I have a 8 3/4 rear end I'm going to be putting on my 73 plymouth satalite
I was wondering if I should rebuild this or not before putting it in, or how to check if I should rebuild it before putting it in. I got the rear end of a 69 b-body it has sure grip. I think the gear ration is 3.55. if I do need to rebuild this, how much does it generally cost to rebuild it?

Also I've been told I should not bother with this rear end and just get a ford 9 inch because there cheaper to rebuild and have a wider gear ratio selection. how big of a difference is it price wise to rebuild the ford 9 inch?

 

First of all, the '69 B-body rear end housing is too short for your '73 B-body but, all is not lost.....
Remove the 3rd member from the '69 housing and re-install it into your '73 housing using the '73 axles. It's not a big deal to do this.

I don't know how much it would be to rebuild the 8 3/4" but, KEEP the 8 3/4" in your Mopar! Yes, the ferd 9" has a good reputation but, so does the 8 3/4!

For what you are doing..... using the Mopar 8 3/4" and keeping it Mopar will be less costly.

Rick

 

You are assuming he has a 8 3/4 It is possible he has a 8 1/4 A different animal..

 

I got to get a different rear end though because my 73 currently has a 8 1/4 and I swapped out the 318 for a built 383 I had, So I'm already needing to cut the drive shaft because I went from a 904 to a 727. So is the housing still going to be a problem?
And I rather keep it mopar just wanted some one else's opinion on that :P

 

I'll give it a whirl. Keep the 8 3/4" fitting it in can be done.
#1 Clutches, turn each axle in different directions, if difficult clutches OK. If they turn easily then they are worn and need replacement, not difficult or expensive.
#2 Bearings, this is where you need to pull the axles out and remove case from housing. Visual inspection, "feel" and a dial indicator will help.
#3 Backlash (gear wear) , dial indicator is best to measure and compare to as new measurement.
In my opinion the only time I would go to a Ford 9" is for over 600HP, drag racing only application and in that case I'd be using the Pro 9" size and cost is up there.
Gear ratios are plentiful and cost is not that much different.
If your mostly street driving stay away from the green bearing kits, they wear quickly from the side loading (turning corners) , check your tapered rollers when the axles are out and replace if needed.

 

I would never go furd. I would step up to a dana 60. It cost me 300 bucks less parts to get my whole 8 3/4" 489 case rear end rebuilt and put back together. I supplied the bearings, gaskets, axle seals and crushless crush sleave.

 

You are correct and apparently you are correct! lol

 

Yes, the '73 housing from drum to drum is longer than the '69.

 

When it comes to bearings, it there is any pitting on the races or you can clearly see a wear pattern, I would replace the bearing and race. They are cheap enough and last a long time (Assuming they are installed and maintaned).

For the backlash, it changes as the gears wear to one another. Ideally you want 0.006"-0.010". If you are going to be using a used gear set with wear, this number may change but the pattern will still be good (they "wear" into one another). I would measure backlash and run a pattern to see how the gears "mesh" together.

As for the gears themselves, look at them closely. If there are any chips, pits or grooves in the contact area, replace them. If the gears look "polished" (mirror like finish), replace them.