rear end sizes

[philsawin]

i am buying a 79 bronco with out a rear end installed in it. i can get plenty of rear ends here in vegas but will they fit in a 79. what should i look for? what years? how wide? what mounting differences? thanks

 

[Justshootme84]

You want a late-70's to 80's model van or truck Ford 9" rear with a wms-wms measurement of about 65-67 inches. WMS stands for WheelMounting Surface, and not ****** to ****** which is shorter by about 5 inches. There is a code stamped inside the carrier housing to decipher what vehicle the axle originally came in. I'll post up the link to that chart, JSM84

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2002/02/nineinch/index.shtml

Also, look for the metal ID tag on one of the carrier bolts. It will have the BOM (Bill of Material) number on the top row, then the gear ratio and axle type on the bottom row. Example would be bottom row "3L50 9 XXXX" for a 3.50:1 ratio with factory limited slip. You'll want to match your front gear ratio, which will either be 3.50 or 3.00.