T-5 swap done (in place) and about to modify drive shaft, but now evaluating the rear end and I'm confused as to what I have and my options on the pinion yoke... preferring 1330/1350.

One wheel turns freely while opposite wheel didnt move... open, non-LSD, right?

Can get socket on both lower carrier bolts... non-9", right?

How do I determine if the housing is big-enough for a 9" third member? (I thought `57 Tbirds came with 9" housing regardless of third member)

My interest is in LSD (disc type), so if housing is 8" only, what application/vehicles may have had 8" posi?

And lastly, what the heck is an 8.8" rear end... is that where the back of the housing has the removable cover?

Confused noob trying to think ahead... Brian

Cylinder Index = 84

Current Experiment = `57 Tbird, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Crab has received a lot of information, but a lot of it he doesn't need.  The heading of his thread states "57 Bird rear carrier", and his real question was about swapping in the '69 carrier.  The '55-'56 Bird info, though good, does not apply to his question.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

9" rears may have even more combinations that Y blocks.  Another difference not yet mentioned is that there are 2 sizes of main bearings for the ring gear. 

Then there are a lot of different yokes that fit the pinion.  The '55 U joints probably wont fit the later model yoke.  You will probably need the kind of U joint that has the two u bolts.  The '55 has 4 capscrews I believe.   I would suggest that you take the yoke you intend to use and '55 drive shaft with you when you buy the new U joint to be sure it will all go together. 

BTW I have a '57 T bird 9" in my '55 and it has taken several different pumpkins over the years.  I use the '57 yoke but I had a new drive shaft made to match the trany setup I have so I can not tell you if you stock drive shaft will work.

For more info on what goes together the pumpkin, gears, bearings, crush sleeves, splines, nodular iron and aluminum housings, lockers, traction locks etc etc., check the Curry axle web site. As I remember there is a lot of useful info on there.  I believe that they also say that the '57 & 58 axles are about the weakest but probably good enough for most Y blocks

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.

Assuming you’ve verified the ’69 unit is a 9” and not an 8”, the later model 9” center section (carrier, pig, pumpkin, dropout) for 28 spline axles will fit into the ’57 housing without issue with the following exceptions.  You’ll need to verify that the yoke length as well as the u-joints are the same dimensions as these do tend to vary depending upon application.  The yokes are interchangable but a new pinion bearing crush sleeve must be installed each time the pinion nut is loosened.

 

Some of the Lincolns, Mercurys and Ford station wagons came with a 9 3/8” ring gear and I’ve only seen 31 spline axles associated with these.  These particular pumpkins will swap into a conventional 9” housing if a pair of notches are cut into the 9” housing to allow the larger ring gear to slip in.  By the same token, I’ve used the 9 3/8” rear housings for swaps which will take any 9” center section without modification.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

I know what your talking about, just looking under the car a socket looks like it wont work on either without hitting the housing, the bearing housing is huge.

Crab:

It is not the pinion bearing housing that you need to try to get a socket on, that is doable on both sizes.  The nuts that hold the carrier in the axle housing are the ones I was referring to.  If you can get a socket on all the nuts, it's an 8 inch.  If you cannot get a socket on the bottom two, and have to use an end wrench to take them off, it's a 9 inch.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Looking at both, the front bearing housing would be in the way to get a socket on either one.

The nine inch 57 housing in my 56 crown has a posi 31 spline axle, I took this housing and overdrive t85 out of a 312 equipped 1957 ford 4dr 300 in 1969.I added the limited slip and 31 spline axles several years ago. My 56 tbird has a nine inch 69 housing with a 31 spline trac loc posi.

-Gary Burnette-

Only if the 55 has a 57-9 inch housing in it. If it's the O.E. DANA rear end you'll need a different housing. Like I said earlier, there's a lot of guy's here with little birds, including Hoosier Hurricane and AZ28 who've done the swap and will know exactly what you'll need.

      Have you determined that the Rancho is a nine and not an eight inch carrier?

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

So my 28 spline carrier from the ranchero should fit right in without issues?