Why is the Ford 9-inch rear end so good?

The Ford 9-Inch Rear End: Strength and Durability
The Ford 9-inch rear end is highly regarded for several reasons, making it a popular choice among racers and performance enthusiasts:
1. Overall Strength and Availability:
– The 9-inch rear end is known for its overall strength and availability, with units available in either 28- or 31-spline large diameter axles. The housings are noted for their sturdiness, with case thicknesses ranging from.150 to.250.
2. Longevity and Aftermarket Support:
– The 9-inch rear end has been a top choice among drag racers, hot rodders, and off-road enthusiasts due to its durability and strength. Aftermarket companies continue to produce almost every single component necessary to build a brand new 9-inch, even decades past its original production.
3. Versatility and Racing Heritage:
– The 9-inch rear end was installed in nearly every Ford passenger car and truck, and it has been a popular choice in drag racing and hot rodding across various makes of cars, not just Fords. It has also been used in NASCAR Cup cars, showcasing its versatility and racing heritage.
4. Design Features and Easy Maintenance:
– The design of the 9-inch rear end, with its removable case containing the third member, makes it mechanic-friendly and easy to repair and replace. This feature, along with its strength, has contributed to its long-lasting reputation.
In summary, the Ford 9-inch rear end’s combination of strength, availability, aftermarket support, and versatile application across different racing and performance contexts has solidified its reputation as a top choice for enthusiasts and racers alike.

Why is the Ford 9-inch so strong?

The Ford nine-inch, introduced in 1957, incorporated all that smart thinking but had distinct advantages. First, there’s the diameter of its ring gear at—you guessed it—nine inches. That’s larger and thus stronger than most contemporaries. Ford engineers increased the angle of the pinion’s teeth, as well.

Who makes the best Ford 9-inch rear end?

Strange Engineering is the most recognized name in the aftermarket industry when it comes to Ford 9 inch rears. From high performance street cars to top fuel, Strange Ford 9 inch housings are relied on by more racers than all other manufacturers combined.

What is so good about a Ford 9-inch?

Its overall strength and availability are its greatest attributes, and 9-inch units are available with either 28- or 31-spline large diameter axles. The 9-inch rear end housings, also noted for their sturdiness, were built with case thicknesses ranging from . 150″ to .

What is so special about a Ford 9-inch rear end?

One of the features which distinguishes this axle from other high-performance or heavy-duty domestic solid axles is that unlike other axle designs, access to the differential gears is not through the rear center cover; rather, in the Ford 9 inch, the rear cover is welded to the axle housing, and access to internals is …

When did Ford stop using the 9 inch rear end?

You wouldn’t swap any of those parts under your 4×4 today, but the 9-inch still enjoys incredible popularity. In fact, despite being discontinued by Ford in 1986 in favor of the 8.8 axle, there are more 9-inch parts on the market now than ever before.

How strong is Ford 8.8 rear end?

This rearend is lighter than a 9-inch and is as strong as a 12-bolt (except for the axles), and many Mustangs came from the factory with Traction-Lok limited-slip differentials.

Why is the Ford 8.8 rear end so popular?

Enter the 8.8
Among the options they explored was the Ford 8.8-inch rear end. These units can withstand considerable abuse, as proven for decades by the Ford racing community. And, unlike the 9-inch, the 8.8’s pinion gear doesn’t have the extreme low offset on the ring gear, so it runs more quietly.

How much HP can a Ford 9-inch handle?

“They’re good only to 400hp max,” says Tom at Tom’s Differentials. “Anything above that should use today’s beefed-up, redesigned, nodular-iron aftermarket cases. They’re good to 800 hp, if built properly. The next step beyond that would be the high end, completely redesigned, Mark Williams billet-aluminum housing.

Why are Ford rear ends so good?

Ford 9-inch rearends have a third “extra” pinion support bearing located at the rear of the drive pinion. Other rearends have only the traditional center two support bearings.

How much HP can a Ford 9-inch rear end handle?

A 9-Inch For Every Need
GearFX offers a wide range of Ford 9-Inch rear ends, with strength ratings that range from 650-hp to 1000-hp and beyond. Their most popular setups are their S- and N-Series rear ends.