I have spent most of my time lurking here , but I now find need for some technical input . We started to upgrade my latest Ford today , a 1988 Club Wagon diesel . When I purchased the van last summer , I had a 79 CW with a stuck 351 that I wanted to convert to diesel , the 88 made it expendable , so I scrapped it and kept the 3.50 ratio rear end to replace the 4.86 that the 88 came with . Among my parts was a limited slip carrier from a mid 70s F 250 that I had previously parted and it seemed like the perfect setup for the big rear wheel drive tow platform I now own .

We were able to leave the 88 backing plates on the 79 housing by changing to the 79 , 2 1/2" wide brake shoes , but every 88 component was tried and abandoned in an afternoon of frustration , culminating with the van axles not fitting the F 250 carrier and the F 250 short axle being too short to engage the carrier on the drivers side !

So . . . the van axles are a fine spline and are 4 different lengths while the F 250 axles are 16 spline and the short side axle is 34 3/4" , probably 1 1/2" too short . Can anyone help me find the correct rear axle to get this incredible kid hauler back on line ?

 

Most people assume that the E and F series are largely interchangeable. They are not, as you just discovered. Why not just change the gear set and leave the rest alone? Was the 3.5 ratio matched to a 3 speed and the 4.86 to a 4 speed? If so, the overall gearing is almost identical.

 

It would certainly have been easier to just swap ratios in hind sight . I do want the posi carrier to enhance off road capability , Like all of my other utility vehicles , this van will get a front receiver tube to allow for spotting trailers and carrying a winch . We are WAY committed now , with the rear end and rubber mounted , brakes bled but missing one axle .

Can an axle be fabricated ?

The 3.5 ratio was from my 79 Club Wagon with 3 speed auto and the 4.56 was behind the diesel and C-6 , top speed maybe 65 mph ?

 

Yes, axles can be custom made. Off roaders do it all the time.

 

Can you offer any source ? Is there a chance that the axle is available used ?

 

I ordered an axle last Thursday and it was at my door Wednesday , a real brutish piece , nearly half again the weight of the original .

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Good job! Of course the original will now be weaker and break first. ; )