I have installed a MII IFS and I started to look for a rear drum-disc conversion kit. Well - I needed to know what bolt pattern to use. I measure the hubs that came with the IFS kit and they are 4 1/2. My rear axle is 5 1/2 (9" - I was told. Is there a way to confirm). So - should I get new front hubs/rotors or new axles and if it is the axles - from where? What would be a good donor car/truck? I would like to keep it as cheap as possible but I plan on driving my truck every day.

 

you can have a machine shop re drill your rear axle's to match the smaller pattern of the front, or buy rotors with the 5x5.5 rear pattern from cpp ......

 

If you don't want to go the machine shop route, there is a way to convert your nine inch to a 5x4.5 pattern using Torino axles. I do not know the details but I know it can be done. Perhaps someone else knows the details. Another option would be to change the rear end completely. You could use a Mopar rear which also uses the 5x4.5 pattern or an 8.8 from an Explorer...

 

Because the 9" is popular with racers, alternate axles are available. I recently saw an article in street rodder, I believe, introducing a cut to length 9" axle. It may have been Currie manufacturing it, but you buy one of their cut to fits that has several inches of splines, and shorten each side to fit your application. Most of the standard bolt patterns were available. For brakes, many of the disc brake kits are just oe parts from an explorer.

 

Saw the add in street rodder magazine. It is Currie, and they're CTL, or cut to length.

 

I know 9" rears have been used a ton in performance stuff and came in alot of stuff standard with the 5X4.5 pattern (Mustangs, Torinos, even some Granadas, etc.) so depending on your width (and budget) there should be no problem coming up with the right combo axles. Based on the availability of wheels, etc to fit each pattern, I would think that you would be better off using the smaller Mustang pattern and strength is not an issue with axles and studs readily available to handle pretty much anything that you can throw at them. There is also out there a kit I have seen to use the Explorer (also 5 on 4.5) rear disc brake set up on a 9" rear and suspect that there are ones for the 94 up stang brake set up on em too.