I'm looking for the passenger side axle shaft for a 7700. Mine is bent, and I'm taking a precaution by lining one up now before something bad happens. I'm trying not to go to the dealer. The problem with the aftermarket stuff I've found is it's all 8 lug, and the 7700 needs a 7 lug. These trucks and the 250LD's didn't exactly grow on trees so I'm not holding my breath for a great junkyard find.

It's a 10.25" Visteon (Sterling) Semi-floater with rear discs and a 7 lug pattern.
Any ideas or leads, let me know.

-Kerry

 

Did you bend it? Or was it the factory option ? I've got a bummer too, but it's barely noticeable ( ). Also, I don't know if they're the same, but I've seen older style 250's with 7 lugs, and the other day I saw an E250 with 7. With any stroke of luck, that will open up more options ferya. Good luck. Rob.

 

Some of those Sterlings came with different spline counts so check your to be sure before you buy....just a thought. Been there...done that.

 

I'm unsure if I bent it , but I just noticed it when I went to check out my rear brakes over the weekend. I'd changed them last year, but the brakes started to squeal. Found out I had sand on the E-brake shoes. I had both sides up with the wheels off and thought I should see if I could duplicate the sound. Put the truck in drive at idle, the hubs were rotating and I hit the brakes. "POP!!" came out of the passenger side rear. I hopped out with it still in drive and saw the out of round motion, the hub/rotor causing the caliper and pads to move with it. It was really noticeable. Not sure what popped, but the rotor was still froze solid to the hub.

I popped the rotor off (with all the wonderful threads here at FTE ), and checked the seal... that's when I found on the e-brake and rotor had sand stuffed in them. The seal looks fine, cleaned it up, no leaks.

I have had a vibration, changed out the u-joints, new tires.... the vibration sort of went a way.... the noise is there, that's my "star trek warp drive" womp, womp sound. I think my bent shaft is the cause.

It looks like I have a 35 spline unit, but I can't find the 7-lug shafts in the aftermarket.
I hadn't thought of the newer E250's as a source.... I've never personally encountered an older body style ('92-'96) F250 with 7 lugs, but I knew the 250LD's had them.

My other route is "the7 -8 lug swap." I need a whole lotta research into what I can get to fit up front first, though . The rear may be a straight swap, but the front is going to be a construction project.

-Kerry

 

The only 7 stud axles are on the F-250 LD and 7700.
It's easy to get fooled on some of the older trucks and vans because, for some strange reason, for a few years, Ford put 7 fake wheel nuts on the hubcaps.
Calling the dealer for a price may be a good idea. The prices on genuine Ford parts aren't always as bad as you'd think.

 

Thanks for the info, Dave. I guess I'll make some calls and see if I still have friends at the dealership .

I looked up the tech info and found the factory book says 31 spline. Wonder why I thought 35? I really don't want to pull it first to count, 'cause I'm certain I'd be waiting for a part I'm a "hurry up and get it done" kinda guy, once I start.

-Kerry

 

Get the axle tag for the parts guy b4 you call... If they have a Computered up parts dept, the Vin will work too. They can get the axle code from that. Forgot about the 7 lug hubcap thing. Bummer.
I agree with Dave on the prices too, and I doubt you'll find aftermarket axles. I was going to mention this earlier, but didn't, some places that repair their fleet vehicles straighten their drive shafts and axles. My fathernlaw works for the State DOT here, and they do that kind of thing. He told me to find out for sure if mine's bent, and he'd take it in and straighten it. Luckily our State DOT uses a lot of 7700's, it'll look legit.