Is the track width the same for all the A-bodies throughout the years? Another way to ask this is, are all the rear axles interchangeable?

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The North American Wild Chihuahua lives in a mutualistic relationship with the North American Wild Cow, providing an early alert system and carrion clean up.

Yes, A-body rear axles interchange, but some of the supporting parts like U-bolts and the shock mounting plates are different. 7 1/4s have smaller U-bolts. Driveshaft length is different between 7 1/4, 8 1/4 and 8 3/4. Brakes come in 9x2" and 10x1.75", 10x2.5" and a few 11x2.5" have been found. Thankfully they are all the same overall width and the spring perches are 43" center to center.

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Joshua

Chart in the tech section over at Big Block Dart forum lists 7 1/4 63 to 72 as 53.2" flange to flange, 8 3/4 at 51.4, and all 73 to 76 as 51.4".

But it also lists B body 8 3/4s at 55", and being that I picked up a 65-67 housing, and the axles out of my 68-70 one won't fit because it's either 3/8" or 3/4" wider (it's out back, and I'm too lazy to walk back there to measure it at the moment), it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to take your own measurements before dragging anything home.

A body axles are 43" (43.02) on the perches and B bodies are 44" up through 70, but I've talked to several people that have bolted them in by forcing the springs out enough to engage the center pins (I wonder how much fun you'd have trying that trick with urethane bushings?), and one guy in particular running a 70 B body 8 3/4 under a 68 Barracuda notch, reportedly with no tire clearance issues.

Yes, the housing widths do vary, but the overall width where the wheels bolts on stayed essentially the same. When the 7 1/4 went to big bolt pattern brakes the housing was made narrower to accommodate the wider brakes without increasing the track width.

'65-'67 B-body 8 3/4 housings are narrower than the '68-'70 housing and later ones are wider yet. I relocated the spring perches on a '69 model year B-body housing to fit an A-body, but under a slab-sided Swinger there wasn't any clearance to the outside with 17x8" +30mm offset (5.72" backspace) wheels and 235/40R17 tires. +40mm offset wheels would have worked in the back, but not in the front. A friend did the B-body axle with his '69 Valiant and switched from the '68-'70 B-body rear end to the '67 rear end to gain clearance. '67-'69 Barracudas and Dusters are fortunate to have more room toward the outside than other A-bodies.

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Joshua

Thank you much, wasn't sure. But now I am.

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The North American Wild Chihuahua lives in a mutualistic relationship with the North American Wild Cow, providing an early alert system and carrion clean up.