I knows this sounds crazy but I need help with the orientation of a 97 explorer rear end. I'm swapping one into my 62 F-100 but am having trouble determining how it goes in. When I picked it up in the salvage yard, it was already out and the guy loaded it in my truck. I took it out and set it up but noticed the brake lines were laid out on the BOTTOM of the differential housing. That didn't make sense to me since most are on top of the housing. In addition the disc brakes are on the lower aft side of the rotors. I've checked drawings in the manuals and on line pictures but nothing shows me definitively how it is oriented.
Does anyone have a sure fire way to identify if it is in the correct orientation? The shock and sway bar are removed so I can't use those. I'm wondering I'f I can use the fill port since it is supposed to be 3/4 of the way UP the housing, that would show me if it was correct. Any ideas?

 

the pinion shaft input should be below the center line of the axle shaft... bottom of case is bigger... top of case is a bubble. Fill hole is above center line. Brake calipers go on top, usually behind the axle.

 

The attached image is from the factory service manual for a 1997 Explorer. What Steve said is correct. Also, the bulge in the rear cover for the ring gear will be on the left (Driver's in US) side and the brake lines are on top of the axle. In the image item 44 is a brake line clip and item 28 is the fill plug.



-Rod

 

Thanks to both of you, my pinion is higher than center, the bulge is on the right side, and brake caliper is on the bottom. It's clearly upside down. Now if just have to figure out how to flip it with the hoist.

 

VSS is always on top.

 

If the F-100 is a 4X4, the spring pads welded onto the axle tubes will be incorrectly located; on 4X4 pick-ups they are on the bottom, not top as shown in the diagram. This is done to make the rear of the vehicle higher, to match the front. impish

 

Huh? Putting the springs under lowers the rear. Ford hasn't done this on a full size truck since 65 at least to my knowledge.