Thread: Need Help with my Rear End

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My 1951 Chevy 3/4 ton is almost stripped to the frame. All that is left is the front end and rear end. As soon as that is done I will haul it (the frame and sheetmetal) to the blaster. I will be installing a IFS and 350 sb. I would like to find a 9 inch Ford rear end but may have to settle for something else.
Problem: Because they are so heavy duty I would like to keep the rear springs. Is this the best way to go? Will I be able to use them with a different rear end?

hello john, so your in the middle of building a 3\4 ton chevy and running a 350 sbc. well you ststed that you want to use a 9" ford rear end and you think that it's too heavy? is that the rear end that you think is too heavy or the whole truck? if it's the rear then i don't think that you will have to worry to much, the 350 will be ok imo, and all you have to do is select the right gearing to push the truck the way that you want to.maybe around 3:55 or 3:90 should do it but double check with some of the other guy's in the club to make sure and good luck in the build dave

Yeah, you can use the Chevy springs with a 9" if you want to. Get everything situated under the truck, then weld the spring saddles onto the axle tubes. If you've never welded on a rear before, use caution because you can warp the tubes and cause yourself a lot of grief. You need to continue with the heat all the way around the circumference of the tubes to keep them from kinking up. Best way is to have a pro welder do it for you and then check alignment.

i have used the ford 9 on many builds they work good

Wrenchd:
I ment the spring hangers are so heavy duty that I wanted to keep them. I have been rethinking that today however. I don't want the truck to ride too low (perhaps a 2 or 3 inch drop max) because we have a farm down in the hill country of Texas and it will be riding over some terain that is not real flat. But I want a smoother ride than those 3/4 ton trucks give. I think I will convert it to a 1/2 ton.