I've been looking for 7.3 power stroke dually for a while now and discovered the VIN decoder here. Every time I enter the vin # it comes up as a 3.73 gear ratio. I take the vin to a Ford shop and almost every time it comes up as 4.10. I would have to worry that the rest of the info could be bogus too. What's going on?

 

1981 thru today: The 8th digit of the 17 digit VIN is the engine code.

The TRANS and AXLE codes are not within the VIN, they're printed separately on the Certification Label.

I've decoded over 1,000 VIN's on FTE over the past 13 years, but I've never used the online decoder. I use Ford parts catalogs.

 

Just got a picture of the certification label. Axle code is F2 on a 2002 built in 8/01. My info says 99/ 4.10 8.25m 9.45m limited slip (E450,F350) . Not sure how to read it but is the 99 the year? There are 2 other listings for F2 one is 91/96 locking the other is 97/ 7.8m dana limited slip. Don't know what all that means.

 

Post the picture.

 

1981 thru today: The year is determined by the 10th digit of the 17 digit VIN .. For 2002, the 10th digit is: 2

 

Maybe a prior owner changed out the rear end; makes sense changing a 3.73 to a 4.01 (vs the other way around)

 

Ford build sheet says 4.10 limited slip. Going to pick it up tonight. Will post pictures sometime over the weekend. 1st order of business is to check out the play in the steering.