what rear end is in a 80-86 f250?
 

is it a 10.25 or d60?

Ford used both. They used a Dana 60 until 85 or so and then they switched to a 10.25. The easiest way to tell the difference is the Dana has a fill/check plug while a 10.25 will have a smooth cover.

ok, thanks

Good to know. I just bought a '86 F-250. Anyone know what tranny is in it? It has the 460 if that helps.

The Sterling 10.25 made its first appearance when the Heavy Duty F250 was introduced in 1985.

1980/85 F250's could have the following rear axles: Dana 60; Dana 61-1; Sterling 10.25 and the Ford 8.8 (introduced 1983), which while Ford never refered to them as such was installed in Light Duty F250's.

First F250 with a 8.8: 1983 / Last F250 with an 8.8: 1989.

1986/89: Only two rear axles were available: Ford 8.8's and in F250 H/D's, Sterling 10.25's.

Info sources: 1980/89 & 1990/2002 Ford Light Truck Parts Catalogs / Rear Axle Application Charts / Section 40 / Page 9 (1980/89) / Page 5 (1990/2002).

BILL, similar but not the same question.


Did 80-92 F-250 4x4s come from the factory with a solid front end, there is another thread that is asking this question.

Or did the Monobeam only come from the factory on the F-350.

When did the term Superduty come in to play - As a trim line and then as the Superduty that we know today - Superduty have a different meaning from today and yesterday.

First use of Super Duty name I can answer off the cuff = 1988.

The other Q's require parts catalog digging.

I didn't get the 1990 and later catalogs (from Ed Olson) till only a few weeks ago.

I haven't looked up stuff for these since 1997, and don't look up too many parts for 1973/89 4WD's here on FTE, so I'm rusty as hell.

To look up 4WD parts ** in catalogs with a tag # is snap. Without it, it's a time consuming PITA, because of all the variables > >

> > With/without free running hubs, front axle weight capacity, certain ratios may apply, specific engineering #'s on axles and spindles, before/after serial numbers, before/after production dates. :-(

** Brake parts such as rotors, calipers, seals, other stuff that's 4WD specific, are listed under the "Front Driving Axle" parts lists, ONLY. :-(

Most ppl don't list the tag #, or it's missing.

I confess....without a tag #, I usually pass on answering the posts.

Super Duty name = 1988.

I looked at sheet metal, and..

The Super Duty's body changed from the F150's to their unique design in 1999.

1979 was the last year for the solid front axle in all 4wd. Ford trucks. I'm not sure if they referred to them as monobeam back then. The 150 and 250 had Dana 44's, the 350 had Dana 60's.
For 1980 Ford deceided to lower their trucks to ease accessibility and to improve their ride so they created the independent front suspension. The 150's and light duty 250's got the Dana 44 IFS with 5 lug and 8 lug configuration. The heavy duty 250's and 350's got the Dana 50 IFS (independent front suspension).
One can tell the 8 lug Dana 44 from the 8 lug Dana 50 by viewing the hub where it sticks out thru the wheel. The 50 will completely fill the hole in the wheel, the 44 is smaller.
Ford had so much trouble with IFS alignment on snowplow trucks that midyear thru 1985 they brought back the solid front Dana 60 axle on the F350's only (a dana 60 axle hub also will fill out the hole in the rim).
At the exact same time they stopped using Dana rear axles in the 250's and 350's and installed only the sterling rear axles. A Dana rear axle will have 10 bolts retaining it's inspection cover, a Sterling will have 12 bolts.
Rear axles for the 250's and 350's are Dana 60, 61 and 70, and the weaker Ford 8.0, also used in Broncos and F150's.
During the 80-86 time period, the Dana 60 rear axle and the Ford 8.8 only came in the semi-floater version.
If you have a full floater rear axle (the hub sticks out thru the rim), it is either a Dana 61, 70 or Sterling 10.25.
Steve G.

8.0? Typo?

There no such thing as an 8.0 rear axle installed in any F Series truck.

No Dana 70's were installed in 1980 and later F250's regardless of the GVWR.

Bill, I don't want to get into a shooting match over this with you again, but, based on personal experience, Dana bill of material numbers, and my Ford shop manuals, the information you have there isn't 100% correct. No disrespect intended, but, I have found those parts manuals don't always reflect what is actually out there, and I find this especially holds true for 80-86 trucks.

What you have does sound correct for 80-82 regarding the D70, I have not seen one of those with a D70 rear yet.
83-86, in the F250 HD/F350's(definitley 460 and diesel equipped ones, not sure about smaller engines) they did use the D70U rear axle in the SRW trucks. Starting in 85, the Sterling appeared in both the F250HD and F350, I have seen a couple early production 86 MY trucks with the 70 in the rear. 87-97 over 8500 trucks are 10.25 only. The 10.25 was phased out for the 10.5 with the introduction of the 99 MY Super Dutys; it's very much the same axle.
What holds true for a F250HD is the same for a SRW F350, they are the same truck other than the front suspension and rear block size.
I have left duallies out of this, I have very little experience with ones older than 87, the newer ones(F350) have all been 10.25 equipped, and the Super Duties are 10 lug D80 equipped.
As for the LD trucks, I've heard of the 8lug 8.8, it's in the shop manuals too, but, I've never seen one, it definitley wasn't the only axle to be had in a LD F250. Lots of semi float D60's through the early 80's, and SF 10.25's later on(I'm not sure what year this was phased in though.)

Again, I'm not trying to get into an argument here, I'm only stating what I have seen and what the information I have shows.

Dang y'all ... Now I think I know that my '86 f250 4x4 6.9 NA IDI has a Sterling rear and a Dana 50 front ... Now I can think about what gearing I want to put in it ...

before getting new R & Ps, see if your tags are on both ends, and check the numbers just to be sure (post tag info for a decode).

Ford made several "running changes" in the 80s, and used surplus parts on some models too.

Also never assume what you have is original. Things can change in the life of an old truck.

Here locally I can say most early 80's 250 extended cab and crew cab trucks had Dana 50 IFS front axles, made no difference what the engine was.
Most regular cab trucks had Dana 44 axles, again no difference for the engine installed.

All early 80's trucks equipped with a diesel I have seen had the Sterling 10.25" rear axle.

From my time in the diesel forum, I know there were some Dana rear axles out there though.