The Granada rear axle should fit without issue into your Mustang. Width differences, if any, are negligible. The only difference you will encounter is the axle shaft hubs are larger diameter and use Granada, not Mustang, rear brake drums. In addition, most standard Mustang wheels will not fit over the hub, and you will either have to use Granada steel wheels or some aftermarket wheels, most of which will fit. The Granada wheels, by the way, are 14 X 6". As for gearing, most 8" stuff will begin around 2.79 and go larger from there. I don't recall any 8" R&P offerings in the 2.50+- range.
Best,
Al

 

Al Newman, what is the difference the mustang wheels wont fit? I can understand the granada drum but after the drum is on what would cause them not to fit? Is it back spacing or the wrong 5-lug pattern?

Thanks for the reply Josh

 

The centering cone on the axle (the "nub" that sticks through the center of the drum and wheel) is larger in diameter.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies. I can get a late 70's rear end complete with brakes along with the front spindles complete with brakes for $150 so Im going to jump on it. Im wanting to convert my car to 5 lug so this will be great for me then. Thanks again Josh

 

Not going to be all that great a deal if it has a 2.47 or 2.50 rear axle ratio. With the options available today, there's absolutely NO reason to use Granada spindles on a '65-66 car but, then again, that's just MY opinion.

 

well for $150 for everything, that's hard to beat.The front brakes alone bring more than that.

 

Let me make a correction from what I understand the rear end is a Granada and the front spindles/brakes are 66 mustang but I think Im going to clarify that for sure before I buy it though. Thanks Josh

 

There have been mor ethan a few people report some nasty steering alignment issues when using Granada spindles on 1965-66 cars. Though they seem to work fine with 1967 and up cars I personally would look at a different front brake solution on a 1966 model. Now if the guy in fact has 1966 disk brake spindles, go get them before somebody else does.

 

Lots of differing experience with the Granada disk brakes on 1965-66 Mustangs. My personal experience is that I've installed and/or sold more than 50 complete changeover kits for 1965-66 Mustangs for years and have owned and driven at least six Mustangs and Falcons with the setup installed and have failed to note any or have any reported problems with the setup. I did install one Versailles spindle setup, and it required shimming the tie rod ball stud to fit tight in the spindle; otherwise the front suspension was stupid loose and dangerous. In addition, I can see where installing the Granada spindles on an otherwise 6 cylinder steering setup would be really squirrelly. Not arguing - just sayin.
Best,
Al

 

Is there a definitive way to tell these are 66 mustang spindle or granada? Also is there a different mustang spindle for drum and for disc? I was under the impression drum brake spindles could be converted to disc (using the same spindle). Josh

 

The spindle's upper caliper mounting hole will be 1/2" for the Granada spindle and 9/16" for a 68-73 Mustang spindle. Both of these spindles have 3 threaded bolt holes on the flange face. All V8 65-67 spindles are the same (drum or disc) and have 4 non-threaded bolt holes on the flange face.

Drum brake spindles can be used in a disc brake conversion, but I would not use any 67 or later original equipment spindle (drum, disc, Mustang, Granada, or other) on a 65-66 Mustang; there will be steering geometry issues.

 

I put a Versailles rear in my '66. Same width as the Granada and it's 3/8" wider on each side, if memory serves me correctly. I got 15X7 wheels to fit with no problems. I think about the only wheel that won't fit the larger hub is the Styled Steel wheels and stock steels. My Magnums fit over the larger hubs with no problems. And my front is a MII spindle that uses the Granada rotor and hub, so it's larger too and the Magnums fit it too.

 

I was wanting to put some american racing 15x7's on mine so this is good to hear! Thanks!

The spindle's upper caliper mounting hole for will be 1/2" for the Granada spindle and 9/16" for a 68-73 Mustang spindle. Both of these spindles have 3 threaded bolt holes on the flange face. All V8 65-67 spindles are the same (drum or disc) and have 4 non-threaded bolt holes on the flange face.

