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Rear End Housing |
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A.R. Headers
AMC Nut Joined: Feb/28/2017 Location: Deer Park NY Status: Offline Points: 268 |
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Posted: Jan/22/2019 at 6:25pm |
Hey Guys,
I'm searching a rear end housing for my 64 Rambler being built for SEMA. I don't know the specifics as I'm new in the AMC world but I'd like to find what's considered the strongest housing from that era. It can be bare. I will install all new internals including axles. I know it's easier to go with a 9" or Dana 60 but I want to keep this hot rod as much AMC as possible. If anyone can help please email me at nick@americanracingheaders.com. Thank you.
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American Racing Headers
100% Made In USA Since 2005 |
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PROSTOCKTOM
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jun/20/2010 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 2450 |
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That would be an AMC 20 rearend. If you are going to use one of those I would suggest that you narrow it to size and use big bearing Ford 9" ends on it. This way you'll have every available option for rear brakes compared to few AMC offering and have 1-pc axles. I understand wanting to use an AMC rearend, but a 9" is hard to ignore.
Tom
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motorhead_1
AMC Addicted Joined: Apr/16/2014 Location: AZ Status: Offline Points: 1006 |
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the ford 8.8 is a cheap strong option as well.
planning on SEMA later this year?
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69 SC/Rambler tribute 401/th400, 68 Rebel SST LSA, 66 F100 460/c6, 88 Merkur Xr4Ti, 71 Jaguar XJ6 LS1, 08 Supercharged Tundra
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mixed up
AMC Addicted Joined: Jun/16/2015 Location: Monroe mich Status: Offline Points: 2177 |
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ford 8 inch out of a maverick will bolt right in no mods or you can just use the 8.8 like most other do on this forum if you cant find the proper amc 20 if you have to narrow it why not upgrade to a 8.8 out of a mustang or ranger
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69 amx 290 auto
65 220 290 4spd 80 ford fairmont |
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585eric
AMC Apprentice Joined: Jul/26/2009 Location: springwater NY Status: Offline Points: 125 |
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You can cut off the ends and put 3" x.250 wall over the 2 1/2".Im using moser hobby stock ends for the ford 9".the bushings you need for the carrier to narrow the housing are the same as gm12 bolt 3.06.you could also add a truss over the top.
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farna
Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19676 |
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To answer your question more directly, there isn't any "best" AMC 20 diff casting. All are pretty much the same. Do note that there is a difference in the torque tube (56-66 Rambler V-8/Classic/Ambassador/Marlin) and open driveshaft housings and pinion shafts. Other than the pinion gear and shaft parts interchange AFAIK. The pinion shaft on the torque tube models isn't drilled and tapped for a yoke retaining screw and has a different spline and size on the end -- machined differently for the yoke of an open driveshaft. I'm assuming you're going to use an open driveshaft model since you're building for SEMA and most likely using a modern trans as well. There have been a few engine/trans conversions that retained the torque tube, but it's a lot more effort than swapping to an open driveshaft rear axle and building a suspension. Not that difficult to weld in ladder bar mounts or use a universal four link kit with the stock coil springs and seats. To retain the torque tube you either have to make a crossmember with a mount to hold the front of the tube or do some cutting and welding on the transmission output shaft housing. Trans must be the correct length or the torque tube will need shortening too. There is also the possibility of the CV joint (only in 63-66 V-8 cars, 56-62 used a single u-joint) being bad. the centering spring and pin assembly wears out and ther is no replacement. Takes 40+ years to wear out inside the tube, but when it does the joint flops and causes vibrations. Not terribly hard to change to a single u-joint, but if I were converting I'd just use a modern CV joint. There is a photo of a crossmember mount here (scroll down): This is the 50s Nash type mount that was used through 61 in the Ramblers with V-8. The 62-66 models use a simpler rubber cushion and four bolt flange (62 TSM shows a six bolt, but I've never seen one in the field, probably a prototype used for photos).
