OK I just hit 500 miles on my rebuilt 9" so I had to make a decision weather to use the weld in Currie drain or go with the 1/8 27 npt drill and tap with a magnetized flush mount Allen screw set up (I bought both). Since I didn't feel like going thru all that welding in the Currie unit entails, I went with the other . I mean I can always change it over later.(yeah right) My only fear was how the flow would be thru the 1/8 hole, which turned out to be fine. Here's a couple of pics. The Allen fits flush even though it doesn't look like it in the pic. I think I will cover the Allen with a round cut piece of aluminum tape about the size of a quarter or fifty cent piece just to insure it wont vibrate loose. The only bad part was having the old brake in fluid run down my arm all the way to my waste, yuck. May be I should not have taken a shower b4 I started LOL. Alright I guess I have bored you all enough with this super complicated project, so Ill just wave goodbye for now, and wish you all a good night.

 

Nice job Jim! I'm curious why you didn't do the weld-in when it was all apart?

 

Hi Ross, the answer is simple I was so green and so focused on putting it together correctly, preloads, torques, brakes etc that it never even crossed my mind on how I would change the oil. It wasn't till I had a few hundred miles on it B4 I started looking into it. Another member turned me on to the weld in drain, but by then it was to late. I physically couldn't do it at this point so would need to farm it out But next time it needs work that's exactly what I will do. Another rookie mistake. PS If you remember I even put the brake backing plates on the wrong wheels, upside down, I laugh at my mistakes because they do teach me what not to do next time. Take it easy my friend.

 

I've got this question on another post (9" Rear End) but what did you use for the bottom Axle/Shock mount on your 9"?

 

Jim the 1/8 npt is tapered so you should not have to worry about coming out as it seals and gets tighter as you screw it in. I am glad that you had this thread since I a beginning to clean up and rebuild a nine inch for my 55 so the consensus seems to be weld in if you have it apart .
Thanks

 

Hey Jim;
Next time you drain it tie a shop rag around your wrist. It stops the oil running down your arm. Works for oil changes too. If you wear a surgical style rubber glove and tie the rag around the wrist over the glove you usually don't even get oil on your hand :-)
Ditto on the plug not coming loose as it is a tapered fit.

 

I took apart an Audi transaxle for scrapping purposes, and saw something interesting in it. There were a total of 6 large magnets in it, secured in cast-in pockets in different areas of the unit. All of them were coated with a fine layer of steel bits. The rest of the gearbox was spotlessly clean, after a claimed 100k miles. Next time I have a trans or axle apart I'm going to try to do the same thing, either gluing or screwing magnets all over the place. Having a magnetic plug is a real good start.

 

My truck did not have it's stock axle it had a Dana 53, I ended up using the existing shock mounts and a shim to get the proper the transmission angle degree. Only because I had already painted it. Another rookie mistake. I should have set it up to the proper angle , welded in new shock mounts then painted. You will have to excuse me Im just waking up, I used the mount that came on the 9" that were off a 72 F150, the part of it being a rookie mistake still holds true ,awake or not LOL. Knowing me and I do, at some point Ill drop the axle and correct my boo boo's. With the axle out I could use a chain hoist to bull the pumpkin, I just thought of that after answering the ? from Ross.

 

That's what I would do knowing what I know now.

 

Where did you get the 1/8" magnetic plug? Thanks!

 

Here is where I found it, I just typed in to google and wa la, I got lucky. https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr...ls.asp?RecID=9 "EDIT Just fyi the magnet is surprisingly strong imo.