Is it possible to replace my front spidles with V8's and upgrade to 5 lug rims and brakes without changing over the rear end? I am having a shop replace my rear end next spring to 5 lug and was wondering if I could do the front and still be able to drive it?

 

I can't think of a reason you couldn't drive it with the stock (probably 7.5") rear end until you get it changed. You just won't be able to rotate tires until it's all 5 lug and you'd have a 50/50 chance at having the right 4 or 5 lug spare if you got a flat. Both minor problems for a short term. 5 lug front / 4 lug rear won't hurt anything or vice versa.
Will the wheels/tires be all the same ht? 14"? I don't think 15" in front and 14" rear would hurt either, just look a little funny.
Jon

 

you can do the front now, the rear later. problems are as above, spare wheels etc. However if you have a V8 in the front ... i blew two 7.5" rear axles before I finally swapped the rear .... so you might be at that shop earlier than you think ;-)

 

Thanks!! I won't be driving it much after I do the conversion. I will start on it when winter starts here in Wisconsin in a few months and then spring time I will be bringing it in for the rear. Getting things set up for a I6 to V8 swap and just doing little things at a time.

 

As long as you don't do things like burnouts and drag race starts/powershifts, a 7.5" should be able to live behind a small V8 for a reasonable length of time.

I wouldn't think that Ford's 7.5" rear could be all that much weaker than GM's corporate 7.5"/7.625" piece with 26-spline axles, and that's what I've had behind an EFI 355 in the Malibu in my sig for several years without issue.


Norm

 

There was a few years ford ran the 7.5 behide a v8 but they wasn't all that fast tho.

 

well a couple of fast starts and my rearend would start grinding. not powershifting, not dragracing, no traction locking. Just a very healthy quick takeoff. the 289 was pretty strong for what it was. the first thing to give was always the pinion bearing in my case. I didn't actually break pinion or gears, but I was in no mood to change those bearings every month