Hey there, I'm new to the site and looking for some advise on the 52 f3 I just bought. I have a 86 full size bronco sitting and I was wondering if the rear axel from the bronco would work on my 52 f3?

 

Couldnt tell you if it would bolt on, but it can be definitely be made to fit. You can make almost anything fit. Would you want to hang it with leaf springs or go for something like a 4 bar link system?

In theory you could mount anything under there using the four bar system, You may need to change the yoke on the rear of the prop so it bolts up and also check the track width etc.

Sure someone will be along shortly with more info on direct fit.

 

The axle would too wide. It could mounted under the truck but the wheels would stick out pass the fenders. If you're going with a flat bed then maybe it wouldn't be as noticeable. A pre-73 axle would work better, they are about the same width as the stock axle.

If you went with the Bronco axle you'd have to change the front hubs to a five stud hub to match the bolt pattern or it's going to look strange. The spindles are the same on F-1 through F-3 so all you'd have to do is find the hub and brake parts for an F-1, or just do a disc brake upgrade. There are quite a few places that sell kits to upgrade the front brakes.

 

I'm not doing a flat bed so I'll have to find a different axel and I would like to keep it leaves in the back

 

I've read articles where people have shortened axles but it looks like a work and expense to do it. Search around to find a pre-73 axle.

1948 through 1960 Ford F-1 and F-100 Rear Axle (differential) Swaps - Ford Trucks

 

1986 Bronco could have a Ford 9" or a Ford 8.8" integral rear axle.

8.8" has an inspection cover, the 9" does not.

 

I'm pretty sure it's the 8.8 I have

 

If your main goal is to have a better gear ratio in the rear end, you can get ring and pinion gears for the Timkin axle in the F3. If you want it to be somewhat easier, you could look for a Dana 60 in a 72ish F250. The F250 axle would keep the 8 lug bolt pattern on the rear wheels.

A 9" from a 65 to 72 F100 is as close to bolt-in as you will find, but there are a couple of things that require some planning: U-bolts to mount the new axle to your leaf springs; decisions on whether you want to keep that big stack of springs that were stock in the F3; some kind of shock mounts; and a plan for your parking brake....yours may have a brake on the back of the transmission; lastly...wheels....the 9" will have a 5 lug wheel pattern (as Bob already mentioned).

What is your overall plan for the truck?

Dan

 

My main goal is to a better gear ratio so my engine won't be screaming at 80km and I would like to swap it to a 5 bolt, I would consider leaving the axel if there was a way to mount my bronco break drums, I have herd of guys cutting and welding but I won't try that unless I get some good advise

 

Start with the article that Bob posted earlier in this thread. Then, measure the Bronco axle from hub-to-hub.

The 9" Ford rear end may be your best bet. If you want to make use of what you have around, give the Bronco rear end a hard look.

If it's only a little too wide, you can consider using it, but getting some wheels with extra offset to move them in.

If you try this....measure it over and over. Put the truck on jack stands and use a plumb-bob to drop lines to mark clearances to everything. Guess work won't do here....so when you think it's right...measure again. You need to make sure that the new rear end and wheels will clear the fenders, clear the leaf springs and clear the frame. Try to figure out what size tires you'd be using and use the shoulder width of that tire for clearance calculations.

Here's a good article on how to measure offset/backspace: https://www.rsracing.com/TechWheel.aspx


When I bought my steel wheels from American Racing, I was way overspent on the truck project, so I went with low cost black steel wheels. I did call the factory to clarify a part number question. The tech rep there indicated that the steel wheels can be ordered with any offset. The custom orders were something like $10 extra. So a pair of $60 (+$20) could be the answer you need. The only down-side would be that the back wheels wouldn't be usable on the fronts. It all comes down to how you use the truck...if you plan to drive long distances a single spare might not work for you.

One other thought is the spring perches. The Bronco probably has them in the wrong location. You'd have to cut them off and weld new ones on in the right places. That's not the end of the world, but it is an extra chore. If you don't weld, you can mark the locations carefully for the new ones and take the whole thing to a welding shop.

Dan

 

Thanks dan, I just watched a episode of truck tech and I think I will go there route, I'm gunna use the 8.8 out of my bronco and weld on some new mounts like you said and I'm gunna add a strip to the fenders so the wheels are covered and I will be able to compensate for wider tires