Will a B-body rear fit under a Duster. I know I will have to move my spring perches but will it fit under the car well? I know that Ron Parker has a B-body rear under his Dart so I am sure one will fit under my car since it has more room under the wheel wells. I will be using stock street tires, I just want a rear that has 3.25 gears to replace my current 2.76s. I would like to find an 8 3/4 so I can swap things around if I want to. I think this will also remedy to overbite look that Dusters have.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

THe common hack is to get a 1968-1970 rear as the perches are a 1/2" wider on each side (some guys just spread the leafs and make it work...).

If you have the money to get an 8 3/4" you probably have enough dough to get a new set of leafs and have the perches rewelded on correctly too...(you might even save money getting a set of perches welded on an F-body 8.25" too).

-D.Idiot

Will spreading the leaf springs affect handling any? I can get my hands on an 8 3/4 pretty cheap.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Let me ask you this? Are you ready for each tire to be pushed outward 1 1/2"? If you have the space then go ahead. I would not just spread the leaves out myself, but it's your car and your neck. The '66-'67 B body rear end is 5/8" narrower and fits a little better than the '68-'70 axle, but both have 44" spring centers rather than the 43" of an A body. I have the later axle with relocated spring perches under the back of my '72 Swinger with 17x8" Mustang wheels (+30mm offset) and it's too wide. A friend has a '67 Axle under his Valiant also with 17" Mustang wheels and it's still slightly too wide. The situation will be worse with original steel wheels than the positive offset wheels we're using. Either axle would probably be ok for a Duster, but I have less than 1/4" between the tire and the fender lip. My car has not and will not be driven this way.

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Joshua

Is the 8 3/4 a B-body rear?
I would recomend an A-body rear. Shoe horning somthing that wasn't designed to fit is not a good idea. yea it will work but if you arent in a bind and HAVE to get somthing under there be patient and get what was made for your car. I had an F-body 8 1/4 under my Valiant for about 3 weeks because I wasnt patient enough to look harder. yea it physically fit but I spent over $100 and wasted a lot of time to get the rear under there and 2 weeks later I found a complete A-body 8 3/4 cheap.
just my 2 cents

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This thread caught my interest. I am faced with doing something about the 7 1/4" rear end under my Duster. I wan't to put a 8 3/4" as a replacement. If I shop around, can I find an 8 3/4" that will bolt right in? I intend to put super stock springs under it, so those will be changed anyway. I guess I will also have to change the driveshaft. What combination of parts make the total swap (relatively) painless? I will be using s beefed up A-904 behind a performance 360.

Suggestions? Advice?

bwhitejr

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'72 Duster (Performance 360)
'83 Ramcharger (Performance 318)
'80 TrailDuster (360)
'80 D-150 Truck (See Below)
CompCams 252S, Holley 390cfm, Offy manifold
Ported, Polished and Gasket Matched
P4286813 Springs,0.040 Overbore,
0.090 Shaved Head

Yep, but you'll need a shorter driveshaft as well.

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1980 Aspen 225 super six

I am trying to put in a B-Body rear because that is all I can find that has the rear end ratio that I want. All of the A-body rears I have found are either small-bolt pattern or geared up like what is under the car now. I think that the extra width would help even things out too since the car looks a little silly with the back tires way under the car considering that Dusters have those big wheel wells. I have seen a few F-body rears but that are all geared up to high. I can get a complete 8 3/4 for $100 that came out from under a road runner.

How difficult is it to reweld spring perches? I want to do things the right way.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Replacing the spring perches is not that tough. The hardest part is actually removing the old perches. Do one side at a time. It's easier to keep the angles correct that way. Before you do any of this measure and see if you can tolerate the extra width and also measure the new rear end to be sure it's what you think it is. Don't forget the driveshaft as others mentioned. It adds to the expense of the swap.

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Joshua

I believe all a-body 8 3/4 are small bolt pattern. they can be redrilled as well as the brake drums but If I recal correctly they have less of the axle sticking out of the housing so they use a narrower brake drum and different offset backing plate.

How much power are you trying to run?
if your 360 is mild i would get an a body 81/4 and find a suregrip from a 80's dakota.
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CHEAP VAPORIZER
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MFLB

I have seen many b body rears under a body cars. And as mentioned
your best bet is probably a 68-70 b body. If anybody remembers the
article that was featured in mopar muscle they placed a "b" body rear into a '68 or '69 dart. They moved the spring perches and used a set of steel
wheels and spaced them to the inside. IIRC the spacing on the wheels was 1 1/4 - please correct me if wrong here. But however it did fit and
looked like it grew there. Figure in the price for cutting the driveshaft too.
Okay here is another option...Why not consider a '73 up 8.25 rear from
a duster?? That'll be as strong as you'd ever need with a slant. Driveshaft cutting is required though as well. If you have access to the 8.75 it might be worth it. Some people have to realize that these a body 8.75's are nowhere near as plentiful as they used to be. And usually to score one cheap you usually gotta know somebody. Just my .02....

I have an early B body 8 3/4 in my 69 Dart. I rewelded the perches to
make it fit. I tried to spread the springs at first but had difficulty doing
this. Later I was glad as I heard a couple of tales of drag race cars that did
not go down the track straight because of this.
I run 15X7 rims w/ 5.5" backspace. A 2.35-60-15 tire fits in there perfectly- I didn't move springs or anything. I had flattened the inner lips
on the wheelwells before, but I don't think I even needed to do that
with this combination.