<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Erik;<div>Yes, I noticed that as well. I kept the Southwick orientation as it gave me a bit more room for some other rear suspension mods. I don’t think it matters much. I have a solid axle 4A and the space around the bearing housing is pretty crowded. Not so much with the 3 and 4 solid axles.</div><div>Phil<br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Feb 18, 2023, at 1:21 PM, Erik Jacobsen <kekjacobsen@yahoo.com> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div class="ydp73b6938byahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><div></div>
        <div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Phil & Henry,</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Mine ended up flush, so that there was no slop between the bearing and backing plate. I did notice that Southwick had drilled the backing plates such that they were no longer indexed the same radially as stock. I don't know that it's a major issue, but it was odd. I was able to re-drill two holes on each one and get them close to the original position...</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Jake</div><div><br></div>
        
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                    On Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 09:51:22 AM CST, Phil Gott via Fot <fot@autox.team.net> wrote:
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                <div><div id="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201"><div><div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;color:black;"><div id="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201"><div><div><div style="color:black;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Henry;</span></div><div style="color:black;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"></div><div style="color:black;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Before you tear your axles out, check to make sure that the bearing housing has been bored too deep.  Mine were.  Some guys have reported that their axle housing bores are the proper depth and that the bearing sits flush with the brake-side surface of the backing plate, yielding no end float.</span></div><div style="color:black;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"></div><div style="color:black;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Also, <span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif;">I found out that the “C” shape retainers from Southwick are a universal fit for “Large” and “ Small” Ford rear ends.  That is why the holes are elongated. Southwick uses the “Small” Ford bolt pattern, and the Small retainer that fits it overlaps with the bearing a lot. I ordered some Small retainers from the Bronco Graveyard in SE Michigan. Easier than making my own.</span></span></div><div style="color:black;"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><font face="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif" style="background-color: inherit;"><br clear="none"></font></span></div><div><span style="font-size:12pt;"><font face="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif" style="background-color: inherit;">Regard,</font></span></div><div><span style="font-size:12pt;"><font face="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif" style="background-color: inherit;"><br clear="none"></font></span></div><div><span style="font-size:12pt;"><font face="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif" style="background-color: inherit;">Phil<br clear="none"></font></span><br clear="none"><br clear="none"><font size="2" style="color:black;"><span style="font-size:12pt;">-</span>----Original Message-----</font><br clear="none"><font size="2" style="color:black;">From: Henry A. Morrison <dos_gusanos@msn.com></font><br clear="none"><font size="2" style="color:black;">To: Philip Gott via Fot <fot@autox.team.net>; Philip Gott <vfracing@aol.com></font><br clear="none"><font size="2" style="color:black;">Sent: Sat, Feb 18, 2023 8:35 am</font><br clear="none"><font size="2" style="color:black;">Subject: Re: [Fot] Southwick Conversion axle float</font><br clear="none"><br clear="none"></div><div id="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201yqt20159" class="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201yqt8735537623"><div id="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201yqt00570" style="color:black;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;" class="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201yqt4483806569"><div id="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201"><div dir="ltr">
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Great, another project!  Thanks for the info.............</div>
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Henry Morrison</div>
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<div id="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201yqt79281" class="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201yqt6102015461"><div dir="ltr" id="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201divRplyFwdMsg"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:#000000;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;"><b>From:</b> Fot <fot-bounces@autox.team.net> on behalf of Philip Gott via Fot <fot@autox.team.net><br clear="none">
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 17, 2023 2:27 PM<br clear="none">
<b>To:</b> Philip Gott via Fot <fot@autox.team.net><br clear="none">
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Fot] Southwick Conversion axle float</span>
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</span></span><div class="ydp5793c7c9yiv0754878201x_PlainText">Thank you for the advice.<br clear="none">
I made a shim out of a bronze thrust washer purchased from McMaster Car (part number 5906K528). It fits over the 2” OD  bearing retainer shrunk on the shaft, although i opened it up about .040 to give some clearance. The OD of the thrust washer needs to be
 turned down a bit to fit inside the axle housing. It is just about the same thickness or .002” thicker than the backing plate, so the bearing will be captive and have no end play.  As some of you advised, this will go inside the bearing housing rather than
 inside the backing plate.<br clear="none">
See you at Road America!!!<br clear="none">
Phil<br clear="none">
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from my iPhone<br clear="none">
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> On Feb 12, 2023, at 8:01 PM, Philip Gott via Fot <fot@autox.team.net> wrote:<br clear="none">
> <br clear="none">
> Starting to reassemble my rear axle after a successful install of a new ring and pinion (thanks the help and advice on that one, FOT). When putting in the axle shafts I noticed an indentation on the axle bearing retainer from the bearing slamming sideways
 into it. Southwick machined the bearing housing ends the full width of the bearing. Because the backing plate fits over the bearing, there is nothing to keep the bearing all the way in the bearing housing, and it shifts side to side in the void left between
 the retainer and the backing plate. <br clear="none">
> One solution would be to find some steel wire the same thickness as the backing plate and form it into ring inside the hole in the backing plate.<br clear="none">
> Does anyone have any other solutions or recommendations?<br clear="none">
> Phil Gott<br clear="none">
> <br clear="none">
> Sent from my iPhone<br clear="none">
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