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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: jseth83 on 2015-10-11 22:05

Title: Unusual Rear End
Post by: jseth83 on 2015-10-11 22:05
Does anyone know what kind of rear end this is?  It had apparently been swapped into the wagon that I now own.  As you can see, the gears load from the front, but it doesn't look like any rear end I've seen before....no ID tag.  It's got me really curious....
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: RICH MUISE on 2015-10-11 22:34
I'm not at home, so I can't compare it to mine or pics of mine, but it sure looks like a stock 9" to me.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: jseth83 on 2015-10-12 07:08
Thanks Rich.  For some reason this looked different to me.  The fill plug is on the passenger side, and where the pinion flange mounts does not appear to be as offset as the 9" ones I've seen, if that makes sense.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: hiball3985 on 2015-10-12 07:08
From the picture it doesn't look like any 57 or later 9" to me. I can't see the bolt on pinion retainer yet the pinion flange looks like it is for the 57 drive shaft..
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: jseth83 on 2015-10-12 07:19
Here is another pic from the other side.  I've been looking all around the internet and can't find a picture of something like this.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: lowrider on 2015-10-12 07:28
Looks like the type I had in my 56 Ford. Giveaway is the ujoint flange.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: RICH MUISE on 2015-10-12 08:05
If I'm remembering correctly, the "way to tell an 8" from a 9" is if you can not get a socket/ extension on the bottom 2 pinion carrier bolts, it's a 9". From the second pic it looks like there is plenty of room for straight in access to that nut, so probably not the oem rear. Search Youtube for a video on identifying a 9" Ford....I'm not home, so I don't have access to my list of links. Edit...found it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca85RyHKNzs
After watching the video again, it looks to me like yours is neither. Hard to say for sure with all the road crap buildup, but I can't even see a bolt on pinion flange.
I think from previous discusions here, we figured/learned Ford used two types of pinion yoke/ujoint retention designs.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: jseth83 on 2015-10-12 08:27
Lowerider, i think you're correct.  I've never dealt with anything before the 8's and 9's, so that may have come out of a '56.  I'm fairly certain this is neither an 8 or a 9....at least not the ones from 57 and after. 
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: RICH MUISE on 2015-10-12 08:31
Check my edit..I added a link
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: hiball3985 on 2015-10-12 08:43
Quote from: jseth83 on 2015-10-12 08:27
Lowerider, i think you're correct.  I've never dealt with anything before the 8's and 9's, so that may have come out of a '56.  I'm fairly certain this is neither an 8 or a 9....at least not the ones from 57 and after.
Agreed, it's NOT a later 8 or 9 put I think 56 was an 8. I'm not sure that a 56 third member will bolt to a 57 housing so possibly the whole rear axle assembly is a 56?
Here is a pic of a 56, maybe that will help. Fill plug is on pass side
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: 57chero on 2015-10-12 09:15
56 ford rear ends were a spicer type with a bolt on rear cover, it looks like a 49-51 ford rear end to me which had a drop out 3rd member. Does the rear of the pumpkin have a hump on half of it for the ring gear.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: 57chero on 2015-10-12 09:28
I guess I am wrong 56 birds had the spicer style rear end, not the full size cars.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: hiball3985 on 2015-10-12 09:36
Quote from: 57chero on 2015-10-12 09:28
I guess I am wrong 56 birds had the spicer style rear end, not the full size cars.
It gets confusing at times and my memory is bad, but I think they used the Dana 44 in T Birds and wagons..
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: jseth83 on 2015-10-12 10:22
Thanks guys.  Hiball, that picture is a dead ringer (except for the superior condition that yours is in).  I think they did just change the whole assembly.  Does anyone know what else those were in other than '56s?
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: hiball3985 on 2015-10-12 10:35
Quote from: jseth83 on 2015-10-12 10:22
Thanks guys.  Hiball, that picture is a dead ringer (except for the superior condition that yours is in).  I think they did just change the whole assembly.  Does anyone know what else those were in other than '56s?
Glad that helped but it's not mine, I just snagged it from a 56 build. I think 55-56 were the same.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: Hoosier Hurricane on 2015-10-12 11:13
That style rear was used in '49 to '56 Ford passenger cars.   John
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: Ecode70D on 2015-10-12 17:32
   I agree 100% with Hoosier Hurricane John.   It looks like someone swapped the whole 49-56 rear end  unit into the car.   Jay
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: Jeff Norwell on 2015-10-13 05:54
Yes.Had the same rear in my 55 Ford.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: lowrider on 2015-10-13 07:10
Quote from: jseth83 on 2015-10-12 10:22
Thanks guys.  Hiball, that picture is a dead ringer (except for the superior condition that yours is in).  I think they did just change the whole assembly.  Does anyone know what else those were in other than '56s?

I think they used that style rear end to replace the torque tube types in full size cars whatever that year was. For an 17yr old kid, other than stripping out spider & side gears (don't know how that happened) they seem to be a good rear end.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: Ecode70D on 2015-10-13 20:30
  Back in the old days I used to beat on those old rear ends in the several 56 Fords that I owned.   I blew a lot of transmissions, and  never blew up one of those rear ends.  Bolting that U joint connection up was not fun.  When the 57s came out with the U bolts, that was a big improvement.     
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: jseth83 on 2015-12-31 21:16
Thanks guys.  That one really had me stumped.  I'm planning to swap it out in the next few days.
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: jseth83 on 2016-01-29 21:37
A few days turned into almost a month,but i did finally get around to pulling it out.  I set a Dana 44 in just to roll the car around and look at this one.  It was full of lube but missing the ring gear.....strange....
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: hiball3985 on 2016-01-30 07:12
Quote from: jseth83 on 2016-01-29 21:37
A few days turned into almost a month,but i did finally get around to pulling it out.  I set a Dana 44 in just to roll the car around and look at this one.  It was full of lube but missing the ring gear.....strange....
Way back in the days, I've seen people do that when they were going to use the rear axle for a home made trailer. Lucky you didn't hook a drive shaft to it and try to drive it  :003:
Title: Re: Unusual Rear End
Post by: Ecode70D on 2016-01-30 09:33
Quote from: hiball3985 on 2016-01-30 07:12
Way back in the days, I've seen people do that when they were going to use the rear axle for a home made trailer. Lucky you didn't hook a drive shaft to it and try to drive it  :003:

    That's exactly what I was thinking, but Jim Is younger and faster than me with the keyboard.
     Those were a lot cheaper and more plentiful when making a home made trailer.
     I towed one like that from Mass. to California.