Technical Buying 9" Ford Rearends

Decided today that my stash of 9" rear ends could use a little fattening. I started looking on Facebook Marketplace and there were quite a few available in a short driving distance and even more if I drive a ways. Prices are all over the place. Had one guy who wanted $300 for one with 2.75 gears and 28 splines. He came down to $200 but wouldn't budge any further.
There is another one available for $200 that has 3.25 ratio and most likely 28 splines. Still waiting to hear back from him.
Then there is a guy who had one for $175 and is close by. He says he will take $150, so I'm waiting for him to call me.
Anyway, from looking around, I see prices all over the place. I realize that some have stuff that makes them more valuable, but even the just run of the mill ones vary quite a bit. I have several 9" rears stored on a rack out back along with a 10 bolt or two. I want to acquire a few while I can still find some good deals. The thing is that I found when putting a 9" together for my 47 Chevy truck, the little things add up. I am trying to buy "complete" rear ends. A lot of people try to sell just the housings, and they get $100 or so for them.
Whats your experience with buying them lately?

 

Out of curiosity I looked at FB Marketplace. There is a 9 inch rear for $75. Gives the length but not gear ratio.

Also , I took my 9 inch rear axle seal to NAPA to get a new one. They measured it and poked around. No dice. I ordered from online source.

 

Another thing to consider.... In my mind an 8" Ford has "the look" but doesn't weigh as much as a 9". Gear selection is OK in my opinion, with a 3.00 seeming to be relatively common. Some of the 8" rearends are also very friendly width-wise at ~58" WMS to WMS and some are even a bit less. Unless you're planning big HP, an 8" can be a sensible choice and I think they're typically priced a bit lower than a 9"

I used a 8" in the fendered '30 Coupe I'm working on. Used one cut-to-fit axle from Yukon (about $170 with bearing I think) and narrowed the "long" side 2" to get the center "bulge" closer to the middle. From memory I think it's ~56" wide now at the wheel mount surfaces.

Lynn

 

If its a complete rear end for $75 you better snap it up. You usually have to change ratios and add a posi to anything you can find. I have seen them for $450 and higher and they are just the generic non-posi 28 spline and 3.00 gear.

 

I saw one at a car show for $450. a few years back and ask why so much. The seller replied well it came out of a Mustang.

 

Do you remember that photo years ago in one of the magazines that showed that HUGE pile of nine inch Ford rearends at Currie?
They are all gone, shortened, rebuilt, sold, etc. that is (one of) the reasons they started making their own version of the nine inch rear.
After seeing that article I too thought I would grab some if found reasonably priced as I had been thinking of doing some narrowing related work.
The first two I got ended up being the oddball 9&3/8" units, complete, think I paid $50 each. I didn’t even know they existed, sat on those things for years and finally got tired of tripping over them and gave both of them to a friend of mine.

 

Was getting them from a local yard. $50.00 a throw, yard didn't care about ratios or "desire-able" years or spline count.....fifty bucks, you pull it. I run the guy out of em', said he didn't care, he was filling the place up with new model stuff, could make more money off selling plastic parts off new shit without all the work. Plus ....and I quote: " I ain't gotta put with assholes like you and yer god damn old cars "....I still got a couple good ones......Hell, I guess they're all good, cause' this stuff is going away, I sure would like to find another yard doing that(untouched, though), or win the lottery, or get young again......chances are about the same.

 

I’ve got a van full of 9 inch that I bought years ago for $50 apiece, plus some Dana 60s semi floaters. Also have about twenty nine inches in various cars and trucks on the ranch. Most of the nine inch in the van are 3:50 gear N cases. Like thinkin, the ower of the salvage didn’t care what rear end it was... $50 apiece!





Bones

 

I remember that (mid/late 70's?) Street Rodder article that pictured a mountain of 9" cores at Currie.
Currie had a contract with all the large size yards in Socal for 9" cores. I recall being in a yard when they were flatbeding in a Mustang. I told the driver I'll take the rearend if it's a 9". He said "no you won't, it's already sold to Currie".
Regionally, this drove the price of 9" WAY up. That was the end of the $50, 9", unless you got real lucky. The "going price" for any hot parts in the wrecking yard business travels fast, so even small yards NOT under contract with Currie started demanding more for the rearends.

Also remember, Currie got started in the rear end narrowing business by supplying narrowed 9"ers for golf cart manufacturer's, so 9" rearends in Socal region were always being snatched up by Currie and the prices here have always been inflated.

 

I prefer the 66 - 77 Bronco 9" rear axle because at 58" wide they don't have to be narrowed to use under a Deuce and they have a 5 1/2 " bolt pattern that excepts the early wheels and matches up with the 35 to 40 Ford front hubs that are also 5 1/2".

