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9 inch ford question. posi, locker or spool?

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Jim Mac

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
the new to me 70 el camino came with a 9 inch ford 4 link setup. got it in the air, gears are 3.90 or so, both tires turn the same way. has strange s/s axles and the front pinion bearing plate looks like its aluminum so its been into. it's got the huge fill bung on top, drain on the bottom, the brace across the back. so it's not stock

Question is, do I have to pull the chunk to figure out what kind of posi, locker or spool? jim
 
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#2 ·
Jack it up so that only one of the rear tires is off the ground. Then try to spin the one that is in the air. If it won't spin it probably has a spool.
 
owns 1969 Chevrolet El Camino SS396
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#3 ·
Any chance you have access to a flexible borescope?

You could take the top fill bung off and stick the borescope down and in to possibly see what's in there.

Heck, you might even be able to snap a few pics down that hole with a light/flash and see the middle of the pumpkin to tell what is in there.
 
#4 ·
There should be a serial number on the front of the center section. Give that to strange if they built it. That would be the easiest way. Strange has a wavetrac style diff also s trac or something like that.
 
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#5 ·
Could be just about anything. The only way to know is to look inside somehow. Both wheels will turn together with a spool, locker or a limited slip differential (Ford is not called Posi. That's Chevy only). I've even seen standard differentials spin both wheels together when someone has been doing too many one wheel burnouts and got it so hot that it welded it's self together. You need to see inside. Maybe your phone has a light next to the camera lens so that you can take a picture through the hole with the light turned on.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
I pulled the rear and it has a big filler cap on the housing. Big enough to peak into the pumpkin. Its a spool. Jim
 
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Discussion starter · #8 ·
The truck has a 4 link set up in the rear with provision forba panhard bar. Front is lowered with a big1.25 sway bars and coil over spring/shocks.
9in is out and getting traded or sold. Going to put a 12 bolt back into it. Jim
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
60.5 inches wide from axle flange to flange. has the brackets for the 4 link and panhard bar on it, plus the rear brace. jim
 
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#11 ·
If it is a 31 spline you could replace it with one from a ford truck. A Ford posi has the letter L in the ratio listed on the ID tag. This tag is attached to a center section stud. EX. 3.50= non posi, 3L50= posi.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
just 4 bolts on the end and the axle slides out? jim
 
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