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Frank Swygert
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jpnjim
AMC Addicted Joined: Nov/25/2007 Location: New England Status: Offline Points: 2752 |
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I didn't see it mentioned here,
but you should take a look at the AMC Model 20 rear ends used under FULL SIZE Jeep Wagoneers, Cherokees and J-10's as well. AMC lore says that they were thicker housings with thicker tubes, I say AMC lore because I never personally had one myself to examine, but others have backed up that they were inde ed beefier. The FSJ M20's did have one piece axle shafts as well, but they probably wouldn't be much good to you since they were 6 lug on a 5.5" bolt circle, and the stock axle tread widths were around 59" for the narrow track Full Size Wag/Cherokee and something like 63" track width for the wide track Full Size Cherokee and all J-10's. ^I'd assume you'd narrow the housing to fit and use big bearing 9" ends like others have mentioned. The toughest issue to eliminate with an M20 (once the housing is beefed, the crush spacer eliminated and 2-piece axles replaced) is the lack of support that comes with just 8 bolts holding the ring gear to the carrier. I think that's usually the point where people move on to a D60 or 9". It's a shame because the M20 specs out nicely otherwise, and almost every locking carrier under the sun is available for it (thanks to the Jeep aftermarket suppory). Good luck and thanks for supporting the hobby with your headers and building a SEMA AMC!
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71 P-code 4spd Javelin/AMX
some Jeeps and some Fords |
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SC397
AMC Addicted Joined: Apr/30/2009 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 5476 |
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With welding the axle tubes, beefing spring purches and, installing one piece axles the AMC20 is much stronger than credited. The narrowest which would allow for mini tubing is a AMC20 from a CJ Jeep. - not too hard to find. The narrowest bolt-in one would be a AMC20 from a V8 Rambler American which are expensive and not so easy to find. I have a few AMC20's from early AMX and Javelin that could be used as is or narrowed and put in. The spring purch centers are the same between the Rambler American and the early AMX and Javelins. Edited by SC397 - Jan/23/2019 at 8:57am |
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White70JavelinSST
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Aug/08/2012 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 4866 |
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Nick, I admire your tenacity. Standing in a sea of Chevelles, Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, and a bunch of other cars, you chose an AMC to build and bring to SEMA. My research on the AMC20 axle says that they are plenty strong for more horsepower than the factory put in front of them, especially when maintained properly. I read an article about a guy who was road racing his 2nd gen Javelin with an AMC20. He was competing in the Midwest at tracks like Blackhawk Farms and Road America. He had several failures with it, each one resulting with an improvement that eventually made the 20 nearly bullet proof. Granted road racing doesn't always shock load an axle like drag racing will, but it puts a rear end to the test in a way that drag racing doesn't. Yes he broke the original axles, Then replaced them with one piece axles. As I recall he managed to break one of them as well. anyway his result was that the ring and pinion and carrier were not the weak link. He reported that eventually he replaced the axle tubes with large diameter tubes and one piece axles, I can't remember who the 2nd set of axles were made by. I do remember him writing that the tubes and end plates were like that of the Ford 9". His desire to keep the car as much AMC as possible was the motivation for the process of improving the rear end until it became strong enough to withstand the abuse it was getting. The advantage of what he did was he still had the lower weight and less horsepower consumption of an AMC20, but he now had the strength of a Ford 9".
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70 Javelin SST, second owner, purchased 1972
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304-dude
AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/29/2008 Location: Central Illinoi Status: Offline Points: 9082 |
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Just a note... I sold my AM20 center (removed tubes) to a guy who planned on building it into a much stronger unit, by using bigger tubes.
For myself I had gone to the Ford 9" because it was exactly what I wanted for fit and build simplicity. The only thing I could do besides moving spring pads, would be to remove the truck ends and replace them with 8.8 ends, which are the same as ford truck 9" ends, but with the new flange bolt pattern, for a bolt on OEM rear disc brakes for Mustangs. It would be a sweet setup for stock appearances, but of all things my rear setup cannot hide the non stock setup, so investing in stock brakes, for me, would be a wasted effort. |
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71 Javelin SST body
390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker |
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