make a 9 inch for my Trans Am last night, found this vid today. Nice work!

[@marlinknable3543]

Thanks for another great video! You are one of my favorite channels for welding! I like how you show what you are doing and that you explain how to and what you are doing! I get so tired of those channels that start some thing then put it on time lapse because they think that what I my wanting to know or learn Will bore me.

[@garyfujinami9911]

As usual, so practical. You make it seem so simple. I have done similar conversions merging the truck chevy 12 bolt and Toyota truck axles and bearing ends. I built Toyota truck 4xs in the early 80s. Mine had a sbc and that rearend.

[@ronwalsh]

Very nice work. We in the MG community have done this with early MGB housings. The MGB axle in the early cars had a removable center section, and the later axles had better outer bearings. Many of us did much the same thing. Great work.

[@theoriginalskankn]

Even though I will probably never do a project like this, you always share tricks and advice that help me with what I'm working on right now. Love it. Never stop!

[@SkaterStimm]

Yep, I was about to weld on a bracket to my front beam, and his heat reminders are so timely.

[@markholtan5696]

Has nothing to do with any of my projects but was glued to the video because the content was so interesting about the axles and welds 👍👍thanks for another fantastic video 👍👍

[@victorshaw7173]

Nice work. Good rule of thumb when welding. Always end your weld bead on a tack so you can fuse the cold tack with the hot weld bead.

[@SkaterStimm]

Thanks for another awesome video! Also thanks for keeping the mistakes in, we feel so discouraged when we make mistakes and it's great to see when the masters make them too, but can show how to stay calm and rethink the situation. Nothin' Fancy!

[@fitzeesfabrications]

I know what I know today from making lots of mistakes.. if everything went perfect you learn nothing

[@MrAussieCrasher]

Just love your no fuss basic videos great skill you have and great you are passing on the knowledge .well done

[@tomascharles5080]

Old school stuff, thanks learn something new every day.

[@turboflush]

I love it. Dont need the weight capacity of the bigger bearings. Almost fool proof to get the axle straight. Thanks for sharing.

[@simplyfred8044]

Just found your vids. I'm very impressed. I have a rodded 65 fairlane with a 9" that needs shortening for wider rims and this is an easy to understand vid. Thanks and cheers from Saskatchewan.

[@c50ge]

Depending on how much you need to shorten you may be able to use a short axle on the side of the long axle and just shorten one side.

[@BigfootsnMopars]

As always, I enjoyed your video. Thanks for all your tips. I’ve been playing with a 110 mig welder I bought . Picked up some Crager Super Tricks. I got a narrowed truck Dana, 4:10 spool in my 70 Coronet

[@frankluzzi681]

My hat is off to you, sir! It's not too often I learn this many useful tricks from one man, but you sir are that man. haha

[@BrucePierson]

This was really interesting. I'm never likely to do anything like this myself, but it was interesting to see how it's done. Good job salvaging the original housing with the flat spots. You only just had enough length to work with. Back about 45 years ago, we fitted an EK Holden rear end into a Datsun Homer van for my mate. The original rear end was geared so low (around 5:1)that he never used first gear and the top speed was only about 50 MPH. The EK rear end was 3.89:1, so it made the van more driveable. We just cut the leaf spring brackets off and changed them and then changed the back universal joint, had a brake line made up and used 14" HK Holden rims. The Datsun was metric and the EK was imperial, so we had a few hassles, then he had different wheels on the back, so he carried two spare tyres.

[@jgozzo4997]

That's not how it's done! You use a alignment bar.

[@4speed3pedals]

From what I could gather from an internet search, the WGC-L is the axle model number and you need this code to get the correct parts from the dealer. The L has nothing to do with locking or non locking differential. Great tips Fritzee. Thanks for posting. I wish my '61 Pontiac housing was this easy to shorten. The entire housing is tapered and it too has a big flat spot on the top of each "tube" which is actually stamped metal welded together.

[@HubertusSchaper]

Hi, Fitzee`s, wow amazing how you perform this complex assembling of the rear end, you are a talented mechanic.very interesting to watch this metal artwork. Greeting.HCS

[@Texasknowhow]

I've not seen it done that way before, thanks for sharing. Love that race launch of the nove II, man really looked fast.

[@nickp4179]

Great video. Skill and knowledge an unbeatable mix.

[@CRyan-iz3wr]

I knew I was at the right place when you used your belly to push the housing on the table.

[@fitzeesfabrications]

Hahaha. Thats my belly clamp

[@SuperKONR]

Thanks Fitzee, been paranoid to build the axle for my Mustang without the fancy expensive jig. I figured it should be do-able by just using the axles but you really prove that it works just fine. At the end of the day nothing beats experience. So thank you for sharing!

