Can anyone confirm that the 4:27 rear axle gearing in my 1952 ford 1/2 ton F1 truck is 8.5 inch ford?

It is 10 bolt rear cover (hopefully here are some image) but In order to change my gearing to something that would suit the highway there are a few US translations and technical things I need your help on?

What is semi float or full float (and which will mine be?)
What is STD or positraction? (is that what we call limited slip diff)
How many axle splines do you think I will be running. I will check this next week anyway but might save we goin out in the UK Rain

 

Also are Randy's www.RingandPinion.com any good?

 

thats not a 8.5 or 8.8 whatever you said that called i belive something like a 3300# ford rear

 

I believe the 3300# is a Ford 9" here is a link to look at
https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...ial_Swaps.html
Due to the year I believe its a Timkin and yes I do like Randy's ring and pinion I talked to Chad and he was very helpful. I destroyed my rear just a couple of weeks ago and replaced the whole center pupkin (Ford 9") with new wheel bearings for $1100.00 with limited slip very fast and helpful. Check out the tech artical above it is very informative.
PS. get a service manual for your year of truck surprisingly its very informative and welcome to the forum.

 

it is DEFINETLY NOT A 9 INCH REAR according to that is a spicer-dana 41

 

Sorry for the wording. I believe the 9" rear was first called a Ford 3300# but I am not sure.

 

that is the stock Ford/Dana 41, it's a semi-floater

Are you sure it's a 4.27 and not the standard 3.92?

No such thing as posi or TractionLok back then, no retrofits I am aware of

 

1948/56 Ford Truck Parts Catalog

Truck to Rear Axle ID & Application Charts

1951/52 F1 / Ford-Spicer Rear Axle / 3.3M Rear Axle Capacity / Parts List #60.

1M-4209-B .. Ring & Pinion / 4.27-1

Application: 1948/52 F1 // 1949/59 Ford Passenger Car Parts Catalog: Application: 1951/56 Sedan Delivery & Station Wagon w/Overdrive.

After decoding well over 600 rear axle tag codes, and AXLE codes on Warranty Plates here on FTE, I know that 1957/72 F100's with 9" rear ends have a 3300 lb. rear axle capacity.

But....this is not a 9 inch rear end. 9 inchers do not have an inspection cover!

Limited Slip rear axles introduced 1959 in both the Spicer 44 & Ford 9 inch. Limited Slip was originally called Equa-Lok.

Cars used 9'ers with L/S, 9'ers were standard equipment on 1957/82 F100's, but...

If you ordered an 1959/67 F100 with Limited Slip, you got a Dana-Spicer 44. 1968/86: F100/150's used 9's with L/S.

Posi or Posi-Traction is a GM term. No Ford ever had a "posi" rear axle.

 

Thanks for clearing this up. I first found the 3300# (which makes sense now) in my manual and never heard of it before but came to the conclusion it was the 9" rear the manual was talking about.

 

Thanks again for your help guys. Although I haven't checked the number of teeth yet my chassis plate is telling me its 4:27. I was hoping one of you would say its a daner spicer 44 which I can upgrade. No where seems to do the 41. I've just ordered and are shipping from the US now my new 4.5 and 5.5 inch steel wheels all on the 5 x 5.5 bolt pattern as well. Dang! I guess I may have to take a hit on the rear wheels and get some 5x5inch bolt pattern and tack down a second hand ford 9inch

 

The only Fords with 9" rear ends that have a 5.00" bolt circle are some 1973/78 LTD's, Torinos & Ranchero's, T-Birds, Mercury Marquis, Lincoln Mark IV's.

1957/79 F100 / 1975/86 F150 are all 5.50"

Some 1980/83 F100's are 4.50" some are 5.50"

 

If you do a search on Dana 41 or on 4TL8Ford's posts, you can upgrade the 41 to whatever gear ratio you want, you just can't (AFAIK) make it a posi. And it's not cheap, but you end up with a like-new unit, vs a well-used 9: that may need a rebuild too. On the high end, you can always order up a true Dana 44 from Currie or similar with exact bolt-in dimensions and the bolt pattern you want, and posi. Just have your credit card handy!

 

Hey I looked around on the computer and found most 9" rears to be around $2000 -$2500 complete with brakes unsure what else you may need other than fluid and welding in perch plates. The best I believe would be Strange Engineering for their Street rear end with Ford Big Drum brakes 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern. Get a 57-60 F100 complete 9" rear with brakes. The outer bearings are easy to replace just take to a machine shop to press off the old bearings and put on the new ones for you. and purchase a new Complete Center differential from Randy's Ring and Pinion ($1100 for a limited slip diff and install kit with bearings) you are ready to go. I figure a total of $1500-$1800 is the maximum you will spend this way.

 

HUH?

Where the heck are you looking for 9" rear ends?

Here in LA LA Land, you can a buy a complete drum to drum 1957/72 F100 9" rear end for 100 bucks or less!

1957/67's have 11" x 1 3/4" rear brakes, while 1968/72's have 11" x 2 1/4" rear brakes.

 

If you can help....what axle(s) will work in that 52 f-1? Have a broken right axle and wonder what I can use used and if not where to buy one? Thanks in advance for any assistance.
Bob