9 inch rearend question:

Are all 9 inch rears compatable with each other as far as swaping out the ring and pinion? Reason I ask is, I have a 1973 ford truck that came with 390 motor and the rear is in very good shape. Are the pumpkins interchangeable or would the axle splines be differant. As I understand the 60's 9 inch have 28 spline axles and the 73 would have to be the same. Are the rear housings different or did they keep them basically the same. The truck rear is way to wide to use complete, but if I could just use the center section that would save me a lot of headaches. I tried the search thingy and couldn't find any info on gears being use from later model 9's.

The thing to look out for is 31 spline axles. Ours are 28 spline. The spider gears could be swap out between center sections but it's not a good idea because the gears wear together and swapping them could really upset things causing rapid wear. If the 73 is 28 spline then your ok. Just have to make sure you have a fill plug. I took a center section from a 70 Econoline and put a 67 center in to replace it. Now my 67 axle has two fill plugs and the 70 has none. The fill moved from the axle housing to the center section sometime. I solved my deal by welding a pipe coupler on the 70 housing so I could fill it and then close it with a standard pipe plug.

Duane in Tennessee.

Thanks econopoor. I will Take a look this weekend and see what I have under that truck. I also have a 9 inch from a Galaxie 500 sitting out back as well. I will be looking at that one as well. Never thought about drain plug...That's good to no..thanks again.

I've heard 63-64 Galaxies have the same width as our Econolines. Just have to change the brackets.

Duane in Tennessee

Sonething else to note is that car and truck ford 9" third members are different as well (if I remember correctly) the ring land on the carrier section is at a different level between the two, utilizing a thinner or thicker ring gear between truck and car. Again, if I remember correctly, if you have a truck rear, buit car gears, they generally wont bolt in unless you acquire the car carrier to go with the car gears. Its been a LOOOOONG time since I worked in the HiPo gear shop so you might want to make sure both carriers have the same ring landing heighth before you just throw a setup in there.

heres a site -hope it helps=

http://www.carnut.com/specs/rear.html

So if my Galaxie rear axles are 28 spline, then I should be able to bolt the complete carrier from that rearend to our 6o's 9 inch housings? Am I understanding this correctly, or do I still have it wrong...lol.

yep. should bolt right in.

Duane in Tennessee

Only other question I have is...will this gear set be as strong as the rears for the vans and trucks. This car came with a 289 and I'm thinking it should hold up to the 350 i'm running now. If it is, then all that's left is to cross my fingers and hope it has 28 spline axles.

the 28 spline axles are the weak link of the nines but should hold up fine.

Duane in Tennessee.

Thanks everyone for all the help and info on this matter. It has indeed been educational. Time to bust out the wrenches and have at it.

Good luck buddy! And with a 9 inch rearend, you wont break the axles unless you put a crazy sick motor in it and some huge rear tires and drive it around all crazy like a jacka$$. Its the huge tires, and engines that break axles usually.

289? May be an 8" rear. they look very similar. As far as 9" go,any 28 spline is game,I had a chunk from a 76 F-100 in my 68 Fairlane and only had to swap yolks . Just re-read and saw it was a Galaxy the rear is in,Should be a 9"-sorry to scare ya