Technical 53-56 vs 57-60 Ford F-100 front axle differences?

hey gang, I just did some tradeing and ended up with a nice chrome dropped front axle from a 53-56 Ford F-100 and a 57-60 chrome 9" housing. I am thinking of using this stuff under a 57-60 F-100...reading on Sid's dropped axle website they look the same dimensions, but some guys have said the axles are different. Does anyone know for sure of any differences?

Also, he has the springs as well. Does anyone know if they are different 53-56 and 57-60? He had all this stuff for a 55 F-100


Thanks

 

i have no idea , but that sure looks nice

 

If I recall correctly 57-60 axle is same except about 1.5 inch drop compared to 53-56. But since I don't know for sure, consider this a bump to get a HAMBer with more knowledge than me to reply. Which won't take long!

 

Sid's measurements would be the 'go to' for this info. If they are the same width, etc I would use it. I would love to have that for my '64....

 

Here's Sid'a site. Everything looks the same except I just noticed the spring width is larger on the 57-up. But I don't see a mention of stock drop height to verify that the 57-60 had more drop from the factory. This axle won't do me any good if it's only going to lower it 1.5"

 

Chris that stuff is mouth watering, but the housing is '59-'66, it's a dimple back. The '57 housing is smooth, has no dimples in the backside. There was a '57 truck dimple back housing, but the dimples were more oval. That housing makes my pants get tighter. NICE!!
I have a '57 smoothback housing for my t-bucket, I was planning to chrome it, have been trying to talk myself into paint being ok, because of the cost, but this makes me realize I GOTTA step up and do the right thing. Man, that is sexy!!!

 

I always thought opposite, small dimple or no dimple was 57, the oblong dimple is 58-up. I've had a lot of F-100's and all with a 9" have had the oblong dimple. But I am no expert.
It's a shame to use this stuff under the kind of truck I want to build. I figured if it won't work, I could probably sell it for what I'm in it pretty easily. All I wanted out of the deal was a dropped axle

 

Nope, no dimples in '57 passenger car housing. I actually have one for my T, and I have a dimple back 9" for my '65 falcon. If I was on my regular computer, I could post a pic, but I am stuck on my daughters iPad. Maybe someone can post a photo of a '57 smooth back housing?
One thing I am not 100% on is '58 passenger car. I think they transitioned to the dimple back in passenger cars in '58, so you could find both smooth back or dimple back housings in a '58 ford passenger car.
Either porknbeaner or Marty Strode did a real good thread on the dimple back '57 ford truck housing on here a while ago, but the dimples are more oval (rectangles with rounded corners is probably a better description) shaped than what you have there, when you see them the difference is really clear, see if you can find that thread, it has good photos. Sorry, I don't know how to post a link on an iPad.

 

Chris, search "ford nine inch housing w/oval dimples identification HAMB" in google, It will come up. If I search it in the HAMB search engine, it doesn't work, don't know why, but it will come up in a google search.

 

I believe '58 was the last year for the factory drain plug on the 9" housing; I know that's true for car housings, may or may not be for truck housings...

 

Steve, so your experience is that most '58 car housings are smooth back, and the passenger car dimple back housing started in '59?

 

I've seen '58 housings both ways; maybe early/late production? Ford didn't always have 'clean' cut-offs for part changes. But I've never seen a '59 or up car housing with the factory drain. Trucks, I didn't look under those much back in those days...

 

F-100, 1957 only
With a few modern bits

 

Gotcha, learn something new everyday.

Anyone have any input on the front axle?

 

Here was a read end under a 58 F-100 I parted out, looks like enlogated dimples and no seams. I sold this to @51farmtruck

 

Ok, that's what I thought as well.

 

Bingo, there you go, perfect shot of the '57 truck housing. You can see the different shape of the dimples clearly.

 

My 'understanding'... the 57-60 front axle will provide about 1.5" drop over a 53-56 front axle. yes, spring perch is wider, 'understanding' is use 57-60 U bolts to match the perch.

Looking for a 57-60 front axle presently for my 56.

 

Yup, there you go. See what I mean about rectangular dimples with rounded corners?

 

Yeah it's funny I've had a few of those, never the small dimples. So I always thought that the rectangular dimple 9" was the common one. I have another 58 pickup right now, I'll have to peek under it and see what it is

 

Chris, hope I'm not derailing your thread here.
I won't say some 58 F-100's did not get the one piece housing but the general consensus is this is a 57 specific housing, it could have been swapped in, same spring perch spacings I'm sure.

 

Gotcha, I guess I will have to get this chrome axle home and compare it to a stock 57-60 to see if the drop is going to be worth it or if I should sell it and have a 57-60 axle dropped

 

Yea, those housings are actually relatively rare, and considered desirable, as they are the strongest of the early housings. The '57/'58 smoothback passenger housing is actually the most popular hot rod housing because it's the prettiest. I LOVE having the dimple-back housing in my '65, because that was what was under all the mid sixties FX and AWB fords, so it really looks right under there. Takes me back to all those B&W undercar shots that were in SS/DI and Car Life in the sixties...

 

Not at all, this is how we learn. Here is the truck I yanked it from, definitely a 58. But who knows what it's life has presented it. Like I said I have another 58 at home I'll look under it and see what rear it has

 

I would bet it's the same deal as the '57/'58 smoothback, and they just kept using those housings into '58, until they ran out. There was a smoothback on local Craigslist last year that was listed as '58 Edsel, but I missed it by that much! Not a huge deal, I already had one smoothback, didn't REALLY need it, but it was CHEAP for a smoothback, he was asking $150 cdn.

 

I sold that rear end I pictured above (elongated dimple) to my friend Sam for 150.00.

 

Man, I keep coming back and looking at that chrome dimple back housing...like Homer dreaming of doughnuts...

 

My Dad is into the 53-56 F-100's. The 57 axle is a 1 1/2' drop over the stock 53-56 axle. A few guys used them with reversed eye springs to get there trucks down in the front just a little bit, on the cheap.
The one you have looks to me like it's been dropped some.
Why would someone chrome a stock axle anyway?

 

I know it's dropped, that's why I bought it. It looks like a 3" over stock. But beings it is a 53-56, and 3" over stock only gets me 1.5" over stock under a 57-60 I'll sell this axle and buy a 57-60 3" dropped

 

My bare housing cost me all of $5.00, a six pack, and a half hour helping pull it out from under the F-100 utility trailer, and I drank half the beer.