Need Help Ford 9" Experts!!!

[BIIHawg]

I am looking to get new axles for my 9" since one is bent and the splines on both are twisted.

Here is my dilemma. I don't know what axle I need (i.e. big bearing/ small bearing etc.)

Here's what I have:

28 spline axles
Bearing diameter over 3" (leads me to believe it is a big bearing)
Axle seal that goes on the inside of the bearing not the outside (pic below)

The seal is what confuses me since I thought that the big bearing axles had seals that went on the outside of the axle like this:

If the big bearing was also used in combination with the first seal please let me know. This one has me stumped.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[Bruce]

I was always under the impression that the 28 splines where considered small bearing but i could be wrong.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

some of the EB 9"ers had big bearing depending on the GVW of the axle

What was the axle out of?

 

[BIIHawg]

It's out of an Early Bronco (Pre 75). It also has the 11" brakes.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Some did come as a big bearing 28 spline, which makes the 31 spline upgrade as easy as axle shafts and a carrier.

 

[DBrown]

Some did come as a big bearing 28 spline, which makes the 31 spline upgrade as easy as axle shafts and a carrier.

not exactly, you may have to change out the drum brakes also. when I started to a rebuild on mine I decied to swap in the larger drums from a 79 9" the baking plates hit the drums, meaning the axle flange has a different offset. you can swap the axle and carrier to get you the 31 spline but you might run into problems with the contact between the drum and shoes.

one way to tell on the bearings is to look at the axle end and see if where the bearing housing is larger then the axle tube. if it is you have a large bearing housing.

all the 3rd member housings interchange. that being said you need to look at the castings on the 3rd mounting flange and see what is cast in it. if it is a "WAR" cas go get another one. that is the weakest case. you will want one that has a "N" on the outside of the case above the yoke os has "C_AW" on the mounting flange. the "N" case is the strongest.

in that housing you should have the "non" sealed bearing. meaning you will have a race in the housing and a bearing similar to a repakable wheel bearing for the front pressed onto the axle.

also I think the only axles that got 31 spline in the EB's were 76-77 but not 100% on that one.