Ok I searched and read I think every post on here for identifying 9” rear ends. I looked a few sites specific to identification, but started getting contradictions on here and the other sites. Some say truck is 5 on 5, others say no, 5 on 5 is not truck... Obviously I don’t have an axle tag... Here is some axle stats: Drum mounting surface width about 61 1/2” 5 on 5 bolt pattern 28 spline Big bearing Brake shoes/drums are the wider version (2 or 2 1/2” I believe. My other 9” is the narrower shoes so this one has the wider ones. One small axle tag has 269 on it. Checking driveshaft rotation looks to be accurate with a 2.69 ratio the pinion yoke is also the smaller u-joint cap size. thanks!
5 on 5 was used on big cars starting...early 70s? But the rear you have has the earlier style housing. Looks like someone put that one together.
Did big cars post 70’s also have the wider brake shoes/drums? I just wanna know when ordering replacement brake parts, bearings etc., what to look for. pinion seal is leaking and I want to order the correct stuff...
Looks like the brake parts are already new. You can measure the pinion seal to make sure you get the correct replacement. I'd also order an O ring for the pinion support, and a new crush sleeve, or a solid spacer/shim kit.
Ford did use a 5-on-5 bolt pattern on full-size cars starting in '74 IIRC. And there was a couple of years where Ford used some oddball truck patterns too; the F100 used the 5-on-4.5 car pattern one year, and there was a year or two that used the 5-on-5. The only reason I know that is I bought a new set of truck chrome styled steel wheels take-offs from a Ford dealer and they wouldn't fit my 5-on-5.5 truck... I want to say that was the early 80s, but it's been a long time...
I think I used some Lincoln wheels from a mid-70's, on my Dad's Chevy PU, think his was a late 70's 1/2 ton...anyways, I know the PU was 5on 5
72-76 Tbird, Lincolns from 60s-70s, not sure what else. I think the LTDs were all 4.5" dang, you can see it's been almost 40 years since I worked at a junkyard
Any full-size Ford model until they 'downsized' in '79. That very likely includes Mercury, the LTD II (and it's Mercury equivalent), the T-bird and some Lincolns. I will agree with Jim in that rear looks like it may have been built from various parts so pinning it down to a specific year/model may be impossible. But there's not that many different seals/bearings used in these, so matching parts should be easy (although not if you're buying online). Brakes shouldn't be that tough either.
Awesome info guys! after more digging around it appears 1973-1978 Ltd had 5 on 5. The drums in those years are a match to mine. I’ll pull seal and measure, but looks promising.
I pulled a rear from a 76ish T-Bird and it has drums that looked exactly like those. I pulled it for the 2.47 gear when I was building my 55 Studebaker land speed car. Never finished the car. Sold it when I moved, and still have the wide heavy 9-inch rear with the 2.47 gears. BTW, the 2.47 are the highest gear for 9-inch rearend. Those huge drums are very big. Sent from dumb operator on a smart phone
Pulled the pinion to replace the seal today... definitely was different than any 9” I’ve had, so I took it to a rear end shop. He told me the 3rd was from a ‘57-60 t-bird with the huge pinion seal. thinking it’s a mis match axle to to this t-bird 3rd and 5 on 5 bolt pattern....
The huge pinion seals were used on lots of early 9" rears, not just Tbird. And the third members are pretty much totally interchangeable, if you have the right spline count. It's not surprising to me that it's mismatched that much...kind of typical for old hot rod 9" rear ends. Hope you can get it all to work...
Same as the Squirrel says , all 9 in stumps will interchange , just spline count holds up a swap if they are not the same . That is as stated a big Ford / Lincoln Mercury car not a truck . But as stated also that’s not a later housing that would have carried the 5 on 5 pattern . It doesn’t matter what it is from , if it works drive it like you stole something in it !
Rock Auto is a good easy to navigate web site to use to find information / research from year to year , identify what you have or need.
Nope, the 31 spline axles came later, mid-late '60s IIRC. Big and small bearings were there from the start.
I have a 57 Ford station wagon rear and it came with big old style axle bearings. i bought a set of brakes from a F150 rear that the guy went to 4wheel discs. they are 11x2 1/2 and the drums are 5x4 1/2 bolt pattern. I now have Yukon 31 spline axles and a strange carrier. It all bolts together. Just make sure it's not the 9 3/8 that came in some of the bigger ford product cars. they fit the smaller 9 inch housing with some grinding to clear the ring gear.
I think you meant to say, the numbers on the other side are cast (not stamped)? The early 9" rears used tags like that...about the same time they were using the huge pinion seal. I'd have taken the whole thing apart by now, just to see what's in it.
Haha yes, casted. new seals/bearings for ‘57 t-bird worked in 3rd and gears looked to be in good shape. Brake parts are easy to identify, so I’m gonna just roll it and enjoy it!