Mopar Rear Axle/Differential Guide

By Dave Ashton

If you’ve ever wondered what type of rear axle and/or differential you have on your Mopar or even what one is in the first place, then this illustration may go along way to help.

The illustration shows the most common rear axles you can find on a Mopar from a 7 1/4 found on smaller V8 bodies, 8 1/4, 8 3/4, 9 1/4 and 9 3/4 Dana 60 found in the heavyweight Hemis, 440 Magnum, 440 six pack, 1 ton pickups and 1 ton vans. The illustration is simple and straight to the point. A good jump off point start doing some further reading.

If you want to start digging into the mechanicals of the rear axle, the different types of differential, ratios and where each are used, then we There are some great resources online. A good old explanation never fails, like the video below from 1937. A great explanation on how a basic car differential works in practice. We have also produced a few articles in the past on the basic definitions of how a differential works which you can find here.

If you want an extensive rundown of all the different types of rear axles found in Chryslers and alternatives, then try this link over at Hemmings.com. Another article at Hemmings goes through the 8 3/4 inch rear end and all its details and this article on the 8 1/4 inch rear end.

How a car’s drive shaft transfers power through the rear axle to the rear wheels can be as in-depth a topic as all the different aspects of a car engine or transmission. Hopefully, these few resources and link should give you a good start point.

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