This was a pretty big project. I started with an axle from a Ford Explorer. This provides a stronger axle and limited slip. The pumpkin housing is not centered on the Explorer axle. A common practice is to cut 2 and 7/8″ from the driver side housing making it the same length as the passenger side. Then buying a new driver side axle. The project had some unexpected challenges. The kit used was supposed to be for a 3.25″ housing, but came with parts for a 3″ housing. The kit also included some running changes that were not documented in the bill of material or in the assembly instructions. This left a number of parts that had to purchased separately, a number things to figure out, and a few items to fabricate.

To start the process perches and shock mounts were cut from the axle. Then the axle was marked lengthwise on the side to be cut. This was done with a cutoff wheel along an angle iron. This was done to make sure once shortened the axle end plates would be at same angle. Two lines were also marked along the housing 9 inches apart. Then a little over 2 and 7/8″ was cut from housing. Then I turned down a tube to slide into the axle. This was to strengthen the axle where it was put together. Once the tube was the correct size holes were drilled in the housing. Everything was then assembled with the lines now 6 and 1/8″ apart making the housing 2 and 7/8″ shorter. Then c channels were clamped around the axle to hold the housing perfectly in line. The drilled holes allowed the housing to be rosette welded in addition to around the circumference of the housing.

The next step was to weld the perches to the axles. This is where the attachment point for the lower bars will be bolted to the axle. The goal was to have these perches level with the frame rails. To do this I measured the angle of the face of the back of the transmission relative to the frame rails. I believe it was a little less than 5 degrees. Then with the axle on jack stands I rotated until the face of the pinion flange was down the same angle while the perches were level. It is important to note since the axle is upside down at this point this has the pinion 5 degrees up once installed. Precision adjustment will be available by adjusting the upper and lower control arm lengths.

Now I was ready to set the axle in place. To do this the other axle had to come out. First was removing the brake lines as well as the parking brake cables. Next was the rear shackles which came out pretty easy. The next was removing the leaf springs from the front pockets. This required cutting the leaf springs since the bolts were frozen. The first part was installing the lower bars. These had to be narrow slightly because they would not fit in the spring pocket. I do not know if this was because of tolerance in old cars or a running change. I also had to buy new bolts because the included bolts were 1.5″ too long. Apparently some years used a bolt that goes all the way through the frame rail. The 68 didn’t, as a result needing a shorter bolt. Next bottom brackets were bolted to axle with four u bolts. These also had to be purchased separately because the included bolts were for a 3″ housing.