Ford 9in question .

[chevy_skills]

Does anyone know of any vehicles to find one under that would have the same axle track as a 1987 R-10. when i say axle track I am referring distance between the center of the wheels. I dont want to have to use wheel spacers.

[SCOTI]

The late 70's - 80's trucks should be pretty close. Most rears out of the older, larger cars will still likely be a little bit shorter (the 73-87 truck rear end width is approx 63.5"). A quick Google search yielded this info:

Axle Widths:
65-66 Mustang 57.25 inches
67-70 Mustang 59.25 inches
71-73 Mustang 61.25 inches
77-81 Versailles 58.50 inches
67-73 Mustang, Torino, Ranchero, Fairlane 9" 59.25 inches to 61.25 inches
57-59 Ranchero and station wagon rears, 57.25 inches
66-77 Bronco 9", 58 inches
77-81 Granada/Versailles, 58 inches
67-71 Comet, Cougar, Mustang, Fairlane, 59.25 inches
71-73 Mustang, 61.25 inches
64 Falcon 58 inches
67 Cougar 60 inches
67 Fairlane 63.50 inches (coil springs)
72 Ford Van 3/4 ton 68 inches
73-86 65.25 inches
57-59 Ranchero and station wagon 57.25 iches (narrowest 9" housing)
66-77 Bronco 58 inches but has 5-on-5 1/2 inch diameter bolt circle
67-73 Torinos, Rancheros, Fairlanes 59.25 inches or 61.25 inches
67-71 Comets, Cougars, Fairlanes 59.25 inches


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Where To Find:

• 67-73 medium and big block Mustangs and Cougars
• 66-71 Fairlanes, Torinos, Montegos, Comets, and other Ford intermediates with big blocks
• 57-59 V8 Fords and Mercurys
• 77-81 Lincoln Versailles & Trucks

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Type Of 9" Housings:

• 67-73 Mustang/Cougar - light duty, thinnest housing material, small axle bearings, 28 and 31 splines
• 57-68 passenger car and 1/2 ton truck - medium duty, stronger than Mustang type, 28 and 31 splines
• Ranchero/Torino - heavy duty thick wall housing, 3.25 inch diameter axle tubes with flat tops
• 69-77 Galaxies (coils), Lincolns (coils), and late pickups (leaf)- 3.25 inch diameter all the way to the backing plate, coil housings have upper control arm mount

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How To Recognize 9" Housing Centers:

• 57 - no dimples, flat center band up the center of the rear cover, bottom drain plug
• 58-59 - two dimples on back of housing, flat center band, some had drain holes
• 60-67 - two dimples, flat center band, oil level hole in back cover
• 63-77 Lincoln, LTD, Thunderbirds had 9.375 inch centers, housings were cut away at the gasket surface for ring gear clearance, one curved rib at the front top portion of differential, strong but no gears

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Types of 9" Axles:

• 28 spline axles cannot be shortened and resplined (they're tapered)
• 72 and earlier 31 spline axles have the ability to be shortened
• 73 and later 9" (cars) have a 5-on-5 bolt circle and the axles cannot be shortened
• 67-73 Mustang axles identified by wheel flange:
• oval hole - 28 splines
• two large holes and counter sunk center - 31 splines

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More Facts:

• 5 on 5 lug pattern is a truck pattern
• A 9" complete rear axle is approximately 35 pounds heavier than an 8.8 rear axle with approximately the same components.
• It is common to find a 9" in a old Falcon or Comet that has had a HIPO SMALL block with 31 splines and a locker.
• If the case has two verticle RIBS ,from top to middle of case it is a good IRON type IF in the very center of this case there is the letter "N" than this is a NODULAR CASE (GREAT) this is the strongest factory case made BY FORD!!!
• The ranger truck works good with a 9" from a 64 to 71 Falcon, Comet, some 65 to 69 Mustangs or 64 to 67 Ranchero V8 cars.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

fooor forrrr fah cant say it these parts shouldnt go on chevys lol

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

fooor forrrr fah cant say it these parts shouldnt go on chevys lol

Nothing wrong w/a properly built 9" rear end. Even the newer 8.8's are stout & easier to find vs. a 12bolt.

If the bank account allows for a full built 12-bolt, sure, do the GM 12-bolt. If it requires some something cheaper but just as strong, 9" & 8.8" Ford rears definitely open up the swap possiblities.

[rwhit57]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

fooor forrrr fah cant say it these parts shouldnt go on chevys lol

As many old Foor, fior, (you know) hot rods that have ended up with Chevy power I think it's safe to say, We Win!

[INSIDIOUS '86]

dont 9's kill more power though? but yes easy to find and nothin wrong with them, but arent the truck ten bolts rather stout as well as far as ten bolts go?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

dont 9's kill more power though? but yes easy to find and nothin wrong with them, but arent the truck ten bolts rather stout as well as far as ten bolts go?

It all depends on what the comparison is..... Do 9" rears 'consume' more power vs. other possibilities? Yes. Are other possibilities cheaper than the 9".... that debatable. Sometimes it's much easier to source the 9" (or 8.8") rear vs building a 12/10-bolt.

[KQQL IT]

When i did my 9" i shopped it both ways.
The 12 bolt was going to be 1200ish
The 9" went together for 1300 and got a 3:82 gear.
detroit locker and 31 spline
axles and 3.25" axles tubes.
The housing was from a 79 f150 which was about 1" wider than 12 bolt. Then narrowed one side to center the pinion 2 1/8" which also fixed my mis ordered wheels. The only ford part is the housing.
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[BigBlocksRule]

Put a bowtie on it and tell folks it's from a '52. Chevy used to have drop-out pumpkin rearends until they went the other way.
Easiest to find is going to be out of a 70's - 80's truck, they have thick housings and big axles/bearings. Regardless, you'll be moving brackets, etc. because there's not really a drop-in.

[chevy_skills]

Around my parts I can find a ford 9in on CL for about 250-300 or at a you pull it for about $200
A 12 bolt runs at least $600.
Dana 44 about 600 to $800.
I haven't looked into ford 8.8s but they sound more along the lines of what I am looking for. I understand it wont just bolt up I just don't want to have to shorten the axles.

[BigBlocksRule]

Run a want-to-buy ad in Craiglist, might get one for a Benjamin...

[f.monroe]

Keep in mind that the later Lincoln big cars used a rear that is almost the exact width as a chevy truck and uses the same 5 on 5" bolt pattern so you can use a Chevy truck wheel and have a matching bolt pattern to the fronts.
Frank

[BigBlocksRule]

^ do those have round axle tubes? I know they're bagged, but didn't know if they have a flat spot on the top of the axle or if they're round...

[KQQL IT]

Lincoln versailles
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[BigBlocksRule]

Had one...narrow, but axle tubes aren't round. I thought it was the cat's a$$ with disc brakes, but the calipers on those aren't floating. I found a Mustang nut and tripled my money on the one I had

[andrewmp6]

Depends the year the 66 back had tapered tubes 67 to today are the normal axle tubes.Try talking to http://www.quickperformance.com/ they sell a bare cut to size housing and sell everything you can want.But you want the new big bearing aka torino bearing its what most aftermarket brakes are made for.