Difference in F/R Axle Width
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,571
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From: Oxford, Indiana
Difference in F/R Axle Width
OK, so your typical F-1 has a 61" wide front and rear axle from wheel mount surface to wheel mount surface. The F-2's and F-3's use the exact same front axle and spindles as the F-1's, so they come in at 61" in the front as well. The rears, on the other hand, are wider. They are 63" wide WMS/WMS and this carries through 1972 from what I've seen. I'm doing a 4x4 conversion on my truck and will have to narrow the Dana 44 I picked up to fit under the front. Should I cut it to the same 63" width as the rear axle or stick with the slightly narrower 61" width of the stock front axle? Does it matter and if so, why? It makes more sense to me to have them both the exact same width, but I would run less risk of having the gear case and the spring perch trying to occupy the same space if I went with the narrower width. They were obviously different from the factory, but the factory was only building 2x4's to run 45 MPH. I'll being expecting this 4x4 to be stable at 80 on the interstate. Thoughts?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,571
Likes: 22
From: Oxford, Indiana
That would be great, Stu. I'd appreciate it. I don't really have access to any older 4x4's to measure or refer to. If I'm remembering right, the '67-'72 2WD trucks had noticeably wider front axles than rear, so it must not really affect much, but I don't want to ASSume anything.
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,986
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
On my '52 the WMS to WMS measurement on the front is 65.5". On the rear it's 70.5". Those measurements are gonna be wider than any other stock F-2/3 because MH hubs on the front are the kind designed for dually style wheels with 5 lug x 8" circle. On the rear the stock axle measures 56" backing plate to backing plate, then the drum and spacer adds 7.25" on each side. MH used the stock rear axle with its 8 lug x 6.5" circle, then mounted spacers on the outsides of the drums to convert them to the 5 lug x 8" pattern. Here's a pic of one of the rear spacers. Stu
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