The new Cut-To-Fit axle kit...
The new Cut-To-Fit axle kit was perfect for our situation as we could get our hands on a pair right off the shelf from Currie and cut them to fit ourselves without the added hassle of cutting stock axles and then having to re-spline them. This meant we could measure, cut, and install all in one afternoon.
Thankfully for those of us who have or have access to an existing 8- or 9-inch Ford assembly (or a brand-new Currie housing like us) the folks over at Currie Enterprises/9-Plus have come up with a product that makes hot rod rearend fitment a simple and affordable task. The new 9-Plus Cut-To-Fit axle kit allows the home hobbyist the opportunity to fashion a rearend assembly that’ll fit perfectly in nearly any situation.
Recently the opportunity arose for me to actually use Cut-To-Fit axles myself – actually, my wife used ’em on her Total Performance Track-T project. (She’s finally decided to see just what keeps me in the garage all the time by building her own crate hot rod.)
Axle width for a particular...
Axle width for a particular situation is a critical measurement and I recommend consulting an expert (like those at Currie) before cutting. Using similar illustrations and a clear explanation, they’ll walk you through the correct way to measure so you’ll achieve your desired outcome.
Candy’s Total Performance Track-T kit came through with a bare Currie 8-inch rearend housing as part of the chassis kit (complete assemblies are available as an option though) and it was up to her to complete the assembly. The new Cut-To-Fit axle kit was perfect for this application as we could get our hands on a pair right off the shelf from Currie and cut them to fit ourselves without the added hassle of cutting stock axles and then needing to have ’em re-splined. This meant we could measure, cut, and install all in one afternoon – immediate satisfaction, just what we like.
Currie/9-Plus Cut-To-Fit axle kits provide the user with 28- or 31-spline axle shafts with 4 inches of spline length. Up to 3 inches of that spline length can be cut off so that you can end up with an axle length anywhere between 23 and 30 inches and still have adequate engagement into your third member (both 8- and 9-inch varieties).
Candy’s project used a brand-new Currie 8-inch Ford housing and center section along with a pair of Cut-To-Fit Currie axles. After hanging the rearend housing, all Candy had to do was install the center section, measure up and mark the axles for cutting. (Notice she’s measuring through the access hole in the axle flange, from the face of that flange to, in this case, 255⁄8 inches.)
All CTF axles feature high-performance induction heat-treated forged alloy steel construction, and are ABCS (Aftermarket Brake Configuration Standard) compliant. Wheel bolt patterns are dual drilled for 5 on 4½-inch Ford and 5 on 4¾-inch Chevy, and an access hole is factory drilled too. All CTF axles come with a full installation package that includes one set of five ½-20 Ford-style wheel studs, one set of five 7⁄16-20 Chevy-style wheel studs, one set of 20 tapered roller bearings with races, seals, collars, and heavy-duty late-model large bearing-style retainer plates.
In most cases it’s everything you’ll need, though in our situation we also needed to purchase, install a third member, and drum brake assemblies, as well. However, that worked out well too as Currie sells brand-new rear drum brake assemblies and gear sets also. So, at the same time we picked up our Cut-To-Fit axles, we also grabbed a pair of 10-inch drum brake kits and our new third member at the same time.
Currie drum brake assemblies are available for 10x1¾, 10x2, and 10x2½-inch shoes. Backing plates are reconditioned and powdercoated, and the balance of the brand-new parts are fully assembled onto the backing plates, and the new drums come with any wheel bolt pattern up to 5 on 5 and with the stud hole size you desire.
After lifting her new Currie...
After lifting her new Currie third member into place I let her install the washers
and lock nuts while I recuperated from the effort. This way she'd be ready for axle
installation as soon as they were cut and prepped.
When it came time
to cut the...
When it came time
to cut the axles we
decided to use my
trusty chop saw. Setup
and axle placement
for an accurate cut
is essential so she
measured and double-
checked it.
It’s also important to keep...
It’s also important to keep the heat down as much as possible while making the cut. Candy used the garden hose to keep things cool while cutting – it worked well and we’re confident we haven’t compromised the hardened shafts.
With both axles cut to appropriate...
With both axles cut to appropriate length (in the case of the King-T housing, 255⁄8 and 295⁄8 inches), she then used a small triangular file to slowly chamfer the ends and to clean up any burrs in the splines.
Once cut and cleaned up it...
Once cut and cleaned up it was time to assemble the axle assemblies. It’s great that Currie packages the kit with everything needed for the task. Each axle kit comes complete with one set of five 1/2-20 Ford style wheel studs, one set of five 7⁄16-20 Chevy style wheel studs, one set of 20 tapered roller bearings with races, seals, collars, and heavy-duty late-model large bearing-style retainer plates.
First Candy pressed in the...
First Candy pressed in the wheel studs. These days no home hobbyist should be without a press – they’re so inexpensive at this point that saving just one trip to the local shop will pay for it, and they come in really handy for a multitude of chores. We picked up ours for under $120 and it’s been worth way more than that in convenience and saved time alone.