Drum brake spindles can be used in a disc brake conversion, but I would not use any 67 or later original equipment spindle (drum, disc, Mustang, Granada, or other) on a 65-66 Mustang; there will be steering geometry issues.

Im thinking these are 66 spindles but when I pick them up Ill check for the 4 non threaded bolt holes. Thanks again!! Josh

 

IIRC, the spindles (disc or drum are the same) on a '65-66 are C5DA castings and '67 disc/drum and '68 drum are C6OA castings.

 

Really?! I was under the impression the steering arm was in a slightly different position on the 65/66 compared to later cars due to car width. Everything I have read has said later arms on the 65/66 will probably require a bump steer kit and the kit would have to be specific to the later arms. I have later spindles on my 65 but haven't driven it yet. I used 68 outer tie rods on my otherwise 65 steering setup. Someone with more knowledge has to be able to chime in on this one.

Also, to correct your post on what I do know. The 65/66 v8 arms are much different than the 65/66?i6 arms. The I6 steering has COMPLETELY different geometry not to mention tie rod size.

EDIT: after rereading your post you were probably meaning the later disc/drum spindles are the same and not that the early and late arms are the same?

 

Watch your back spacing carefully on the American Racing wheels. You need to be real careful with the wider rear end. I think my 15X7's are 4.25" BS??

 

The 15x7's I was looking at I think were 4" backspacing. Think it would cause an issue? Josh

 

You're cutting it close with the rears. I'll have to stick my hand up inside mine tonight and see what kind of clearance I have with mine. But I did hammer my pinch welds up for more space.

 

No argument here. A number of VMF members over the years have reported geometry issues with Granada spindles when used on 1965-66 cars. That's ALL I said. There have been enough such reports to make me not want to do such a swap or recommend it to others. Other folks will always chime in and say their swap came out fine. Apparently the swap can and does work fine for some people.
Degins said above "on a 65-66 Mustang; there will be steering geometry issues." Spindles and such brake swaps are his business, I believe he knows more about this than I do.

 

My folks ordered a new 77 Granada in the early fall of 76. That car was a four door, C4, 302 and no AC. It had 3.00:1 gear set std. After 45 years and various options, who knows what gear set could be in there?

As far as bump steer, I have that issue on my 66 with the stock spindles. I should also point out my spindles are about the only thing stock besides the linkage right now. About 95% of the time it drives OK. That 5% in my particular case makes up for the 95% of the time. That will be addressed as soon as I have some free time. I think you'll be fine.

 

I was referring to the 65/66 being the same as the later arms. Are you saying they are the same from early to late or the same from disc to drum on the late cars. The. 65/66 spindles are different from v8 disc, v8drum, and i6 are they not?

 

'65-67 V8 spindles are the same for disc or drum. '68 and later have different spindles for disc brakes, although the drum spindles are the same from '67-69. The '70 & up spindles are pretty much the same as '69 spindles except for the spindle pin diameter and the size of the tie-rod mounting hole.

'65-66 I6 spindles are smaller than V8 spindles. '67 & up I6 and V8 used the same spindles.

 

Is there any difference in steering geometry at all from the C5DA and the C6OA?

 

Yes, as stated above, the C6 P/N spindle is the 67 type (68-69 used a functionally identical C8 P/N spindle). All 67-73 Mustang and Granada spindles have an identical steering geometry that is different from all 65-66 Mustang spindle's steering geometry.

 

Thank you for clarifying that. I was sincerely confused as to what 'same' meant. Am I close in assuming it is the adjustment in Ackerman angle that differentiates the spindles from early to late on the mustang. It only makes sense as they have the same wheelbase but a 2" difference in track width. I don't know the specs on a Granada but if the wheelbase differs from 2 door to 4 door, ford would have been smart to adjust the Ackerman for that as well.

Bart probably didn't even know how confused I was or what I was confused about and was getting frustrated trying to answer my redundant questions lol.

 

The Granada/Versailles rear ends are offset toward the drivers side by 1/4 inch.