Ok thought this might help as I have been getting a few questions about it. Let me first say I am not affiliated with any companys That I may mention, I am only Using them for refrence. I will try and get pictures up later in the week as my computer crashed a few weeks back

First of you will need a Good tape measure that is accurate. If its worn out spend the $10-$20 on a new one !!!
You will need a spare Third member if you are doing a housing like a ford that uses one for its gear set up.
An Alignmet bar kit !!! There are sevral ones out there, It really depends on How many times your gonna do it... so do your research...
If not included in the kit you will need a centering tool to measure the housing from center to end... again do your research...

First step is to have your rim and tire set up mocked up under the car. This way you can make sure it sitting is exactally were you want it. Then measure from the wheel mounting surface to surface. Once you get that measurement Draw a little diagram of a rear end with wheels, brake hats, and axles and so on... mark your wheel to wheel measurement. Then figure your hat, rotor, or drum thickness and add it to each side. Then you need to know your brake offset so that you can add it to each side. 2.5 inches Is common with a ford set up like the explorer rear disk brakes. Now You need to know is the pinion going to be perfectly centered in the car or does it require an offset like a mustang???

For the purpose of this exrsice I will use a centerd pinion, with a 1/4 (.250) hat/rotor Thickness at the mounting surface, 2 1/2 inch (2.5) axle/ brake offset, and an over all Wheel to wheel demension of 50 inches. Now add the rotor thickness for the 2 sides together =1/2 inch (.500) Then add the required brake offset together =5 inches (5.000) then add those two totals = 5 1/2 inches (5.500) . Now take your overall 50 inches and subtract your total offset required of 5 1/2 (5.500) inches and you get = 44 1/2 inches (44.500) . That is your housing end to end measurement for this exrcise.
If you devide that in half you get 22.250 inches. Now you need to measure your housing ends for thickness. Lets use 2 inches for are thickness and subtract that from your Half measurement of 22.250 = 20.250 . 20.250 is were you will need to cut your housing tubes on each side from the line up jig for the new ends. Always cut it a little on the Big side so you can clean up your cut and make sure the tube is flat to your housing ends.

This is really important because even though you will be installing the new housing ends with an alignment bar set up, if you have a gap it coud suck the housing end toward the gap and your lign up tool will end up wedgeing it self on the bar. Then you will have to beat the bar out of the rear end causeing damage... If this does happen !!!DO NOT!!! Hammer on the bar... cut the housing end very care fully around the out side Beign care full not to cut to deep untill it losens enough for the bar to move freely. Then you can slide it out, cut it off and do it again properly... If you actuall ruin the housing end or ends, there probbaly about 4 times Cheaper then just replacing just the line up bar... Use something like an Anti siez compound on the bar and rings so that it can slide freely and won't bind up... Also Be sure to protect the bar and rings when cutting or grinding too!!!

Now as far as the diffrent Line up tools go, the diffrent chassis shop supply houses can suppply you with what you need. I would try and at least get one that is a minumum of 1 1/2 inches or thicker If you plan on doing it a few times... If your only going to do it once, you might wanna try the one that is being sold on ebay... Stay away from kits made from tubing and bar stock... You want a perscion ground bar...

In No particular order...

Chris alston Line up bar kit and centering tool
Mark Williams Line up bar kit
Chassisengineering Line up bar kit and centering tool
Mittlerbrothers Line up bar kit and centering tool
Jerry Bickel Centering tool
A.R.T. Centering tool
Lamb Line up bar kit
Dutchman Axle Company Line up bar kit

 

nice write up. How about some pics.

Jess

 

As I said I am working on it... My computer crashed I will have to see what I can find on my back up Cd and Probally take a few New ones just for this post...

 

Cutting rearend:



After cutting:



Narrowing fixture installed with new housing ends aligned:



Fixture secured in rearend:



Welded:

 

Thanks andrew... Looks like a chris alston chassis works kit...

 

Quartermax (RJ) also has the kit with the bar and centering plate.

 

More pics:

Welded housing


Marked


Chopped


Cleaned


Straight


Ends


Checking Setup


Cleaned up with end


Welded End


Pictures credited to Neighbors!

 

Out of all the companies listed, is there a preference on which kit to buy? I am looking into doing a few housings, so it would be to my benefit to just buy the setup and narrow them myself. Thanks

 

Thanks!!! I forgot they added that this year... I think its a Mitlerbrothers kit though

 

Been a while since I looked but I think you get the most stuff with the alston kit for the money... They are just a little bit different on how they are designed but all do the same thing

 

ill post some pic's and all the measurments for my kit that im just finishing up... has all the slip bushings( steel rings) for D-60, 9", 8.8" (10 bolt GM), 12 bolt

my kit is made out of 4140 and a 2" hard chrome (induction hardened) bar 48"s long

later on this week

 

Is this the same jig set up you would use when welding the tubes to the housing

 

Yes

 

Yep! Narrowed courtesy JamesB.

 

Yep, You would most likely have to Make some ends to hold the end of the tube... I believe only the Mark Williams kit Is set up to hold 3 x .250 Tubeing...

 

Buying a Kit Or Makeing your Own????

 

Thanks to you for taking the pictures, and James B. For doing it while letting you photograph the process...

 

I have the mitler Jig and a bunch of parts I made myself to do 8.8's and fab 9 type housings here are some pics of an 8.8 we did I think it was for Gerry!

 

showoff!

 

Who Me???