If that rear is a 28 spline, you already have the axles! (if you have a stock Mav 8" rear) Take the 9" bare case, your pair of axles, and your 8" bare case to a shop that narrows rear ends. Now you get your tubes cut from the 8" housing, cut the tubes from the 9" housing, then have the 9" housing center mated with the 8" tubes. What you will have then is a bolt in, small bearing, 28 spline, 9" rear... using the Maverick 28 spline axles. Same thing Shelby and Ford did for a couple years to put 9" rears behind the Hipo 289.
Me too. Certainly by 72 they were all 8s?!? Edit: Doesn't matter anyway though. Although it would work, I don't think I would do the mod with a small bearing, 4 lug, 8"...
You need to tear that rear down first and get some measurements before ordering any parts. Otherwise, you'll end up with axles you cannot use. Best to have it narrowed first, then order axles to fit. I just did a 9" in mine, bought the narrowed housing off ebay,($150) then got a freind that narrows rearends to order the axles. Axles and bearings were $378 (Strange S/S 31 spline) Spring perches $20, brake drums $80, new brake shoes $30, new brake cylinders $40. Got about $900 into it so far. Including the Bronco 9" I got the chunk and brakes from. 1981 Bronco chunk with 3.50's, trac-loc and 31 spline. $200
Mostly trucks and the really high-performance big block cars have 31 splines. Most cars have 28. If it is an open rear end, it may be easier to find a posi in a truck, so you would be back to needing 31 spline axles anyway. If you have to swap axles and the carrier, step up to 31s. They are much stronger. Another thing to be aware of is that housing uses the better (larger) Torino size bearings.
I have heard that the 28 splines have a sunken hub end, while the 31s have a flat hub end with 2 divots. Don't even need to take the brakes off if this is true.