[@ronnyruf]

Its always a pleasure watching your video tips, thank you

[@neforddude]

Awesome video, thank you for sharing some of your experience! I'd much rather learn from guys like you than a fabricator with endless funds and every tool out of the Summit catalog.

[@karlx-1]

Every time I watch your videos, I learn a new trick!

[@citytinhead]

Learned more from you about 9 inch Fords then I ever did!Will be great to see this new project develop.

[@SteveStoltz]

This goes to show that you don't necessarily have to spend a fortune to get things done. Your channel has some great methods of doing things that Ive never seen before, I think I could narrow a rear end just from watching this video.

[@martinsteele3259]

Newfoundlanders are the people that make do with what they have! We would all be smart to live like that! Fitz keep up the awesome work!

[@danielleach2307]

Apreciate everything you show very talented and thanks as always

[@mikef-gi2dg]

Wow this site is one of the best on YT. Tons of practical fixes and procedures, especially the body work rust repair. Body work isn't my thing but Fitzee has convinced me to try it my self....thanks. I have that exact same 9 inch you have, out of a ford station wagon, 1975. Going to use it in something, now I got a lot more ideas. If you had the body repair videos, on DVD or something, I would buy a ton, and play them while I work. This is the good side of YT. I'll be watching.

[@rogerhankins6905]

All I can say is thank you for all the help you really helped me on my1971 convertible gto

[@notsoserious0944]

Ingenious! I've got an old nine out of a Cougar I've kept because I have Jeep AMC 20 replacement dreams. The home gamer method for narrowing them is more than I can deal with but this could seriously be done. Sadly, most of the junkyards liquidated their junk about a decade ago when scrap was though the roof--I don't think a ford 8 would be easy to find.

[@timruiter5460]

Now I shall put to use my 15" x 14" Pro Stars. Thank you for making my life a little better in these trying times.

[@MrLangleylad]

Great tips and advice Fitzee ! From the west coast to the east coast , thank you sir

[@patrickscahillii9365]

My hat is off to you sir, I've heard lots of people say that the process is technical and expensive but you have disproved that. With practical knowledge and good sense it can be done by a good craftsman.

[@michaelmerta8956]

Fantastic thank you very much for sharing your experience love the show.

[@ACDesignsGarage]

Awesome video, thanks for the tip about the difference between the 8 and 9 inch rears by the bolts!

[@brainbotz3184]

Another well informed video!! Not that I would do this but definitely good tips and knowledge! Hats off to ya Fitzee

[@smaqdaddy]

What I would give just to know a fraction of the amount you forgot Fitzee, you are a wealth of great practical information! Keep churning out the knowledge sir! ❤

[@olliewalker6406]

I love this video. I’m going to have to go through and watch more of your videos, I like your style.

[@jeremyhanna3852]

I have had pretty good luck cutting the weld between the housing and tube and using a 20 ton bottle jack to push out the tube and then cut and reinstall or cut new one thats got small bearing or disk breaks or what ever you want and reweld pretty easy

[@jeffreylunsford1867]

Thank you for all of your great videos

[@alkennedy1124]

Oh yes I remember when I did a straight cut like this with a hand hacksaw , same line and setup, kool nice thanks BigAl California.

[@jamesschnars9713]

Your skill is amazing ! Great video

[@frodobaggins169]

You continue to surprise me, in a nice way! thanks for the great video!

[@kevinmonseler3592]

Hello from Saskatchewan Fitzee!! Another great video!

[@brdnsky6417]

I would say the L is for limited slip, if I was a betting man. Good job Fitzee and info.

[@garethmcgregor1621]

Awesome video Fitzee, as usual I learnt something. Thanks

[@bw3506]

Jack stands as Vee blocks to rotate the axle is a way to speed the welding process and maybe save a mashed finger. I've got an old 8" in the scrap I need to pluck out now!! Thanks for the tip on the combo axle and the vid. 👍

[@EdgeofEternityBillCameron]

This was a great video. Exactly what I needed to see. I always enjoy your videos. Thank you!

[@letsemailjoe]

Just subscribed! Great info and instruction! Keep up the good work.

[@maxconway4908]

Great video I really enjoyed it! just a tip on the welding, slow down your movements (side to side) and you always push mig you'll get a better visual and deeper penetration.

[@funk7875]

Cool you running a Nova. I used to drag a couple 66 Nova's. I had a stock Nova 12 bolt with posi and 4.56 in one, and a narrowed 9" with detroit locker in the other with 6.20. Nice on the street. Turned around 4K at 55 mph with 32" tire. I wanted mention something about the welding. I've always been told to not let the current run through bearings because of a possibility of getting an arc between bearing and race and causing a rough spot.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

That is true and it is part of a persons responsibility to know if you aspireb to be a weldor.

