I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

Post by **FORDification** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:51 pm

Well, upon doing some research, I found two different sources that state that the '73-'86 Ford vans and trucks have a housing that's 60-1/4"....which is only 1/4" off from what you say yours measures. It's the closest I've been able to find. And knowing that those rearends are 4" wider than our trucks, that supports the measurement that you report of each axle being 2" longer than the '67-'72 trucks' axles.

However, I'd have to question whether any of those vans or vans actually had 28-spline axles, since I've always heard that they had 31-spline units. Anything's possible, though. I think I'd pursue this angle.

What kind of spring mounts did it have? Coil or leaf? Were they located on the top or bottom of the axle tube? What about the shock mounts?

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:53 pm

pics?

James R · Post by **James R** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:14 pm

I dunno if I can post pics, I even bombed when I tried inserting an image from another site. I have pics of course, unfortunately I don`t have alot of pics of the axle before modification, at least I would have to dig for them..

The axle was mounted with leaf springs, I still have them at my work. The shocks mounted to mounts on the axle tube, which I cut off.
The axle was under the leafs.

Post by **FORDification** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:39 pm

Just e-mail the pics to me at

and I'll post them.

I'm still thinking now that you've got a '73-86 truck/van rearend. Since I know that there have been a few cases of '72 trucks having 31-spline setups, I suppose it's very possible that maybe some early-'73s had 28-spline setups.

However, I think in your case I'd seriously consider simply upgrading your existing locker to a 31-spline setup.

The following info is from another website and was saved to my computer a while back but wasn't identified as to the source:

=============================================

To change the third member to 31-spline, the only parts needed are the differential side gears, available from Ford about $20 apiece. The other part of the conversion is the carrier bearing size. There are two carrier bearing inside bore sizes, and two carrier bearing outside bore sizes. There are three possible combinations:

- small ID / small OD
- large ID / small OD
- large ID / large OD

Factory 31-spline axles came with the last two bearing configurations, but not with the first. On 28-spline carriers, the axle bore on some of them are not large enough to allow the 31-spline axles to pass through. The carriers with the large ID bearings can be bored out to use the 31-spline axles. Not a precision job, just big enough for the axle to pass through, you can use a cut off end from a 31-spline axle to check when it's large enough. It takes less than an hour to do both sides, and could be done at a vocational school by a novice. The small ID bearings won't have enough material left for reliability if bored out for 31-spline axles. Also if your housing has the small axle bearings, you will have to have axles custom made, as there are no factory axles with 31-splines,and small axle bearings. Both the large axle bearing, and the extra large axle bearing (some F150 trucks) had 31-spline factory applications. From about 1970 on, the big Fords, Mercury's, and Lincoln's has axles big enough to respline with 31 splines if they are shortened about 4" per side. Both 4 1/2" and 5" bolt patterns are available.

=============================================

Food for thought, at least.

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:39 pm

that could be a truck mounting

James R · Post by **James R** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:37 pm

Good point, I`m totally familliar with the side gears in an axle.
The Detroit locker looks different though, I would have to research whether it is possible to do it with my locker or not, I wouldn`t want to start taking it apart without knowing, hmmm.

Some digging I`ve been doing does tell me that vans were wider, I just can`t figure out how I have a Dana 44 that is the same width, unless a van was made with this kind of 4x4 set-up.
I`m going to push my axles back on and measure the wheel flange to wheel flange length tomorrow just so I have that measurement.

I sent ya some pics Kieth

James R · Post by **James R** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:28 pm

For the record, WMS to WMS is 65 inches, which doesn`t seem to exist anyway..

Post by **FORDification** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:48 pm

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:04 pm

i think that bottom leaf is on upside down.

James R · Post by **James R** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:48 am

I get asked about those overload leafs being upside down alot. the leafs are actually manufactured by an australian company called Old Man Emu, and are designed for flex, which they do, very much so. I've designed the Explorer for droop this time around, with stuff limiting bump stops, but they bend the other way just as well.

I`m going to take a trip into town and hit some scrap yards today.

When they measure wms to wms they might include the drum in the measurement, which would add a little length, but again the "internet" tells me only about old Ford vans having this width. My d44 is same width and vans weren`t 4x4, so it`s a run-around. Well I haven`t actually done an exact measurement of my d44 lately but when I first got it I recall it being 65.

