1979 F150 9 inch housing and axles value

[dmoses42]

Pretty much what is in the thread title. Is there much value in a 1979 F150 9 inch housing and axles? I bought the entire rear end from a junk yard to use the 3rd member and brake backing plates for a 1977 Bronco 9 inch housing I have. The '79 housing has the smaller flange bolts, so I'll have to drill the backing plates out for the correct bolts, but I thought I'd put that info in there in case it might affect the housing value. Axles are 31spline, the rear came from a 4wd, splines look good to me but I'm not an expert. Let me know if I should post some pics, if it would help.

 

[DirtDonk]

Interesting that it has smaller bolts. Is it the tapered roller bearing type, or sealed bearings?
Should be tapered rollers, as I think they all were by then, but I don’t know.

 

[dmoses42]

Tapered rollers. I do find it odd that my '77 Bronco housing (the one I'm building, it came with factory 28 spline axles) had sealed bearings. I thought it would have had tapered rollers too, but it didn't. The reading I did on this site said '79 (maybe other years?) could have 3/8" or 1/2" axle retainer bolts, and this full size rear end has the 3/8" bolts. It was complete drum to drum, the drums and brake innards are no good but the shoes are 2-1/4" and the drums are a bit over 11" inside diameter.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yeah, that’s consistent. No early bronco got 31 spline axles or tapered roller bearings.
The 77 did get the same shaped heavy duty housing, but the axles and bearings remain the same light duty version.
I suppose I should say they did get the heavy duty version of the light duty sealed bearing, in other words, the big bearing.
But the tapered was the upgrade from that. And only the full-size trucks, and maybe some of the big passenger cars, got that.
Same diameter housing ends for both.

 

[dmoses42]

Hmmm... Ok. I thought it might be a big bearing thing, but I guess not. Either way, mine I'm building is getting 31 splines and tapered rollers. Any idea on the value of this full-size housing and its axles?

 

[DirtDonk]

Not off hand. But you are speaking of the housing and axles only, correct? No third member and no brakes?
If so, probably $150 maybe.

 

[jamesroney]

Interesting that it has smaller bolts. Is it the tapered roller bearing type, or sealed bearings?
Should be tapered rollers, as I think they all were by then, but I don’t know.

Yup, the 78 got the SET-20 (3.15 OD) with the 1/2 inch bolts and 3-1/2 x 2-3/8 pattern.
The 79 got the SET-20 (3.15 OD) with 3/8 bolts and 3-1/2 x 2-3/8 pattern.

From 74-79...Rancheros, Station Wagons, Full Size cars, and some intermediates got the SET-20 (National A20) tapered bearings.

There's no seal provision in the 79 housing end. So you can't run early axles in the later housings, without some kind of sealed, o-ringed, special bearing. I think that Ford was doing some poke-yoke (error proofing) in 1979 to prevent using ball bearings in the tapered bearing housing. So they made the bolts a different size. I always thought it was for brake offset, but the 78 and 79 both use 11x2.3 (PG263) shoes. So it's just my guess.

 

[dmoses42]

Not off hand. But you are speaking of the housing and axles only, correct? No third member and no brakes?
If so, probably $150 maybe.

Yes, housing and axles, no 3rd member no backing plates.

 

[Madgyver]

$100. no 3rd member, no backing plates

 

[dmoses42]

$100. no 3rd member, no backing plates

I'd be good with $100, gets part of my purchase price back, and about enough for a kit to rebuild my 3rd member. I'll post it up in the Non- 66-77 forum in a bit... Thanks!

 

[sprdv1]

I'd be good with $100, gets part of my purchase price back, and about enough for a kit to rebuild my 3rd member. I'll post it up in the Non- 66-77 forum in a bit... Thanks!

the right person will take it off your hands for sure

 

[sprdv1]

$100. no 3rd member, no backing plates

from experience right