[@feelsgoodman1349]

Thanks for reminding me. I should lathe up some dummys. 👍

[@donaldhalls2189]

Use the old bearings and race's the main time it will ark across something like bearings is if earth one side and electrode the other and useualy the grease will cause bad current flow like the gap on a spark plug if electrode touches the centre there want be a ark(spark) the grease in the bearings produced the gap if that makes any sense anyway all the best to you all and your loved ones

[@maxjones9139]

Thank you! I’ve learned so much from you!

[@steveramsey599]

Nice video very informative keep up the videos thanks

[@jimmime]

Nicely done, haven't done that in about 35 years. LOL.

[@mlasch1478]

Fitzee, NOW you are talking. I have always had a curiosity of all things to do with Speed mods on cars. We all know about 9 inch Ford rears. Great to see how it is done.

[@joesgaragedoorservice7506]

agreed centerlines are the best I love the look!

[@c50ge]

Heat up the outside tube with a torch then the inside tube will slide right in. Once it cools it will shrink tight. I used to shorten dodge caravan axles to make utility trailer axles.

[@PM-lk9ph]

For my car people are always shortening one side of the 8.8 - definitely on the list for someday. Nice to see someone say you can do it yourself.

[@fitzeesfabrications]

Ya the 8.8 can be shorten up to 3 inch with use of the explorer axles.

[@PM-lk9ph]

@@fitzeesfabrications It's nice way to change the gearing, get disc brakes, and have limited slip all in one shot - I'm a fan

[@darrenbrisson4336]

Right on fitzee I love centerlines to auto drags in satin finish lot of people don't understand their not only beautiful but light and the less reciprocating weight on the brakes thd faster you go the front ones with a tire is only 7 pounds

[@bamadave1983]

The Lincoln Versailles has 9" with disc brakes we use the 8.8 out of the explorer it has thick wall axle tubes 31 spline axles take the two short axles to narrow it down the 4x4 mostly had 3.73 limited slip the second gen had disc brakes

[@oaklandfan5262]

Thanks for the bottom bolt tip on a 9 inch rear differential.

[@petergoodwin2465]

Great video mate , put a nine inch my old Aussie Chrysler 20years ago. Bolted straight in. Just used a couple of wedges for the pinion angle. Was a real easy job and the ini joint is cheap just an adapter. Even the brakes work perfectly. Same stud pattern as well. Used to blow the shit Borg Warner diffs every 2 weeks, the old nine inch has lasted 20 years. Need to do one more for the old station wagon I'm building then sell the modern car and use that old beast for the rest of my days.

[@stephenhappy6259]

Cool story!

[@petergoodwin2465]

@@stephenhappy6259 the wreckers ran out of Borg Warner diffs to. Was just a mild 318 but it hammered hard. So put the nine inch in before I built a hot 360.

[@glinnphillips4884]

Something I did not know and have not done. Thanks for the information. Like the channel and content. Well played

[@Brickcrittersgarage.]

You do good work I luv and get a kick every time you start your beginnings. ( stick around ) 🤙

[@pcat1000]

Excellent videos, I know what you mean about heat warping around welds. I made a stand from angle iron to hold stone slabs. The customer who was not a welder thought my welds didn't ''look'' sufficient, thought he would prove it to me by using a forklift to try and ''break'' my welds. None broke, and I made him a second perfectly straight and square stand, 2x$

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Good video. I've never done a rear end before but I think I might be able to do it now if I have to

[@williamvito1349]

“Fitzee........you’re a .....Beast.....!!!” Thanks for sharing......Vito

[@irongoatrocky2343]

ya talk about welding! I can say this Ive built Stock Cars and Asphalt Modifieds and all i've ever used was a 110 Hobart Handler nice little welders when ya get em set up and all ya hear is the bacon sizzling when ya weld!

[@jimaagenes8445]

Awesome video Fitzee! Thanks!

[@Torquemonster440]

Awesome video Fitzee !! Great info. Thank you. 🍻

[@rustywrenchcarbuilds.r.w.c5835]

Been watching your videos, much respect to you. Your damn good at what you do. I like how you make it if you don't have it. Keep it up man.

