Rear Diff help!!

[hayman68]

Working on getting our "64 Merc 100 on the road and find out the diff is shot. Ring and pinion are fine but the side gears, 2 pinion gears, shaft, and carrier housing is all shot! Trying to find something used to bolt in the diff. and bolt on the old crown gear. Local shop says we could get a possi carrier assemble that would bolt in there for likely the same cost as ordering all the parts to rebuild the current set up. The possi is $740 though!!

It has 28 spline axles and a 3.5 ratio are these carriers interchangeable for many years/models ??? As the possi he quoted me fits a large range of years/models of vehicles with 28 spline axles.

[banjopicker66]

Ford truck rear axle housings from the late '50s up to '72 are a direct bolt in replacement. (I think '58 is the start year.)
If you use an exact replacement, such as replacing a Ford 9" with a Ford 9", then you will probably have no other issues.
If you have Dana 44 5-lug in there now and replace it with a Ford 9", then you may have to lengthen or shorten the driveshaft.
If you use a '68 - '72 rear axle, be sure to get the entire axle, as the 28 spline half-shafts are a little longer than the earlier ones. The entire axle is a direct bolt-on, though, if you swap it as a complete axle.
Best option is to use a '66 or earlier, but the '68 - '72 will bolt up correctly as long as you use the complete rear axle.
The '68 - '72 rear brake wheel cylinders have a larger bore, as well.

[jamesdfo]

Hayman: Assuming it's a 9" diff? You should be able to go out to pick'n'pull & find a 9" center section, just ask @ the counter on your way in, they will print a list out of the Hollander computer program telling you which models of ford vehicles have 28 spline. Even if the yokes are different, it's easy enough to change back to the one off your original carrier.....
Or, if you look on kijiji, there are usually a good number of 9" carriers f/s, (and guess where many of them came from?? :)

If you're not in a real big hurry, there are THREE swaps coming up in the next month, one in Stony Plain, one in Drayton Valley, and the last one in Red Deer.

Swaps are listed here:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=34038

Cheers!
James

[Toyz]

As James stated, the 9'' 28 spline is a straight drop-in; I wouldn't bother changing rear end assemblies unless you suspect damage to the housing. It would be a good time to install new axle bearings and seals,, though. I am not familiar with Canadian wrecking yards; in the states, the self service yards are a good source for inexpensive assemblies. Warranties are usually optional, but a cursive examination should allow determination of condition. Some of the self-service yards here have holiday half price sales, so this might be an opportune time if that proves true there. A little searching may yield an assembly which still has the identification tag in place, allowing you to determine ratio as well as limited slip application. 28 spline applications can usually be identified by axle flange; an on-line search should yield pictures of the identifying marks.
Paul

[banjopicker66]

If you have a Ford 9" rear axle, by far the easiest and best way is to change out the center section. Usually about $100 for one from a junkyard, and and hour or two's worth of work.

Good time to change out the rear axle seals while you are in there, and again, easy and inexpensive to do.

Do you have a 9" or a Dana?
The way to tell is look for the nuts/bolts.
Nuts in the front of the axle, you have a 9".
Bolts in the rear, that hold on an inspection cover = Dana.

[hayman68]

Hayman: Assuming it's a 9" diff? You should be able to go out to pick'n'pull & find a 9" center section, just ask @ the counter on your way in, they will print a list out of the Hollander computer program telling you which models of ford vehicles have 28 spline. Even if the yokes are different, it's easy enough to change back to the one off your original carrier.....
Or, if you look on kijiji, there are usually a good number of 9" carriers f/s, (and guess where many of them came from?? :)

If you're not in a real big hurry, there are THREE swaps coming up in the next month, one in Stony Plain, one in Drayton Valley, and the last one in Red Deer.

Swaps are listed here:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=34038

Cheers!
James

Yeah I was actually think'n of doing the pick and pull route after pricing out new parts this morning.

Then I got to thinking this afternoon ..... I should give Pete at AP transmission a call where I got old 3 speed transmission parts this winter for the truck. So I call him and he says let me check ... a couple minutes later he comes back on the phone and says yes he has everything I need right on the shelf !!! So we headed into the city right away to check it out. It looked to have been sitting there for 3 decades though but it appeared new and he knew exactly what I needed. Heck he dug around in his shelves of old parts (not sure how the heck he knows where stuff is) and even came up with new bearings and races for the carrier. The old fellow has been in the business since the 1960's at that location and sure knows that old stuff. He is very reasonable with prices on that old stuff he has laying there as it cost a fraction of what it would be to order it in new.

We'll be going to the swap meet in stony for sure. thx

[mercuryv8]

There is a 9 inch at kar basher out west of town. Its in a f100 about 1980 vintage

[jamesdfo]

Nick: If you mean Bucks (formerly Kar Bashers), they are out east of the city on Cloverbar Road.

....and AFAIK, a 1980 would be 31 spline??

[mercuryv8]

Nick: If you mean Bucks (formerly Kar Bashers), they are out east of the city on Cloverbar Road.

....and AFAIK, a 1980 would be 31 spline??

Oh man I'm a wealth of misinformation. Yeah, out East at Bucks.

Its definitely 80's. I don't know spline count.

Nic