Rearend Swap Need Help

kelly · May 22, 2004

i have a 93 bronco with the stock rearend, an 8.8. i found a ford 9 inch from a 79 E250. is it swapable and what's involved?

davids78bronco · May 22, 2004

Yeah, it's do-able, as long as you, somehow, install the VSS ring in the 9"s 3rd member, and change either the driveline yoke to match the 9" yoke, or change the 9" yoke to a flange style

kelly · May 23, 2004

thanks for the reply. have any info on putting the VSS in and changing the yoke? i noticed the difference in how the driveshaft hooks up. this is my first rearend project and any help would be appreciated.

davids78bronco · May 26, 2004

I've never done this myself, but of the few I have seen, the tone ring was welded to the 9" carrier. Changing the yoke is as simple as finding the correct one. But, you might also want to pick up a rear diff overhaul kit too

jfrbronco · May 26, 2004

I going through this myself,have a 94 just striped a rearend out of a 89 but the yokes don't make.

1 should I change the yoke and use the 89?

2 if I'm going to change the yokes should I just leave the 94 housing together on the truck so I don't have to mess with the brakes and swaping it all over and just do the interals?

3 any daigrams out there for me to look at?

4 have done gear changes alot on f-body's but this is my first ford ( for that matter 4x4 )

any help or advice would be great and help both of us.
Thanks JFR-

sweepersrgr8 · May 27, 2004

You also want to make sure the 9" gears are the same as the 8.8". If they are too far off you could F@#% your transfer case, or front drive shaft. The internals are NOT interchangable!

4xfan78 · May 27, 2004

I was told that the 70's van 9" rearends were longer than the truck rearends. I would measure the distance from drum-to-drum, and from spring pad to spring pad then compare with the 8.8.

sweepersrgr8 · May 27, 2004

Van rear ends have an offset carrier. The passenger side axle is shorter than the drivers side.

Sorry Kelly, I just noticed you said E250 and not F250. I dont think you can use this 9" rear.

Do like 4Xfan78 said, you will see that one side is longer than the other.

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kelly · Jun 9, 2004

thanks for all the info guys. i haven't had a chance to pick up the rearend yet but when i looked at it i didn't notice an offset but i was just eyeballing it. i intended to take some measurements when i got it.

kelly · Jun 23, 2004

i did some measuring and one side is longer by two inches and the spring pads and one shock mount would have to be moved. it's not a direct swap but i've been researching and it's possible to modify. it's a 31 spline so i can shorten the longer axle. everything else is just cutting and welding. i haven't found any info on the best way to shorten the axle tube and reweld the flange. i also need to know the right spots to measure from. the center of the yoke or the center of the pumpkin?

Txquadhunter · Jun 24, 2004

E250? It wouldn't have a 9" but a 8-lug Dana 60 unless someone swapped an E150 9" in it. If you want a 9" in your Bronco look under the early 80's 80-86 and get one ready to swap right in with no fab work needed wbut the VSS ring. If it's 8-lug your going after the late model F250/350's with the Sterlin 10.25 are much stronger then the old D60 rears. Plus has the VSS already in it.

kelly · Jun 24, 2004

i made sure it was a 9 inch before i got it. front carrier case and it matched up with every picture i could find. if the modifications are going to be too much then i'll find one that fits. which ever one i got i was going to overhaul anyway but this was free so i wanted to see if it would work.

Txquadhunter · Jun 24, 2004

kelly said:
i made sure it was a 9 inch before i got it. front carrier case and it matched up with every picture i could find. if the modifications are going to be too much then i'll find one that fits. which ever one i got i was going to overhaul anyway but this was free so i wanted to see if it would work.

Since it was Free and the Right gear ratio in the 3rd member. hit the junk yards looking for a core rearend that the gears are shot in the 80-86 4x4 range cheap. That way if the gears in the Free 9" you got are good you'll have a good 3rd member to slide right into a good housing and axles. why 4x4 is because they use a wider leaf spring perch then a 2wd model. If i remember right the 2wds use a 3" wide sring and perch while the 4x4's use a 4" wide spring.

indoz · Jun 24, 2004

Go to www.fordmuscle.com/archives and you will get alot of info you could use.
Henk from Oz

kelly · Jul 4, 2004

got the rearend all torn apart and everything is in really good shape except for the 3:29 gears. the carrier is open and i don't think that's what i want. i just learned what that does. i've seen articles on trucks that run open diffs but i don't know the benefits of them.

sweepersrgr8 · Jul 5, 2004

With an open diff, you only get power to one wheel. Definately not what you want when off-roading.

sweepersrgr8 · Jul 5, 2004

P.S. If the 9" was free, there are alot of lockers out there to chose from.

kelly · Jul 5, 2004

would it be better to just install a locker or a limited slip with a locker?

sweepersrgr8 · Jul 6, 2004

It all depends on you. The Detroit locker is the strongest, but makes a clunking noise when the gears disengage in a turn. A small drawback to the added strength.

kelly · Jul 9, 2004

does it make that noise all the time? i definitely want a detroit and noise doesn't bother me as long as it isn't something breaking down. as i can afford it i want one front and rear. i'm planning on new gears anyway.