Ok I bought a narrowed 9" ford rearend to fit under my car and I need a 3rd member for it. Its a floater rear end with 31 spline axles. I bought it of local road racer that had been used in road racing in Nextel Cup. So he has all sorts of gears but wants an arm and leg for them. Hopefully I can buy a nice set some day but need to start affordable. Ok to the point..... How can i find a ford 9" with around 3:70 gears ready for 31 spline axles most affordably? I assume someone knows a car that may have come with that setup! Thanks for your advice in advance.....
Go here for answers to your 9" questions: http://www.kevinstang.com/Ninecase.htm Also, here's 17 pages of Ford rearend data tag numbers: http://www.fordification.com/tech/rearends_ford01.htm Probably the cheapest donor for a 31-spline center chunk with 3.70 gears would be a Ford pickup from the mid-late 1970's. I've gotten them with 3.5 and 4.11 gears and track-lock pretty cheaply from craigslist.
As Just Gary has said best choice would be a 70's to early 80's Ford pickup. Most have 3:50 gears. Look for one with a 351, 400 or big block motor as these would have the 31 spline and the 6 cyl or 302 trucks most likely would not. I have found a few Nodular centers in early 70's 4X4 trucks.
Like the guys said, generally vans, pickups, and muscle type cars had the 31 spline axles in them, but with Fords you never can be sure. Sometimes you can look at the axle hub inside the rear brake drum and if you see two round holes like in the picture below it will be a 31 spine rear. 28 spline rears had a rectangular depression in that spot instead of the two holes. Don
If it is a floater you'll have to get the axles from a circle track place, that would be the most economical - you are aware that the floater has a hub right? Do you have the hubs as they can get pricey, check your hub diameter and make sure you can use the wheel of your choice.
If that was run in a Cup car, you better check to see if the housing is straight. When I set up a Busch north car , we ran with 1/8" toe out, some ran as much as 1/4" by "bending" the housing with heat.
Lots of false information here folks. For 3.70 gears, your best bet is a late 50's/early 60's Ford pickup, but I have never seen one with 31 spline axles. I have also never seen an early Bronco with 31 spline axles, every one that I vae worked on (dozens) have been 28 spline. 31 spline axles do come in most 70's era Lincolns, Marquis, and wagons with a 429 or 460 engine, but there are exceptions as I have also found 28 spliners in everything listed. You can also find 31 spline axles in 4 x 4 half ton pickups. To sum it all up, your chances of finding a 31 spline centersection with 3.70 gears in a salvage yard is pretty slim.
Edit: No reason to argue over it I have no clue what is in my garage. ------------------------------------------------------------ What I have learned after 40+ years of this is that I know very little, and even though I have never seen something that doesn't mean that it never existed just that I never saw one.
At least with a spool you don't have to deal with it locking and unlocking. Some fellas have a hard time learning driving a locker.
I had a locker once, I hated it. I loved the posi i had before, and the spool I had after was good too. But for a 90% street car I would do a posi. If you find a tired one you can have it rebuilt too, pack more clutches in there.
Yeah I had a detroit true track and honestly thats the best locker on the market but a spool is real strong and predictable on what it will do for sure... and its cheaper.....
Thanks for the help.... All the info was great. Yes being a cup rearend it actually has 2 degrees of camber on both sides. But it does not have anything to excessive because they were turning both ways. I made sure to check on that one. I guess I'll get out my junk yard rolodex and start calling.. Thanks again
I started driving lug posis in the '60s. I think I got my first detroit locker in about '70. Driving one is like driving a king pin suspension if you haven't grown up with one you just are not going to be comfortable with it. A locker on a slick road can get you into trouble quick if you are not accustomed to them.
Hey guys, theres alot of knowledge here so I thought I could ask a quick question. I have a 57' nine inch and I would like to upgrade to a posie and new 31 spline axles. My problems is that I cant find anyone who makes the axles for the narrow housing?
http://www.jegs.com/customerservice/StrangeAxleForm.pdf http://www.dtscustom.com/axle-order-form.html http://www.moserengineering.com/moser/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/New-Orderform-w4-link-2.15.10.pdf
With a 1957 Ford Axle housing the axle bearings might be too small to accept a 31 spline axle's diameter. If he has a station wagon housing it would have the larger bearings. Better check that before you order axles that will not fit the axle bearings that go into your housing.
^^^^ All true right there ^^^^ I would only add Some Bronco's did have them but its rare and anything Bronco is big $$$ unless you get lucky. I think all 31 spline axles will have big bearings so you will be looking for 1/2 inch baking plate bolts (<<< easy way to ID them at the self serve yards) Id be lookin at stick Trucks
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