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Ford 9" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

Re: Ford 9\" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

I don't think it would be very cost effective to run a 9" front axle because it have to be custom built = $$$$$. Plus, most front 9" axles I've seen run Dana 44/10-bolt size joints and outers so you really are not gaining any strength except for a little in the ring and pinion. I have seen hybrid front 9's with Dana 60 outers but they are really big $$$$.

A rear 9" might be a decent upgrade to a 10 or 12-bolt assuming you get one from the junkyard and bolt it in with a few minor changes (spring pads, shock mounts, etc...). The biggest issue would be that, I believe, all 9" axles used 5-lug wheels, so you would have to convert either the front or rear to match. But as already mentioned, I don't think it would hold up to big tires and heavy off-road use (if you were going that route). Again, you can really beef up a 9" via aftermarket parts but the strength vs. cost comes into affect again.
 
Re: Ford 9\" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

I agree with Tim. There are a lot of reason's not to run a 9". The argument about sub 11 second race cars is apples to oranges, there not doing it with stock parts. The stock 9" axles are garbage. For less than 1/2 the price of building a 9" you could buy a 14bsf and keep your 6 lug wheels.

Interesting read on some axles being tested here... clicky.
 
Re: Ford 9\" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

Keep the 10 bolt front. Either keep the 10 bolt rear and install a locker and some chromo shafts or go to a 12 bolt and do the same. You will be able to wheel the hell out of it with 35's.

A 10 bolt front is the best axle to have in the front (other then a D60) because parts are the easiest and cheapest to find, the used parts are newer then D44 stuff also. There is plenty on the aftermarket to support it and it is the cheapest thing to use since you already have it. The 28 spline version is the best version to have since the 30 spline was only offered for a few years.

For the rear you already have a 10 bolt. The weak poinst are known to be the axleshafts and the spider gears. So install a locker (lunchbox or full case) and some chromo axleshafts. You should be able to wheel the hell out of that for a long time too. A 12 bolt is a little stronger but I don't know if it is really worth the money to swap one in unless you can get one cheap with the right gears.

There is alot of guys in AZ running 1/2 ton stuff hard without a huge amount of problems. You know that there is the possibility of breaking it but you just carry the appropriate parts to fix the breakage and your done.

I wouldn't waste the time on the 9". I would go with a D60 rear. 14bsf, or a 10.25" Sterling (Ford) rear if you want good strength and more ground clearence then a 14bff. A 14bff offers ultimate beef but it does take way alot of GC.

Harley
 
Re: Ford 9\" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

I don't think he is going to , and I don't even know him . Sounds like a good discussion though , I love reading these /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Re: Ford 9\" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone know the diameter of a 31 spline Ford 9" axleshaft?

[/ QUOTE ]

According to Billavistas axle tech page:

31 spline 9" - Major diameter= 1.333" Minor Diameter= 1.25"
33 Spline 9" - Major diameter= 1.4167" Minor diameter= 1.333"
30 spline 12 - Major diameter= 1.2917" Minor diameter= 1.2083"

35 spline D60 - Major= 1.4876" Minor= 1.4043"
30 spline 14FF - Major= 1.59" Minor= 1.351"

Mark Williams 35 spline 9" - Major= 1.500" Minor= 1.4167"
Mark Willimas 40 spline 9"(and 40 spline 60) - Major= 1.7083" Minor= 1.6250"




A Ford 9" wouldn't be a bad alternative if you wanna stay light and have a good aftermarket backing. You also have th option of going with a high pinion model which the 14FF doesn't offer. And I am sure there is someone out there that can create a FF 9" if you have to have a full floater.

Sure the 14FF is strong and cheap, but it's not for everyone. I am probably putting one in my Toyota, but only because I have one sitting here and dont have the $$ to have a 60 built. Would rather have the 60 for clearance, weight, more gearing options and more after market option reasons. I'd choose a 60 over a 9" also.
 
Re: Ford 9\" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

i do not know alot about axles , but if i was to upgrade
my axles from a 10/12 bolt , i would go 14bff. i would not switch in an axle that though maybe strong , does not compare to a 14bff when putting in a fullsize vehicle.
a 9" would be a great upgrade for you small trucks.
but this is my opinion. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Ford 9\" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone know the diameter of a 31 spline Ford 9" axleshaft?

[/ QUOTE ]

I had to take your dumba** off of ignore just to read your idiotic comments, but that's easily fixed here in a few.

First, the 31 spline axle shafts are just a hair smaller in diameter than a 14FF.

Two, yes, in stock form it is a semi-floater, yet non-C-Clip axle. It has a more desirable (until you decide to pull a shaft, but still easier than a C-clip) design in the semi-float variety.

Three, the weight of them rock. It's still a bitch to move around with the third member in, but once it's out, the housing is easily carried one handed. May sound bad, but with the design, the housing is comparably easier to truss when compared to the housings of other differentials.

Fourth, it is easily converted to disc brakes.

Fifth, it is easily converted to full float.

Sixth, the aftermarket is filled with all kinds of parts.

Now with that being said, I could probably stay semi-floating with mine. There is others out there running different variety 35-spline rears and wheeling the piss out of them, with not a problem.

I can also state that I know of 9's either first hand or second hand (I'm not talking 'bout NASCAR on TV) that have failed, and usually catastrophically. But all three had one thing in common that caused the breakage and that was mongo horsepower. Trucks with a minimum of 500 horsepower destroyed them. How many people actually run even close to half that number in the engine? Very few probably.

And I will bash the 9 a little bit. It does cost a little bit of money to get blinging on these things. So far, I've paid $130 for the complete axle, which was a 31-spline, big bearing model out of a F-150. I dropped another $70 for a 4.86 gearset. But I have sold the gears and getting ready to sell the shafts since I won't need them.

I prefer to have as close to bulletproof as possible with my limited fundage. I just dropped $700 on a third member that has the 3.250 bearing, brand new Richmond 4.86 gearset and 35-spline Mark Williams spool. Oh, I forgot that the case is an N case. Add the numbers up new, and I got a decent deal on that. I could buy a set of shafts for under $300, put it back together I'd say, along with a highly respected vendor that deals with these, and call it good. Unfortunately, I want that safety net just in case and going to go full float. Right now I can't give a $$$ on it, cause I'm shopping around and waiting for a vendor to debut their kit before I buy. So in the end, I'll have a rearend that will probably weigh in right around 130 pounds if I'm lucky. Think of it as a redistribution of power. What does a 14FF weigh?

Yes, it does cost a little bit more than most to pimp out like I'm doing, and I'm not saying that everyone's mileage is the same as mine, cause some will have them built and others have the ability to do most of the work themselves; but pound for pound, the 9" 31 spline is the best 1/2 ton axle ever built in stock form, enough to come close to a 14FF. Upgrading a 9" will only put you over the top.

There's reasons why this axle is the most popular in all forms of motorsports. If it was a POS, I'm sure no one would use it.

Drown in your Kool-Aid Tim and happy hunting back on the ignore list.......
 
Re: Ford 9\" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

[ QUOTE ]
What does a 14FF weigh?



[/ QUOTE ]

According to the BV 14FF bible they are 550lbs with stock drums and 450 with discs. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Re: Ford 9\" Front & Rear Swap w/Crossover Steering!

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What does a 14FF weigh?



[/ QUOTE ]

According to the BV 14FF bible they are 550lbs with stock drums and 450 with discs. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Ouch /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
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