[@stevess356]

We narrowed a thousand 9" rear ends at Shell Valley Motors and started doing them similar to your way. We changed by cutting the housing inward of the weld holding the tubing onto the housing and welding in new 4" heavy wall pipe eliminating the need of cutting off any suspension brackets. To hold everything straight we took an extra 9" gear section and removed the left and right splined spider gears and replaced them with machined slugs with a hole to fit a 1" solid steel bar long enough to catch the ends of the outer bearing carriers. For the bearing carriers we made machined slugs to slide over the 1" shaft and slide into the small or big bearing carriers. We then dropped the gear section into the housing to be narrowed and with the 1" bar in place slid everything into position and welded up the new housing being careful not to weld too much of an area at one time. This is just another way of building a rear housing and better option for someone that narrows a number of them over time.

[@fitzeesfabrications]

I used that same setup in the past. Very nice setup

[@AlfonsoHernandez-ok5sb]

Your the best of alll I completely understand now

[@richardcorn3934]

Thanks for taking the time to share.

[@monadking2761]

I'm not a Ford expert but the "L" on your tag, could it stand for Locker. You did mention track lock. My friend had a 70 Boss 302 and it had a Detroit Locker rear end and it would always make a clunk noise when you first apply the clutch lining up the locker. Thanks for the video. I just pulled apart a 55 chevy rear that was outside for 20÷ years and I don't think the rear drums were ever off because the paper gaskets were still on the brake drums. It took me about 3 hours to get the orginal drums off because the adjusting stars were so rusted up keeping the shoes against the drums. So I know the pain it took to get my drums off. I even heated the drums up with my oxy acetylene torch, pry bars and a big hammer like yours to get the drums off. I had a big pile of rust when I was done about 5 lbs worth but, now it's all apart. What a job! Now it's time to clean it up, paint and add disk brakes to it. Stay healthy. be safe and keep the videos coming. I love your techniques of doing things.

[@fitzeesfabrications]

Thanks. You had your hands full. Been there done that

[@tykellerman6384]

The magician strikes again ... interesting stuff🤠👍

[@rockroller1829]

at 34 min you can see the factory welds are about the same as yours .. i would of ran a second pass all round to get rid of the undercut ... Thanks for this video you do A good job of explaining ...thank you

[@fitzeesfabrications]

I'm not finished with it yet. I say ill be doing what you said. Going wait till after I get it fitted in the car and figure out its mounts

[@dj-rm7bz]

What a talented genius!

[@williamhanna5224]

Watched it again great video !

[@sumtingwong45]

Nice job you make it look easy!!!

[@gerrycomfort7027]

This Man Is One of a kind.

[@itzkamu7065]

Love it... I'm getting ready to do a build for a daily driver and was recommended the Ford 9in rear end would be a good choice for that department

[@reggraham6789]

Everybody makes mistakes. I've learned so much from my mistakes, I'm thinking of making a few more!

[@buannajim8091]

As always Tony, great vid with some fantastic workmanship.

[@teejay622]

Honestly! Is there anything Fitzee CAN'T do? That race at the end sure got my blood pumpin!

[@michaelvandenhoy1021]

Thank you for the education, i may try that sometime.

[@trickyricky12147]

I might not ever do this, but in case if I do this way will come in very handy. Thanks again Fitzee! 👍

[@moparnut6286]

Got a free dana 60 that I want to narrow, thanks for the video!

[@ddblairco]

Another Great video, thanks.

[@buroughs]

Dude..love this channel

[@sweenep86]

get a jig Fitzee, by not having it fixed in place you’re cold lapping those welds for fear of distortion. For material that thick, you need to be running a stringer, not weaving and be running significantly higher amps. Support the through bar on jacks stands and have somebody rotate the case so you can weld it in one go. No distortion that way and full penetration. Not ragging on you as i like what you do but that weld is critical, lots of forces going into that area. An old hydraulic ram or a length of TGP bar and turned pucks is all thats needed.

[@fitzeesfabrications]

I do it this way cause I do most my work alone. I done my share of these and had no trouble. What your saying makes alot of since but this way has worked in the pasted and my take on that stuff if it works dont fix it. Great info and knowledge tho. Thanks

[@billmiller7138]

I started doing them with a bar and pucks 50 years ago. In my experience the outer bearing ends are not always concentric with the tubes. But hey, if it works, I guess it works.

[@superrodder2002]

@@billmiller7138 Agreed, ford seemed to half-ass them together. bearing ends not concentric and sometimes crooked, ( the axle was a bitch to pull out of the housing) ., crappy welding and I've seen one axle housing that looked bent but the tubes were welded in leaning forward in the car. My brother and I did lots of axles for people back in the 80s. We tried lots of ways to make them straight but the 1.5 inch shafting with machined pucks works the best. I still have my setup but haven't used it in years.

[@felixquintanills8551]

Useful information! Thanks!

[@joesgaragedoorservice7506]

wow that chevy II is my favorite car nice!