Ford 9 inch tech. needed.

Currently working on 30 coupe and looking for info on 9in ford swap. I purchased a very clean housing which measures 52 1/4 end to end. Large bearing, 43in perch centers. I would like to use stock axles from donor vehicle and i do not care if its 28 or 31 spiline axles. I also have a set of backing plates origin unknown but they fit housing ends. I need 5.5 bolt circle for 40 ford wheels. Can i use stock early bronco axles? Bronco housing are 52 1/4 but I think small bearing. Any help is welcome! Thanks

 

To the best of my knowledge, the early Bronco axle, which is the most popular one for rod swaps, as it is 58" wms-wms, and has the 5-on-5-1/2" bolt pattern, common to early Fords and others, had 28-spline axles and large bearings.

There are several examples of Ford running large bearings with 28-spline axles over the years.

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-12357PR-9-heavy-duty-28-spline-1966-75-big-bearing-axle-set.html

Here are the rest of the brake parts:

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/c-749-rear-brake-parts.html

You should invest in a dog bone. This is a tool that slides onto the housing studs and shows you where the splines on the axles end, in the space of the housing. If you measure from that point, to the housing flange, and then add the brake offset, you will have your exact axle shaft length.

Common Ford brake offsets were 2-3/8" and 2-1/2".

 

Thanks for quick response. Just looked up dog bone . Good advice and ill order one. From what Im guessing, all Housings that share same measurement housing flange to housing flange have the same length axle shafts from bearing inward to center section. But they vary in length from bearing retainer to wheel flange surface. Am I correct on this or all wet? Thanks

 

Yes, that is correct. There are a few weird brake offsets out there, but not many. There are a couple of curious combos of know offsets and bearing sizes out there too (e.g. early Ranchero, big bearing offset, small bearings). Ford liked to periodically shuffle the deck, just to keep us on our toes, or something....

 

""From what Im guessing, all Housings that share same measurement housing flange to housing flange have the same length axle shafts from bearing inward to center section. But they vary in length from bearing retainer to wheel flange surface. Am I correct on this or all wet? Thanks""

A little wet, but not bad..Brg inward dimensions can be different depending on how much the pinion is offset from center of housing ends.....Using the dog bone to determine axle length is handy and some info may come with it that says where the pinion is in relation to the axle gap center line [I have the dim some wheres but can't find now] which I think is around 2" so with that known you can figure offset [if any] of pinion..