Could someone give me some insight into the 7 ¼ rear end parts interchange? I have a 65 Valiant daily driver and a 62 Valiant restoration project, both are pretty much original. I know many people don’t like this little rear axle, because it can’t take a lot of power. For a granny car it’s quite okay though and for restoration of a 1962 Valiant it’s the only correct one.

I’ve tried to find information both on this site and on the Internet in general, but haven’t really found much. This is pretty much the most information I have found so far, but it doesn’t go into details https://www.dippy.org/forum2/index.php/topic,73.0.html

It seems that there has been a 7 ¼ rear end up to the 90s, but it doesn’t seem to be the same rear (?)

How about the ring and pinion? They still seem to sell these (for the new rear ends?). Are they compatible with the old ones? Can you buy one of these ring and pinion setups and put them in a 62 or 65 rear end? For example this one https://sextonoffroad.com/i-22163404-rp-chrysler-7-25-2-93-mg.html lists valiant 60-76 as compatible. In case new ones are compatible, any opinions on their quality versus the originals? In my 65 I have 3.23, and, at least with the 225, it feels too high. The 62 has 3.55, so that’s another step in the wrong direction. I’m not necessarily going to change it, if it is in good condition, but I’d like to understand what the options are.

How about the other parts of the axle? There seems to be some kind of change in the rear axle from 62 to 63. Many of the parts numbers are different, including the driveshaft bearings. When I removed the rear end from my 62 Valiant, I noticed it had a narrow bearing on one driveshaft and a more familiar (like in my 65) wider bearing on the other. I think the rear axle is the original for 62. Why the driveshafts/driveshaft bearings were different I don’t know. It might be possible that one had just been substituted temporarily so that would be easier to move the project. I don’t really know what the guy before me had done to the car nor do I know much of its history. Last time it had been in traffic (registered) was in 1978.

As always, any information is much appreciated.

Maurice

There were 3 different size axle bearings used.
The 60 - 63 7 1/4 have the smallest outer axle bearing. all were Small Bolt Pattern (SBP)
63 - 76 used a "medium" size bearing with the SBP
Large Bolt Pattern 7 1/4 used the largest axle bearing.
The axle housing outer ends only accept the bearing size it was designed to use.
DD

How about the gear sets and diff cases and yokes.

Brian

_________________
63 Plymouth Valiant Wagon

Thank you DD, it’s difficult to find any info on these early 60s axles. Is that a typo in your text, you say 60 - 76 used a "medium" size bearing with the SBP. 60-76 doesn’t seem logical here, or is this something I don’t understand? Should this medium size bearing start 1963? That’s the impression I get from the parts books?

Both questions address "cross-over periods were I have seen both type of bearing used.
This is what I have seen on Mopars I have worked on:
I have seen the "small bearing" in 63 Dart & Valiant 7 1/4 rears. (US made) Could be early production 63 vehicles using-up inventory or swapped-in rear but everything looked "factory".
The large bearing 7 1/4 actually started in 1973 but was only used in LBP disc brake vehicles, Drum brake A-Body vehicles (SBP) were still using the medium bearing size 7 1/4 until 1976.
DD

Yes, that makes sense, there was probably a transition period 62-63. Great to hear actual experiences. I only have the books to look at.
Sorry, I was probably a little unclear: when I asked about a possible typo, I was referring to the early years. According to the years you gave (60-63 and 60-76), it would seem they used both axles with small bearings and axles with medium bearings from 1960 to 1963. This seems a little odd to me. What I meant was, should the medium bearing years be from 1963 to 1976?
In any case, thank you very much. This cleared up part of the picture. Any other information (anybody?). About the axles and in interchange of any parts?

Correct and yes... a "typo" on the medium bearing year range.
I corrected my post above to show 63 - 76
DD