1949-1972 Housing Ends Big Ford

Ford 9 inch Rear Ends with Early Big Ford Housing Ends

Due to its tremendous strength and large aftermarket support, the Ford 9 inch Rear Ends can be found in every manner of custom hot rod, muscle car, truck, and drag car.A 9 inch Rear Axle was standard equipment in a lot of Ford cars and light trucks built between 1957 through 1986. In this very long production run, two different axle bearings sizes and three different housing end styles were used.

Evolution of Ford Housing Ends

Late Big Ford Housing Ends are the most common used housing ends in the aftermarket industry. Ford had an evolution of housing ends. Ford’s lighter passenger cars utilized 28-spline axles and small axle bearing housing ends. Higher performing Mustang models such as; the Boss 302, 429 and 427 came with 31 spline axles. The use of small bearing housing ends remained in use until 1979.

In more substantial cars like the 1959 Galaxie utilized Early big bearing housing ends. (H1135) These were used until the creation of the Gran Torino in 1973, which introduced the late model big bearing (Torino) housing end. Torino Late Big Ford Housing Ends remained in Ford’s product line until the end of the 9 inch rear end use in 1986. The big bearings housing ends used either 28 or 31-spline axles. While the early and late big Ford housing ends used different backing plates and axle retainer bolt patterns, the axle bearings used are the same.

Housing End Size Determination.

To determine the axle bearing size of a Ford 9 inch rear end without having to remove the axles is to measure the bolt pattern spacing of the housing end. Remove the brake drum or rotors, measure the distance between the bolt hole centers. The Early Big Ford Housing End Bolt pattern will be 2 3/8 in Tall and 3.5 in Wide.

Description
Strange Housing Ends
Sold as pair

Requires
O-ring style ball bearings
or
Outer seal unit bearings

Features
• 8620 forged chrome moly steel
• Butt weld design
• For 3″ or 3 1/4″ OD tubing
• Black oxide finish
• Designed & machined by Strange
• Material forged in the USA

Dimensions
– 1.300″ total width
– 4.438″ OD x .281″ wide flange
– 3.152″ ID x .680″ deep bearing bore
– 3.250″ OD / 2.500″ ID at tube end

Typical Axle Offset
2.332″ – Most
2.500″ – Some