Has anyone every took the measurements of the dakota 7.25 from 80's to 96? I was just wondering as a cheaper way to up my gears with out having to custom or special order a set from a place. I also wonder how much power does the average 7 1/4 take? I plan on a small build of 250hp and hope I can keep the rear end for a while.

The Dakota axle is too wide for an A-body, but you can steal the gears and put them in your housing. The 7 1/4 can take 250 hp if it's in good shape and you treat it right. I've broken one 7 1/4 behind a stock '77 318 automatic car and another behind the 225 and 4 speed in my '66 Dart. The cross pin in the Dart's axle ovaled out the hole in the differential carrier. Sure Grip 7 1/4s, at least the early ones, had a 4 spider gear differential and were much stronger.

I wouldn't put any money into an open diff 7 1/4. There are other options including Ford 8" rear ends. Do a search including member Dart 270 for more on that.

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Joshua

Is it a lot of work to switch out the gears on the 7.25, was just curious i've only dealt with "pumpkin" type rear ends. What other suggestions do you have for axle that are pretty beefy, but measure up so I can part from a junkyard.

You have my suggestions already. All these questions have been asked and answered. It would be polite of you to search before asking.

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Joshua

I might be willing to try a 7-1/4 if more parts were available (such as Sure Grips) but since not, don't waste your time. I scrapped a few of them in recent years, got tired of tripping on them. Seeing the way the one blew up that was in my 90 Dakota sealed the deal. I put an 8-1/4 in there.
I had considered Dakotas as well as Cherokees as swap donors since both are close lengthwise to what my Volare needs but the Dakota has to be a 90-older since they went to 6 lug starting in 91, and the Cherokee has the perches on the top of the axle tubes rather than the bottom. (easy fix) I stumbled upon an 8-1/4 from another Volare 1st though. Both dakotas and cherokees had the 8-1/4 as options and rears with 3.55s-3.91s are plentiful. Might be worth a shot.