I got a problem!!! I got all excited because i found a complete ford 9 inch rearend out of a 1972 ford f100 with a 3.25 ratio to help my 46 ford pickup ge up to highway speeds.It was only missing the drivers side axleshaft..no problem ...right?? So i sanded and painted it,replaced all seals and installed it.. The wrecking yard found an axle from another yard..I measured it from end to end,it was the same as the right side. ,had new brg pressed on and drove it.Well the drum rubs the backing plate..So I took it apart and put both axles side by side and the bearing off set is different.. The rearend housing is 56 inches from flange to flange.The axles are 28 spline. The axle measures 29 15/16 lets say 30 inches and the measurement from the back of the flange to the back of the axle retainer plate is 2 inches..Does anyone know where to locate an axle and are these axles a hard to find part...Desperate in the desert...Thanks for any help
Ecology Auto Parts would probably be a good place to start or someone like Currie may have a new stock replacement axle.
Also not looking to drop my whole savings for an axle...I paid $200.00 for the rearend..If worst comes to worst ill buy another complete rear I found for $150...
Did you try switching drums? Some had different offsets.....you may even be able to machine a little material off the edge of the drum so it don't rub. I did this years ago on some old chevy drums. How far off is it? Got a picture?
If I read above correctly you said both axles where the same length, Im not an expert by any means but arent the axles in a nine inch ford suppossed to be different lengths..by an inch or 2 do to the offset of the pinion. I have a Currie Nine inch in my car and I had the axles out the other day, there def diff lengths....
The axles in a 9" are the same length except in a very few that are drastically offset - by several inches. Just an optical illusion that make them look like they must be different. I think what the op has is a drum mismatch. Pre-67 the drums were a 1/2" narrower than after 67. Find an early drum and I bet the problem goes away. The housing should measure 57" btw - iirc
The offset between the axle flange and the housing flange changed some time around 1967. I ran into this problem myself. I went with different brakes to fix the problem, but I think advice about getting the right axle is spot-on for you.
If they are the same length then the pinion [driveshaft yoke] is offset about 2"..If the pinion is central then the axles would be around 4" difference in length...The brake offset I beleive started at 2-1/2 and went to 2-3/8, dim is from axle flange to outer surface of bearing OD..As previously stated maybe some material could be removed from the drum, just be sure the shoes aren't rubbing at the deep end of the drum..
All ford truck 1/2 ton 9 inch rears from 1957 -mid 72 were 57 inches housing flange to flange. The overall length was 61 .25 from wheel to wheel. Some housing did have the small bearing but not many. Both axles were the same length and were 29 7/8 inches. They did this by centering the careers and pushing the pinion to the right 2 1/2 inches. They also did this with the Bronco and mid 72 to 86 rear. In mid 72 on 86 the truck 1/2 ton 9 inch was 60.50 from housing flange to flange. The overall length was 65.25 from wheel to wheel. There are a couple of different drum/back plates for the early rears. They range from 2, 2 1/4 and 2 1/2 inches wide. There are some narrow 1 3/4 inch wide drums also. As for the early 1/2 ton 9 inch rear having a different offset on the bearing. This would be the first time I heard it. But checking my spec sheets I see no other axle fitting that rear with a 5 1/2 bolt circle.
Thanks for the input..THe drums are not the problem..I put the 2 axles side by side and the drivers side axle has a different offset..I tested this by putting the p***enger side axle on the drivers side with the same drums..works perfect..no interference....Also as a note the axle sourced from the other wrecking yard has a bent flange...so I am going to need to find an axle.........
Sounds like the replacement axle shaft was a 1967 and earlier axle for the 1 3/4" brakes, I ***ume you have the 2 1/2 brakes on your axle. The axle shafts ARE the same length Ford used some kind of spacer to move the axle out 1/4" approximately per side. I changed my 1966 F100 to the bigger brakes and could see the difference and how Ford did it. I could even see by the wear marks that the later axle did not stick into the differential quite as far. You need to get a 1968-1972 axle.
2 different big ford ends. Early uses 3/8 bolt to hold backing plate on. Late uses 1/2 bolt. Late distance from bearing to face of axle is 3/16 longer. If you took an axle out of a early housing and put it in a late your drum will be moved 3/16 closer to backing plate.
Thanks jkperformance..That sounds about right..still lookin for an axle..They are hard to come by in the desert!!!
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