Bronco axles are highly sought after by the 4 wheel drive guys and that in itself drives the prices up the reason they generally cost more than the others. HRP

 

- width sets the price, then gear ratio then bolt pattern - $150 for wide width & tall ratio - $450 from '57 wagon, early Mustang, etc - 3:00 still very desirable - 3:25 better - 3:55/3:73 rare - Trac-Lok very rare - if you find a complete housing with axles & brakes can more likely find pumpkins - buying them for $50 from a operating yard not likely anymore check roadkillcustoms.com for width info - nothing wrong with a 8" unless running big horsepower

- Yes

- you can regain some of it with big lottery winnings

 

I used to only grab the narrow 9 inches like early bronco, Lincoln Versailles, it seemed the mustang restorers drove the price up of those and you couldn't find any of those cheap anyhow. I liked to keep at least one "extra" laying around but my building days are over and last year I used my last early bronco in the 57 Chevy p/u, so all 4 old cars have 9 inches in them.
I do have a handful of ready to go center sections in varying ratios in case I want a different ratio in something. The other day I seen a complete 67-68 mustang 9 inch for $250 and thought that'd be a good one to have for a couple hundred but then I remembered I don't need an extra to trip over anymore.

 

There is one on the local c/l from an early Bronco complete for $1500, and it still has the 5x5 bolt pattern, which isnt going to work for most swaps.

There is also a big bearing bare housing from a later f-150 for $75, which is pretty fair. The housing is about the only part I would be reusing anyways.

 

I got mine from the hills of WVA........early Bronco with 3.55 TRAKLOK.....$100.

 

- recently?

 

For a 9 " everything under 500 bucks and within a 5 hr drive is considered a steal here. But you can´t be picky when it comes to splines count, open or posi and gear ratio at that price. A well worn S10 10 bolt will be at least 300, but they are easier to find.

 

Yes.....different economy here.....no high rollers like on the left and right coasts.......cost of living is probably less than 1/2 of what you have in CA.

 

Should be 3.50 or 4.11, the only two ratios offered, 3.50 is normally V8 and 4.11 is 6 cyl.
The one I last installed was the odd ball 74, I think, 3.50 gears with small bearing big flange, never did find the gasket that went between backing plate and flange, my other two were earlier versions and had no problems with parts.
I paid a hundred and a quick ride to Ohio (2005) for one without a center section, $75 for another (complete in 2009) out of a local junkyard and $150 for the last one (complete in 2012) from a guy that bought the wrong year bronco axle assemblies to go under his jeep.

 

Then there are these!

 

The early 66's only came with 4.11 or 4.56 only until the 289 became available.

 

I've got more than I'll ever use, most are the early smooth pumpkin housings, unless it was an early Bronco. I've never paid more than $100. Just a year ago I bought an early Bronco 9" for $80.

Ten or fifteen years ago my brother and I used to go to a yard in Ames, Iowa that was a real backwoods operation. The owner hated all Fords, so when we said we'd like to buy the rearend out of a 60's Ford he'd turn it over with a loader for easy access.

 

Whether 8" or 9", the ones out of Mustangs, Mavericks, Comets, etc. seem to fetch a little more. I found an 8" out of a 72 Maverick on CL for $250.00. It was the right width for my 53.

 

What will fetch a few more dollars are N cases. Expect to pay $200-300 for one. Got mine out of a 79 big Bronco with 3.50 trac-loc diff.

 

A guy would have to be living in a cave to not know an "N" case is worth far more than $300.

 

You can buy brand new Strange or Yukon for around $250-300. Not sure what their like quality wise being made in China and all. An original Ford nodular case will bring bigger money for a restorer but for a racer / hot rodder the aftermarket might worth a look.

 

A lot depends on what engine & tranny is involved. Way back I was looking at a line of Volarie/Aspens in a junkyard. Surprisingly the 318/904s had 7 1/4 & the 225/sticks had 8 1/4. Have heard that most cars really don't need a 9".

 

"Also remember, Currie got started in the rear end narrowing business by supplying narrowed 9"ers for golf cart manufacturer's..."

Those could probably get by with an 8" too.

 

I think the 8" is a decent choice because of the commonality of narrower widths, but they usually aren't cheaper than a 9" if you shop around a little. Some people still ask higher prices for generic open drive and 3.00 gears but I think the 8.8 Ford rears have provided enough competition that 9" rears have come down. Still there isn't an inexhaustible supply out there.
The hp/torque/tire size determines which rear end someone should start with. Then you consider what suits your wallet as far as width and completeness go.

 

It is one, or the other, but not both.

If it is an early Bronco rear, it's bolt pattern is 5-on-5-1/2".

If it's bolt pattern is 5-on-5", it is not an early Bronco rear.

 

How many do you need?

I mean I'll be 59 soon...if I had "several" out back, I'd be looking to get rid of some. I dunno, just struck me odd.