Ford 9.5" rearend rebuild kit??

[snake]

I have what I think is a Ford 9.5" rearend ('67 T-bird) with a T-loc center but it definitely needs to be rebuilt. I did a quick internet search for a rebuild kit but came up empty. Does anyone know if kits are available for this rearend??

My understanding is that this center section will 'interchange with the 9" center section with some minor 'clearance' work on the housing.
Any additional info anyone can offer on this rear end is appreciated.

Thanks!

[Whateverman]

are you planning on putting it under a bump? or a bird?
if you're planning on putting it into a bump,i'd advise you to give up on that dinosaur now and go find a 9" to work with instead
if its going into a t-bird: my bro is/was fiddling around with a 66 q-code 428 bird - the 9.5" in it was toasted,the parts were so overpriced that he ended up modifying and swapping an 8.8" rearend out of an 87 linclon towncar

[BobbyFord]

It's actually a 9-3/8". The top reinforcement rib on the pumpkin curves down on the driver's side. Only four parts are the same as a standard 9" (gasket, one pinion bearing cup, pilot bearing retainer and pinion seal). A good rear end shop should be able to get parts. My truck has a factory 9-3/8", 31 spline diff. Only 3600# rear axle capacity 1/2 ton trucks had this option. A regular 9" pumpkin will fit in a 9-3/8" housing but a regular 9" housing needs to be notched to fit the larger pumpkin with 9-3/8" ring gear.

[snake]

I don't have any specific plans for it - definitely not going back in the bird though - that car is 'toast'! But since it's a T-lok was thinking I'd see if I can use the center section in one of my truck projects but it may not be worth the hassle?

I understand that it's actually 9-3/8" but was under the impression that it is more commonly referred to as 9.5" - but now that I think about that, maybe that's why my internet search for a rebuild kit came up short??

Thanks

[BobbyFord]

It's really not much of a hassle. If you try to stick the pumpkin into a regular 9" housing, you'll see that the ring gear hits the gasket surface in two spots. You just have to grind clearance notches. I've done it before, it takes a few minutes with a cut-off wheel. Is yours 31 spline?

[snake]

I'm not sure on the spline count.
I'm assuming 31 but I need to actually check that to verify.

[Hawkrod]

All 9 3/8 were 31 spline and if it came out of a 67 Tbird it is not a T-Lock as those did not exist yet. If it was original to the Bird it is an Equa-Lock and you need to be sure to get the oiler out of the inside of the housing by hammering out the upper studs that hold it in. Without the oiler they have a tendency to fry the clutch plates and they are fairly light duty to begin with so you don't want to put it in just to destroy it. The sad truth is there is a reason that 9 3/8 centers have so little value. Even if it was a T-Lock it would only be about $50 on a good day. They are good heavy duty rears if they are T-Lock but there is no gear ratio choices unless you get lucky and find one from a bump 4X4. Hawkrod

[snake]

The only info I'm basing this on is the tag reads 3L00. So based on the assumption that these are marked the same way the 9" rears are, it should be a 3.00 ratio with a limited slip differential. I wasn't aware of when the T-loc became available so had assumed it was that and I don't know what is different between a T-loc vs a E-loc. As far as the ratio is concerned, I think the 3.00 should be about right for one of my projects which will be cruisers with the occasional rapid acceleration off the stop light! I don't have any real need for the limited slip aspect but it does ad cool factor.......

It's a relatively low mileage car and assumed to be all original but it has been sitting for so long I am assuming a rebuild is in order. I'll probably pull it out, clean it up and see how things look and go from there.


Thanks for all the great info guys. It's much appreciated!

[Hawkrod]

What are the rest of the codes on the tag? It will give you all the info you could ever want. Post it and I or somebody else will decode it for you. BTW, as already noted, it is a 9 3/8 and I have never heard of it called a 9.5 (I am thinking somebody confused it with a GM 14 bolt or something otherwise they just had no clue what they were talking about!). Hawkrod

[snake]

looks like

WDT - H1
3L00 6JA - 299

[Hawkrod]

looks like

WDT - H1
3L00 6JA - 299

I believe you will find that is a 1967 3.00-1 Equa Lock 2 pinion with large wheel bearings (that is what the book says it was originally! LOL). That particular code was used on 67 Tbird and big cars like Galaxie. Hawkrod