Im restoring a 1978 ford 4x4. It has a 9inch in the rear and dana 44 front. What i need to know is how do i find info like how many spline or bearing diameters without pulling the diffs apart. I am trying to buy gears and lockers for these axles but not sure what i really have. Also does anyone have any input on where a guy should buy the parts. I live in Canada and parts are really expensive here. Been thinking about getting them from the US.

 

Look on the inspection cover of the front axle for the axle ID tag, post the code stamped on it. If the tag is missing (which is common today), there's not much I can do for you as there are over 100 parts lists.

Without the tag, it's a PITA to figure out which Dana 44 it has, what bearings and etc. The bearings/races have BIN's stamped on them. BIN: Bearing Industry Numbers, what autoparts stores, bearing shops go by.

Parts should be readily available from NAPA and etc autoparts stores. Parts will be more expensive if buying them in the US when you discover that they just can't be shipped to Canada without a care in the world.

There's a red tape mish-mash you have to go thru. It costs many loonies for private individuals to import autoparts into Canada.

 

Use the link below to determine your 9-inch bearing size. It should have 31 splines but there is only one way to really verify and that is actually pulling an axle and counting the splines. It should take ya less than an hour to do that.

http://static.speedwaymotors.com/ima...Axleflange.gif

Get the Bill of Material (BOM) number off your D44 and look up the numbers on Dana/Spicer applications manual. Ford applications start on page 47: http://www2.dana.com/pdf/X510-SD.pdf Dang it... their link has a code which equates to a smiley. ..Just click it and it will open the PDF.

Use the BOM to order the correct parts.

Parts? I suggest Jeff's Bronco Graveyard, Randy's Ring & Pinion, or Currie Enterprises.

 

HIO Silver, please don't "ignore" the following:

When you type 8D together, you get that smilie face unless you disable smilies in text (like I just did). Get rid of it by clicking on Edit, then Go Advanced, scroll down towards the bottom of the page.

Click on box: Disable smilies in text. Smilie goes bye bye.
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If you wish, you can "ignore" the following:
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If the 9's rear axle tag is still in place, the code stamped on it decodes to the ratio/with/without limited slip in the parts catalog.

The code also lists the axle shafts in the parts catalog parts lists. The axle shaft spec charts list what their spline count is.

 

Thx ND. I forgot about the option to disable smileys. I'll remember that next time...

 

Thanks for the info. my diffs are just sitting out beside the garage so ill check for the tag on the front to see what i have.

 

It's not a tag on the D44.. the BOM is stamped on the axle housing.

 

I am trying to figure out what the gear ratio is of two of my trucks. Any help wud be nice. 1st truck 78 2wd 360cid auto, axle tag code; M-AY2 88B 2ND LINE; 25 9 387E Door axle code; 15J. 2nd truck, 78 2wd 460cid auto, axle tag code; DM-AC 3GC 2nd line; 25 9 331A Door code; 13J.