The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - 55.2-59 Has anybody here used a Chassis Engineering bolt-in crossmember on a Task Force?

dsraven · 10-03-2023, 02:55 PM

I have heard about thaT app and seen a video where a guy is using it but then got the app for whatever reason. looks cool though. I have the digital level which is cheaper than a new phone if I clutz out and drop it plus the level is magnetic which is handy when you work alone.
there is an axle width chart here if you scroll down some.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...chart.1201784/

you could look for a mustang rear axle, the 8.8 unit, as they are pretty strong as well and there are lots of upgrade kits if you are thinking of dumping a bunch of power under the hood.
https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/ford-8-8-rear-end/
the explorer has the 8.8 as well and most have decent gears with the larger axles, top hat style park brake and rear discs but it has an offset center while the mustang is centered I think. there are a few guys who shorten the long axle to be the same length as the short axle and then simply use 2 short side axles so the pumpkin is centered. the axles and rotors or drums are easy to redrill if you just drill the flange between the ford studs and install the correct size of studs to match the front wheels. I have done it before. I cut the mounting flange off a scrap explorer rotor and drilled 1/8" holes where I needed the new studs to be (had a buddy mark the spots with it chucked up in a lathe but you could do the same with a good pattern marked with both the ford and the chevy circles and with the ford circles cut out to fit the studs). I bolted it up to the axle using the ford wheel bolts still in place. then marked the axle flange by running a 1/8" drill bit through the holes just enough to make a mark on the axle flange. removed the pattern piece, center punched where the marks were and drilled the flange with a 1/8" bit for a good pilot hole to use later. then measured how long the new studs needed to be to go through the rotor and the wheel with room for the nut on the front side. then I sourced some wheel studs the correct size for length with the same lug nuts as the front rotors had. drilled the axle flange to accept the new studs with a press fit and removed the old ford studs. then I used the ford studs to bolt the pattern to the ford rotor and did the same trick there. these holes can be a little sloppy because they don't have to fit tightly around the stud. with that done the whole thing can be assembled. I did this without taking the axles out of the differential housing, just be careful to drill straight and use a small bit for a pilot hole to ensure it is where it needs to be. best to do this with a drill press and the axles removed but it worked for me this way.

10-03-2023, 02:55 PM	#31
dsraven Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: calgary alberta Posts: 7,855	Re: Has anybody here used a Chassis Engineering bolt-in crossmember on a Task Force? I have heard about thaT app and seen a video where a guy is using it but then got the app for whatever reason. looks cool though. I have the digital level which is cheaper than a new phone if I clutz out and drop it plus the level is magnetic which is handy when you work alone. there is an axle width chart here if you scroll down some. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...chart.1201784/ you could look for a mustang rear axle, the 8.8 unit, as they are pretty strong as well and there are lots of upgrade kits if you are thinking of dumping a bunch of power under the hood. https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/ford-8-8-rear-end/ the explorer has the 8.8 as well and most have decent gears with the larger axles, top hat style park brake and rear discs but it has an offset center while the mustang is centered I think. there are a few guys who shorten the long axle to be the same length as the short axle and then simply use 2 short side axles so the pumpkin is centered. the axles and rotors or drums are easy to redrill if you just drill the flange between the ford studs and install the correct size of studs to match the front wheels. I have done it before. I cut the mounting flange off a scrap explorer rotor and drilled 1/8" holes where I needed the new studs to be (had a buddy mark the spots with it chucked up in a lathe but you could do the same with a good pattern marked with both the ford and the chevy circles and with the ford circles cut out to fit the studs). I bolted it up to the axle using the ford wheel bolts still in place. then marked the axle flange by running a 1/8" drill bit through the holes just enough to make a mark on the axle flange. removed the pattern piece, center punched where the marks were and drilled the flange with a 1/8" bit for a good pilot hole to use later. then measured how long the new studs needed to be to go through the rotor and the wheel with room for the nut on the front side. then I sourced some wheel studs the correct size for length with the same lug nuts as the front rotors had. drilled the axle flange to accept the new studs with a press fit and removed the old ford studs. then I used the ford studs to bolt the pattern to the ford rotor and did the same trick there. these holes can be a little sloppy because they don't have to fit tightly around the stud. with that done the whole thing can be assembled. I did this without taking the axles out of the differential housing, just be careful to drill straight and use a small bit for a pilot hole to ensure it is where it needs to be. best to do this with a drill press and the axles removed but it worked for me this way.