Ford 9.75" Swap?

[nubreed71]

Been batting some ideas around for a rearend swap on my rig, and remembered this build:

http://www.fourwheeler.com/project-vehi ... ject-fast/

They re-tubed a 9.75 to be the same width as a Raptor rearend (76.5") which is actually a lot wider than I need, but I noticed that the stock width 9.75 is 70.5" wide, which is nearly perfect for what I want. Stock shafts are 34 spline, and it sounds like the only possible issue is the fairly thin axle tubes (just under 1/4").

Does anybody know if the VSS on my '94 will get along with this axle? If so, seems like I could get some new rotors/axle shafts, and have a decent rearend for the price.

[Nick]

I thought about this swap when i was going to build my f150. I ran into a guy at the LeDuc swapmeet that had raptor 9.75 take offs. 1 had an e locker, 1 a detroit. $750 for the e locked one, $500 for the detroit. The way the raptor kooks are upgrading, i'm sure you could find one semi cheap.

[damon1272]

Let me know if you come up with a blank axle for getting a 5x5.5 bolt pattern. Some folks will redrill the bolt pattern.

[Baja]

I thought about this too, but also heard about the weekish tubes. Would it still be better than an 8.8? Also, is the VSS plug and play?

[nubreed71]

I have to assume with 34 splines that would be an improvement over the 8.8. If you threw on a truss kit similar to what Giant makes for the 8.8, I'd think it would help with the thin axle tubes.

The main thing I'm wondering is if the VSS will be plug and play. That'd be a huge selling point for me.

[Baja]

I have to assume with 34 splines that would be an improvement over the 8.8. If you threw on a truss kit similar to what Giant makes for the 8.8, I'd think it would help with the thin axle tubes.

The main thing I'm wondering is if the VSS will be plug and play. That'd be a huge selling point for me.

The wider axle at $500 with VSS is the selling point for me, but by the time I install 4:88s and that Giant truss, its at least a $1,500 axle then. Still not bad, but I may be willing to upgrade to something better if it could be done for $3K.

[Baja]

and it is the thin wall tubes that are the killer for me on the 8.8. At least until I get more HP

[arse_sidewards]

The VSS should be plug and play, the big 3 still use 8000 pulses/mile last I checked.


Has anybody looked into E150 9.75s?

They kept the 5x5.5 pattern through 2005 and got the 9.75 in 1997 so they should be available in junkyards and some had disc brakes.

[cs_drums]

^^^^ that sounds like the winner

[nubreed71]

Yeah, that would be awesome actually. Might have to start doing some research on that one.

[Baja]

The VSS should be plug and play, the big 3 still use 8000 pulses/mile last I checked.


Has anybody looked into E150 9.75s?

They kept the 5x5.5 pattern through 2005 and got the 9.75 in 1997 so they should be available in junkyards and some had disc brakes.

True, but then you may as well get the E350 Sterling axle and just re-drill the axle flanges, if you can. Not sure. I liked the width of the raptor axle because I am 4.5" wider in the front, so that made sense. I wonder if you can re-drill to 5.5???

[nubreed71]

The raptor axle is 76.5". If you're 4.5 over per side up front, wouldn't you only be 74.5" up front?

[Baja]

The raptor axle is 76.5". If you're 4.5 over per side up front, wouldn't you only be 74.5" up front?

I think that width you are quoting is when it was re-tubed. He said the stock Raptor width is 70.5". If that is the case, I would still be only 5.5" wider in the rear than the stock 8.8. Which may not be best, but way better. Right now I am running wheel spacers on the 8.8.

Does anyone know what the optimum width rearend is with running 4.5" over beams?

[nubreed71]

From the article:

"Our factory axle measured about 70-1/2 inches from flange to flange, and we wanted to increase that width."

"A Ford Raptor rear axle measures about 76 1/2 inches wide, right in the ballpark of what we wanted."

I took that to mean that the standard F-150 rearend is 70.5" and the Raptor rearend is 76.5", unless I'm reading it wrong?

[nubreed71]

Some more info on the 9.75" swap:

http://www.nloc.net/vbforum/archive/ind ... 10336.html

[ChaseTruck754]

70.5" seems wide flange to flange for a stock rear. It's been a while since I measured but I swear they were 66.5" or 67.5" Flange to flange on the broncos.

[nubreed71]

Which stock rearend are you talking about? As I've measured, stock rearend width on the Bronco/F-150 is 65.5". The 70.5" measurement that they're listing off, I am taking that a the stock width WMS to WMS on a newer F-150, in the case of this article, a 2006.

[nubreed71]

From that NLOC post, sounds like a 9.75" out of an E150 is going to be the same width as an older Econoline 9", 68.5"

"I don't have an easy way to weigh it... I wouldn't anticipate it to be much more than 20# heavier.
Hmmmm, the first glaring issue I see is the spring pad mtg width difference.

Dimensions;

WMS - WMS 68.5" (Not sure what Bronco and F150's are)
Spring pad mtg width 49" and they use 2.5" wide springs (Bronco and F150 seems to be 44.5")
CL of Spring pad to WMS 9.75""

Kind of a bummer...if it was 70.5", I'd be at the pick n pull tomorrow!

[ChaseTruck754]

Sorry for not being clear. I mean the bronco is 66.5"-67.5" from my memory.

I forgot they had a 2006 as the stock truck in the article. Been a week or so since i read it.

Anyway I saw the posts from your link & if the van is 68.5" it makes me want to say 67.5" is then the proper measurement for the bronco as I think the van stuff was 1" wider.


Is that 9.75 rear not offered in any regular width (non raptor) F-150's? Sorry for my lack of knowledge here but I pretty much stopped caring about & paying attention to the Fords after 1996 or so.

[nubreed71]

Yeah, this is all new to me as well. My knowledge base pretty much ends at 1996.

The measurement I pulled off the 8.8 on my 94 F-150 is 65.5" WMS to WMS, so at 68.5" on the van stuff you'd be 1.5" over per side. A good start, but I'd really like to be at about 70-71" with my front being 4.5" over per side.

As I understand from the last hour or so of web research, the 9.75" was offered on the F series (sounds like probably 2004 and newer?) as well as on the E series vans. If the Four Wheeler article is accurate, and that NLOC post is accurate, then the newer F series rearends are 70.5" wms to wms, the E series are 68.5" wms to wms (seems odd that now the truck stuff is wider than the van stuff?) and the raptor 9.75" is 76.5" wms to wms. Without actually going to a junkyard and measuring though, I'm not going to bet that farm on the accuracy of that...if it's on the internet, is must be true, right? lol.