Quick Change Bolt On Components for a Modified Race Car
There is a large offering of bolt on components that are used on quick change rear ends, which make outfitting the rear end for your chassis very easy. Many of the components can be bolted on before putting it under the car. I like to stack the cardboard dividers up that came out of the quick change box to raise the rear end up off the ground. This creates the perfect working height when sitting on a rolling shop stool.
This is how a bare Winters Modified Quick Change Rear End will look once you get it out of the box. If you get the complete quick change kit it comes with hubs, axles, brake rotors, and all the hardware, bearings, and seals needed, but they will require assembly. If you already have a quick change rear end, but need the hubs and hardware then Grand National Rear Hub Kit could be used. This hub kit is for axle tube ends that use 2.5” ID bearings for both inner and outer bearings.
One thing that is much quicker and easier than a 9” is the torque link brackets. With a quick change it’s a simple bolt on installation. AFCO Quick Change Torque Top Link Brackets work well with a variety of chassis since there are several hole locations for the torque link to mount to. One thing I also did was use four Crank Drive Mandrel Bolts for the brackets. These are also used for drive mandrels, but it just so happens they are the perfect length and thread size for the quick change as well. These brackets also have two 3/8” bolt holes in the mid-section. I used 6” long 3/8” bolts and cut some 3/8” ID tubing to span between the brackets in order to keep the brackets nice and rigid.
On 4 bar suspensions the birdcages are a very simple bolt on. The BSB bearing birdcages come with the locating clamps, rod end spacers, and shock mount swivels (only one swivel on the RH birdcage). With all the birdcage equipment coming in one box this makes sure that you will not be missing something once you are ready to install them.
Continuing on down the axle tube you can now install your brake floater and/or caliper clamp brackets. I used a BSB Steel Bearing Brake Floater on the left as well as Speedway Caliper Clamp Bracket on the right. Be sure to drill and tap for two 3/8” bolts through the clamp bracket and into the axle tube. Another option is to put a couple inches of weld on the clamp in an area that is easy to access if you need to grind the weld back off for birdcage removal.
For J bar brackets there are many choices these days, but the climbing brackets are very popular for ease of use and being able to make small height adjustments. The Wehrs Machine Quick Change Pinion Mount Climber will make adjustments quick and easy.
At this point I like to get the rear end placed under the car. Once the hubs and brakes get installed the assembly gets pretty heavy to maneuver for one person. You sure don’t want to drop it off the jack as you are raising it up and connecting the 4 link bars, J bar, and pull bar.
For brake calipers I used AFCO RH Caliper and AFCO LH Caliper as well as Speedway GM Brake Caliper Slide Bolts. One thing I really like about the AFCO calipers is that they are zinc plated, which holds up well and keeps the calipers from rusting. Brake fluid doesn’t affect the zinc plating like it does paint.