Anyway the scrap yards are getting thin on old stuff but at least the vehicles are all easy to measure the axles on, if I can`t figure out this axle, the next step is finding an alternate axle to swap in.

Hey Kieth, that axle you measured, I assume all f-100s from 67 -72 were that width then for sure?

-thanks

James R · Post by **James R** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:41 pm

There`s just no old stuff in junkyards anymore, found an 85 ford van with a 9 inch but it`s waay wider.

Post by **FORDification** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:26 pm

It was a 9" rearend? And how much is "way" wider that the 65-1/4" measurement my sources say it should have? If it was a 1/2-ton van it should have the same rearend as all other '73-'87 trucks/vans.

James R · Post by **James R** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:59 pm

The van was aproximately 67.5-68(?)
it had a missing shaft so I measured from the brake backing plate on one side to WMS on other and got a little over 65 there, the shaft seemed to be about 2 and a half from housing flange/brake back, but once I saw it was wider than 65 I didn`t bother to get exact.
maybe "waay" was an overstatement.

James R · Post by **James R** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:03 pm

here`s a list I found.. it lists a 72 van as 68 inches, the van I saw was an E-150, with "85" written in wax pen on the windshield. I know it doesn`t jibe, I don`t get it either

It should have been 65 1/4

Year & Model Axle Length Notes
1965-1966 Mustang 57.25 inches
1967-1970 Mustang 59.25 inches
1971-1973 Mustang 61.25 inches
1977-1981 Versailles 58.50 inches
1967-1973 Mustang, Torino, Ranchero, Fairlane 59.25 inches to
61.25 inches
1957-1959 Ranchero and station wagon 57.25 inches
1966-1977 Bronco 58 inches
1977-1981 Granada/Versailles 58 inches
1967-1971 Comet, Cougar, Mustang, Fairlane 59.25 inches
1971-1973 Mustang 61.25 inches
1964 Falcon 58 inches
1967 Cougar 60 inches
1967 Fairlane 63.50 inches coil springs
1972 Ford Van 3/4 ton 68 inches
1973-1986 Ford Van 3/4 ton 65.25 inches
1957-1959 Ranchero and station wagon
57.25 inches
narrowest 9" housing
1966-1977 Bronco 58 inches 5-on-5 1/2 inch diameter bolt circle
1967-1973 Torinos, Rancheros, Fairlanes 59.25 inches or
61.25 inches
1967-1971 Comets, Cougars, Fairlanes 59.25 inches
1975 Mustang II 8" 57.00 inches
1974 Maverick 8" 56.50 inches

James R · Post by **James R** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:10 pm

Here`s an interesting list Kieth, note the bold type!
A ford 1/2 ton with a 65" D44 and a Dana 60 rear, be a good axle to put in my rig, BUT perhaps my donor vehicle once had a D60 that was swapped with this interesting 9 inch, Idunno..

Here's a small list of popular (and not so) axles used for Nissan SAS purposes. So you can compare widthts among brands and against the factroy H233b for example.

(F) = Front
(R) = Rear

Toyota
Mini (Hilux) 79-85 (F) 8" 55" (pass side drop)
Mini (Hilux) 79-85 (R) 8" 55"
Mini (Hilux) 86+ (R) 8" 58"
4Runners 96+ (R) 8" 60"
Tundra/T100 (R) 8.4" 66"
FJ40.45.55 (F) 57" (pass side drop)
FJ40.45.55 (R) 55"
FJ60.62 (F) 60" (pass side drop)
FJ60.62 (R) 58"
FJ80 (F) 64" (pass side drop)
FJ80 (R) 63.5"

Ford
Bronco 77 (F) Dana 44 58"
Bronco 77 (R) Ford 9" 57"
F250 78-79 (F) Dana 60 69.25" (driver side drop, king pin, leaf spring span: 31.5")
F350 78-79 (F) Dana 60 69.25" (driver side drop, king pin, leaf spring span: 31.5")
F350 '85-'91.5 (F) Dana 60 69.25" (driver side drop, king pin, leaf spring span: 36.5")
F350 '92-'99 (F) Dana 60 69.25" (driver side drop, balljoint, spring span: 36.5")
1/2 Ton '70 (F) Dana 44 65" (high pinion)
1/2 Ton '70 (R) Dana 60 65"

Dana 60 on a 1/2 ton? does that seem wrong??

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I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed

re: I know it`s 9 inch, but from what? ID badly needed