Ford 9 inch axle shafts too short

meanzj92

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Joined
Aug 28, 2011
Location
Holly Springs
Long story short I bought a ford 9 inch off a friend of a friend it was apart so I threw it all in truck got home welded perches in place and now when I go to put shafts in one or both is not engaging splines I'm not sure if I have wrong shafts but the axle supposedly came out of 1978 f100 and both shafts are roughly 31 7/8 from outside of shaft where rims mount to the end of splines I've researched everywhere but cannot figure out where to find shafts without getting custom length or cut to length shafts
 
With the axle bearing plates bolted up, what is your WMS to WMS width? The truck WMS to WMS should be ~65". You could have an earlier van housing, but then it should not be able to engage the splines at all. I don't understand what you mean that it "turns the pinion". If the splines engage and it turns the pinion then what is the issue?
 
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Small and big broncos have different housings but both of them have shaft lengths that differ approx 2" from right to left. I would think your shafts should be like that too.

At least 1 shaft is engaging the carrier splines if the pinion turns when you rotate the shaft.

Only thought I have is on a stock trac lock type limited slip, one side has 2 sets of splines that need to line up. If they don't, you won't be able to seat the axle all the way in the housing. That's all I got.
 
Hmm I'll get measurements tomorrow I've gotta a few just have to add them all up and I mean that with the axle shafts and third member outside of the axle housing laying in garage floor it will spin the yoke and other axle shaft but inside the housing one shaft is too short and isn't spinning pinion yoke or other axle shaft, and it is an open differential
 
First. Punctuation. Break your sentences up; it makes it much easier to read and understand your thoughts.

Some 9" housings use unequal length shafts. Some are equal length. It sounds like you have a mismatch of housing and shafts, so your friend did not sell you all correct right parts together. To solve this, re-install the 3rd member in the housing, then using a tape measure slide it down the housing tube and into the 3rd member. Catch the end tab of the tape measure on the inside of the spider gear and then record that measurement to the end of the axle tube. Repeat for the other side. Then, compare to the shafts you have.
 
I did that and got all kinds of crazy numbers, and sorry was a little crazy there just trying to get my question across. I figured it out after going to a friends shop and throwing in some 80's model van shafts in and they were equal length 33 1/4 roughly. Was told by him all truck 9 inches are equal or close in lengths and the car axles are the centered pinions that are different lengths by about 4 inches give or take
 
Thank you very much for reply tho have had the most fun swapping these axles in. Deffinately not a weekend job, and of course with my luck I ran into every possible problem I could've.
 
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