All my experience is with the Ford 9" and this E150 clearly isn't using one of those. From the date & picture charts I think it's a Ford 8.8". My VIN ( 1FDEE14N9RHB68653 ) tells me it has a 2.73:1 gear set. I was hoping to discover if it is a LSD without having to jack it up. If it's "open", traditionally which wheel is driven? Normally I'd take it out in the snow and find out but I'm blocked by the snow for my wheelchair.

 

Your VIN is too old to pull with the site I normally use. Does your door sticker list an axle code?


An open differential sends torque equally to both rear wheels.

 

If you can get an axle code, here is a good reference:

Ford Rear Axle Assembly Identification - Page 14 - FORDification.com


Probably an 8.8 but without a code, no real way to tell if it is a locker. Non-locked axles typically spin the right rear, locked will spin both given equal traction. jim

 

I'm betting it's an 8.8, not many are locked, I was amazed to find my E350 had one, open drives the passenger wheel, that is why when you spin, the passenger tire will be bald, I have enough experience in this, believe me.

 

Both rear wheels are driven equally with an open differential. There are countless articles and videos that explain how a differential works, I'd suggest reading up on it.

Or you could always put the wheel you believe to be unpowered on ice and give it a shot. Either wheel will spin when it gets less traction than the opposite wheel.

 

OK, when on dry pavement, say I spin the tires 20 times, why is it ALWAYS the passenger wheel to break traction, that is the tire that will go bald, it is why many older drivers referred to them as the 'drive' tire. BUT it will go to the path of least resistance, the downside to the limited slip or locked setup is you will lose all control is you don't go easy with it, they cause the rear to come around in slick situations.

 

Lets hope not cause a 5.0 with that ratio would be useless. AFAIK the 2.73 ratio was a special order with the I6 only so it's not likely it does have that, to find out for sure find the axle code on the drivers door pillar and post it up.

P.S. Yeah that would be an 8.8 too.

 

Try this link for identification: Differential Identification | West Coast Differentials

HTH

 

Because the whole axle rotates as the pinion gear tries to climb the ring gear.

The rotation lowers/plants the left tire and lifts the right. As a result, the left gets more traction and the right gets less so the right spins.

 

To the OP--find the axle code on the driver's door jamb sticker and either look it up or post it. Prolly a 3.55 ratio.

The driveshaft rotates counterclockwise as you sit in the driver's seat so it tends to "lift" the right rear wheel because it also rotates the whole rear axle.

The old Mopar hot rods (I had a couple old 426 hemi cars) actually had an extra front leaf on the right rear spring to counteract this twist. The old Mopars were GREAT for drag racing because the fronts of the leaves were really short (about 1/3 of the spring length) and stiff, and already had an extra leaf on them. The torque at takeoff would then tend to push the axle down into the pavement and lift the rear axle. Ford and GM pony cars were laughable with flabby one-leaf springs and needed add on traction bars to do anything useful. (Pic of an old Mustang next to the definition of "axle hop" in the dictionary...)

If you watch some stock car drag race videos on youtube, you can see the axle rotation where the rear right sinks on launch. And if you watch some old Mopars you can see the rear end lift on hard acceleration.

Of course, you can spin the left rear wheel if you nail the gas during a hard left turn, especially on wet or snowy pavement. Or in front of the high school.

I have an Eaton posi in my van and am always aware not to nail it on icy pavement. I certainly make no efforts to launch hard and spin the tires--got that out of my system in my old drag racing days and it's a big fat van, for goodness sake.

You need to rotate tires if you are wearing the right rear out. I like a full criscross one rotation, and then front to back on the next.

George