9" Ford Housing Facts

9” Ford Facts


Common axle widths  


65-66 Mustang 57.25 inches

67-70 Mustang 59.25 inches

71-73 Mustang 61.25 inches

77-81 Versailles 58.50 inches

74 Maverick 8" 56.50 inches

75 Mustang II 8" 57.00 inches

67-73 Mustang, Torino, Ranchero, Fairlane 9" 59.25 inches to 61.25 inches

57-59 Ranchero and Wagon 57.25 inches (narrowest 9" housing)

66-77 Bronco 9", 58 inches (has 5-on-5 1/2 inch diameter bolt circle)

77-81 Granada/Versailles, 58 inches

67-71 Comet, Cougar, Mustang, Fairlane, 59.25 inches

64 Falcon 58 inches 67 Cougar 60 inches

67 Fairlane 63.50 inches (coil springs)

72 Ford Van 3/4 ton 68 inches

67-73 Torino, Ranchero, Fairlane 59.25 inches or 61.25 inches

67-71 Comets, Cougars, Fairlanes 59.25 inches

Where to find the 9" rear axle

67-73 medium and big block Mustangs and Cougars-66-71 Fairlanes, Torinos, Montegos, Comets, and other Ford intermediates with big blocks-57-59 V8 Fords and Mercurys-77-81 Lincoln Versailles & Trucks Types of 9" axle housings 67-73 Mustang/Cougar - light duty, thinnest housing material, small axle bearings, 28 and 31 splines 57-68 passenger car and 1/2 ton truck - medium duty, stronger than Mustang type, 28 and 31 splines
Ranchero/Torino - heavy duty thick wall housing, 3.25 inch diameter axletubes with flat tops 69-77 Galaxies (coils), Lincolns (coils), and late pickups (leaf)- 3.25 inch diameter all the way to the backing plate, coil housings have upper control arm mount.

How to recognize 9" housing centers

57 - no dimples, flat center band up the center of the rear cover, bottom drain plug

58-59 - two dimples on back of housing, flat center band, some had drain holes

60-67 - two dimples, flat center band, oil level hole in back cover

63-77 Lincoln, LTD, Thunderbirds had 9.375 inch centers, housings were cut away at the gasket surface for ring gear clearance, one curved rib at the front top portion of differential. Strong, but no gear options.

9" Axle Facts

28 spline axles cannot be shortened, except 69-73 Mustang and Cougars, because they're tapered.

72 and earlier 31 spline axles have the ability to be shortened 73 and later 9" (big cars) have a 5-on-5 bolt circle and the axles cannot be shortened

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