For Brett, the 9-inch added strength, improved braking at the rear, and a gear upgrade from stock 2.80s to 3.50s for better off-the-line acceleration from his 289-powered Mustang. After a week or so of driving with the new rearend, Brett said, "I can tell a definite increase in the get up and go! It feels so much stronger. It is nice to go down the road and not hear that old hum-hum coming from the back."
John's Industries has been providing quality 9-inch third members, rear axles, and housings to the musclecar, street rod, and drag race market for the past 30 years. A variety of 9-inch assemblies are available, and the various components are available separately.
Positioned on the floor jack,...
Positioned on the floor jack, the 9-inch is rolled underneath Brett's Mustang and raised into place.
Wider u-bolts, obtained from...
Wider u-bolts, obtained from a local auto part stores, mount the rearend housing to the lowering blocks and springs. Shock mounts from a '67-'70 Mustang are required; they're available from Mustang parts suppliers.
With the rearend mounted to...
With the rearend mounted to the springs, begin reinstalling components, beginning with the shackle bolts, then the driveshaft, shocks, brake lines, etc.
The drum brakes must be disassembled...
The drum brakes must be disassembled to reinstall the emergency brake cable.
With the 9-inch bolted into...
With the 9-inch bolted into place, Brett's '65 Mustang is up to Hi-Po standards with a heavy-duty housing and 3.50 Traction-Lok gears.
Fill the rearend with gear...
Fill the rearend with gear oil and limited-slip additive, then bleed the rear brakes.
The 9-inch Factory offers...
The 9-inch Factory offers axle studs in a number of lengths. Ours turned out to be slightly too long for the chrome lug nuts with Brett's styled steel wheels, so we used standard lug nuts until Brett can obtain longer chrome versions.