Wagon, Ranchero Rear Axle width 57.25 What is the width of all other models?

[brushwolf]

Yeah, I think you could come up with an improved axle width list and maybe sticky it somewhere here.

[KULTULZ]

I think what happened to the chart is a combination of poor description and English. Below is my interpretation as how the chart should read.

Any and all of this is unverified and am using others measurements.



*****************************

FORD REAR HOUSING WIDTHS

Flange To Flange Width -

56.37 in - 1964-1965 FALCON
             - 1970-1977 MAVERICK/COMET

56.87 in - 1974-1977 MUST II

57.25 in - 1957-1959 FORD

57.37 in - 1965-1966 MUST

58.00 in - 1977-1981 GRANADA
             - 1966-1977 BRONCO

59.37 in - 1967-1970 FAIRLANE
             - 1967-1970 MUST

60.87 in  - 1971-1973 MUST

61.25 in - 1960-64 FORD *

63.37 in - 1972-1973 FAIRLANE

* 60-64 FORD Width Added From Post # 20 Reference




         

[SkylinerRon]

Anyone have the 1960-64 Galaxie measurements?

Ron.

[Fairlane62]

I have a 9" from a 57 four door in my 62 Fairlane and it is 57.25".  Its the small bearing but has had many drag strip runs with slicks, as well as street miles and I have not had any problems.  Obviously the large bearing rears are stronger, but any 57-59 rear will be 57.25" wide and would be serviceable.

James

[hiball3985]

Just something to keep in mind. The 57 big bearing axles may be more desirable but no one makes replacement brake drums

[brushwolf]

Carnut.com has 60-64 full size axle at 61.25 (same width as 71-73 Mustang).  I have a 63 Galaxie axle here, but under 4 ft of snow, so can't check it any time soon.

[brushwolf]

Just something to keep in mind. The 57 big bearing axles may be more desirable but no one makes replacement brake drums

That is surprising that there would be no replacement drums available for retractables, but I have not looked for years...

[gasman826]

Is the big bearing housing better than the small bearing housing?  Other than the housing ends, is there a difference.  I've had several of both and saw no difference.  I have not cut up any of these housing because they had value.  I always sold them.  I think the round back housings are the least desirable, weakest of all 9" housings.  I always select a pickup or van housing because these are the strongest, more available, usually least rust pitted, biggest tubes, thickest tubes, and round tubes.  The only thing going for the '57-59 housings is that they are narrow and have a drain plug.  I have bolted several under the '60s unibody Fords because they are nearly a bolt-in substitution for a 8" housing.  I think the first gen Bronco rear housing was the narrowest and had big bearing ends along with maybe 31 spline axles.  Unfortunately the spring pads are on top and good luck finding one.

PIC...always keep a few spares.

PS  I do have complete rear, big bearing drum brakes for the Raunch Wagon.

[RICH MUISE]

Gary, you're talking about the '57 round rears being least desirable, but that is from a racing/performance standpoint. I've been told over the years that the '57 is actually the most desirable overall.....because of that smooth round rear cover plate, for hot rods that have their butt up in the air. No argument they may not be as strong as others, but most of us aren't going to break one.

[brushwolf]

Yeah, always heard that too. 57 is prettiest, 31 spline pickup axle if strength has priority.  Only Ford axle I ever broke was in a 53 Victoria that had a Chrysler motor and the original axle.  Broken differentials seemed to be mostly a Chev thing in the hometown of my youth..

[KULTULZ]

POST REMOVED - DISREGARD

As it seems someone (and I won't mention names) had their head up their posterior ...

[RICH MUISE]

My "pretty" 57 differential has the big bearing ends (late) and the 31 spline axles with trac-loc..........you can almost have it all. It is not a "N" case.

[hiball3985]

One source of rear drums - https://www.classictbird.com/Shoes-Drums/products/35/1/0

Expensive. There is a seller on EvilBay that is more reasonable but doesn't state COUNTRY of ORIGIN.

B7A 1126-A - Sedan Rear
B7A 1126-B - S/W - RHT

Their illustration shows a front drum and hub?
1126-A Rear says 55-56, are they the same as 57?

[59meteor]

My "pretty" 57 differential has the big bearing ends (late) and the 31 spline axles with trac-loc..........you can almost have it all. It is not a "N" case.

About 10 or 12 years ago, a local ad listed a 1958 Edsel rear end, drum to drum for $200. Since I have never had any problem at all selling any of the 57-59 Ford 9" rearends from parts cars, for $500.00 within a day or 2 of listing them, I drove right over and bought to rear. It was not until I got home and looked more closely that this particular rearend had been removed from a 58 Edsel Corsair or Citation, which were based on the Mercury chassis, rather than the Ford chassis that the cheaper Ranger and Pacer models were based on. This Edsel rearend was not only wider, but also had the oddball 5 x5" wheel bolt pattern on the axles and brake drums. It also had a 2.69 axle ratio, which was too tall for my use, so I just put it aside for a few years. Afterwards, when I was getting to the point of needing to upgrade the rearend for my 59, my measurements showed that I could almost fit 275/60R15 tires on the back, and if the rearend was narrowed 3/4" per side, they would fit nicely. Since I was installing a 428 Cobra Jet engine, and 4 speed Toploader, and also planned to drag race it on occasion, with slicks, that I would need to do some strength upgrades. So I ended up selling the original 59 rearend, and had the "white Elephant" Edsel housing cut down to 3/4" narrower per side that the original rearend, and ordered a new pair of custom length aftermarket 31 spline axles for the new width. To make installing the 275 tires easier, we elected to replace the stock 11" rear brakes , to 10" rear brakes from an early 90s Ford Explorer. Although the drums are 1" smaller diameter, they are also 3/4" wider, so the net surface area is actually a bit more than the stock brakes. To use the Explorer backing plates required using the later big bearing "Torino" ends, as the backing plate pattern was different. My buddy builds a lot of custom drag race and street car rearends, so this work was an everyday job for him. So I now have a Nodular cased, 31 spline Detroit Locker rearend with 3.50 gears for daily use, another Nodular with a 31 spline spool and 4.33 gears for track use, and if a long freeway is planned, a stock cased, 31 spline open with 2.91s . And the 3 1959 car 9"s that I sold went onto live in a Ford Maverick, a Chevy Nova, and a 56 Chevy "Gasser", as they bolt right into those cars. Back in the early 70s, I had a 65 Plymouth Valiant Signet with a 273/235 HP "Commando" 4 barrel engine with a 4 speed, and when I blew the stock rearend up, I bolted in the 9" from my old 59 Country Sedan Wagon. Seems that most of the smaller "Big 3" compact and Pony cars, all used rearends of the same width and 43" leaf spring centers of the 57-59 Ford cars, so in addition to the desirable rounded look housing, the size makes the 57-9 rearends still a hot commodity for swapping.

[KULTULZ]

Their illustration shows a front drum and hub?

1126-A Rear says 55-56, are they the same as 57?

THANK GOODNESS YOU CAUGHT THIS!

It seems CASCO is using partial FORD PN's to ID their wares. I a$$-u-me(ed) the 57 Bird would take the same drum as the SW-RHT as both use the same axle tube sizing and bearing. I was wrong. The 57/58 BIRD drum is unique.

I apologize profusely. I will remove the above post.

The CASCO ILL shows the rear drum (1126) at the top of the ILL and the front drum and hub at the bottom.