Re: [AMC-list] 77 Hornet questions

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

Isuzu, Toyota, Ford 7.5" or 8" are all good replacements, but I have to ask WHY? None are stronger than the AMC 15, which has a 7-9/16" ring gear, roughly equivalent to a Ford 8". The only advantage to one of the others is the one piece axles. BUT -- if you torque the axle nuts every 15-20 years to 250-300 ft/lbs the hub will never spin under normal use, or even hard use with street tires. If you're drag racing a lot you probably want to change it, but as long as you're running street tires that fit the stock wheel wells the tires will break loose before a hub spins. There may be a better gear ratio in those axles depending on what you're doing, since those are trucks.

Tom Jennings hasn't been driving his 64 wagon really hard, but has put quite a load in it and doesn't "baby" it either. He does what I do -- uses the car! He spun a hub a month or so ago, but I don't think the hub had ever been off or retorqued in 46 years. AMC never specified a retorque interval, but cars were designed roughly for 10 years/100K miles back then. So it far outlasts the design criteria under normal use. If you're a bit harder on it retorque more often... maybe every 10 years. I've never spun one, and HAVE driven AMC 15 equipped cars hard. All sixes, but I've had a 190 hp 4.0L and a 260 hp 4.6L in front of one and drove it hard with a stick shift, popping the clutch often at first to spin that one tire -- a few times for 50-60 feet... Stick shifts shock the rear axle a lot more than an auto, especially when popping the clutch. The torque converter cushions the "blow". I can't spin the tires with my auto and 260 hp engine unless the road is a bit slick to get it 
started. Bummer at first, but I don't like burning away costly rubber too much anyway...

------------
Date: Mon, 31 May 2010 09:28:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: russ hathaway<russh97309@xxxxxxxxx>

Ken; I was looking through some of your photos and have a ques/comment.
First, the Isuzu rear, is that a good replacement for the AMCs. Same width, bolt pattern, stout rear, cheap, etc.? I have run the Toyota 2x4 rear before and they are the right width for the Hornets, 4 1/2 inch BP and stout/cheap. But they only come with drums, and little ones at that.

--
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars"
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://www.amc-mag.com
(free download available!)


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