We need axle info!!!

[Luke]

Rolo's idea - look here for origanal post!!!!

We need to compile a usefull information thread on rear axles - what fits what and whats on what!!!

I think it will take more than 1 person to do this so add as much info in this here in this thread and i will sort it all out to one post!!

make sure you use the mk or the year so we know what were talking about!! look here to find which mk is which!!!! and also state if its SWB or LWB single or twin your talking about!!!!

so basically post any info you have on rear axles here

[Luke]

ok i will start with some things i have found out recently:-

SWB mk1/2/3
mk3 axles will fit on mk1/2s the spring saddles are the same width apart so no mods are needed!! the only difference is the propshaft flange on the mk3 to mk1 i did it was different!! and the mk3 axle is 25mm wider than the mk1/2 axle

[FredTransit]

ok i will start with some things i have found out recently:-

SWB mk1/2/3
mk3 axles will fit on mk1/2s the spring saddles are the same width apart so no mods are needed!! the only difference is the propshaft flange on the mk3 to mk1 i did it was different!! and the mk3 axle is 25mm wider than the mk1/2 axle

This is unoticable in chassis cabs!

[jay]

axle ratios that i know about.mk3/4...
H axle=type 34 which has the diff carrier bolted to diff and single rear wheels. ratios-3.9:1 4.11:1 4.56:1 5.14:1
G axle= type 53 axle which has only a rear plate on the diff and is fitted to double rear wheels.ratios-4.63:1 5.14:1 5.83:1
remember that the left wheel nuts on pre 1992 are left hand thread on twin wheel

this is all the info i have there may be more ratios

[Rolo]

We need to compile a usefull information thread on rear axles - what fits what and whats on what!!!

And not just from other Transits as I imagine some people could benefit learning what others did when for whatever reason they installed non-Transit parts anywhere.

I think it will take more than 1 person to do this so add as much info in this here in this thread and i will sort it all out to one post!!

And I think this thread will get very messy with so much varied information until you sort it all out and divide it into more specialized sections.

Will Ford come to the party with all the information they should have on call backs, electrical circuits diagrammes, manuals and maintenance routines?

After all a forum like this *is* benefitting them and we shouldn't be too shy about throwing that on their face if they are a bit slow in helping.

make sure you use the mk or the year so we know what were talking about!! look here to find which mk is which!!!! and also state if its SWB or LWB single or twin your talking about!!!!

...and whether it's a cab chassis or standard van.

Is anything other than the roof heigth itself supposed to be different between some different models of the same year?

so basically post any info you have on rear axles here

I just learned that brake shoes are different even between different types of Mark 1 Transits and the exact details, which I don't have, would be very useful for those who think they can just use any spare Transit brake shoes they found around and start dismantling everything believing they have everything they need so they won't have to take the vehicle's shoes somewhere to be relined.

Particularly important information for weekend warriors.

[Rolo]

My 1974 Australian Mark 1 LWB dual rear wheels camper (originally a cab chassis) was fitted with the diesel nose and a "dog house" cut into the cab (standard factory job in Australia) to fit a Falcon 200 c.i. low compression six cylinder engine (now upgraded to a 250 c.i. high compression, 9.2:1, engine that fits straight in without any problems. (155 HP @ 4000 rpm 240 lbs/ft @ 1600 rpm)

Somebody mentioned to me at the time that the 250 is 10mm higher than the 200 but I didn't check it myself and I couldn't say I noticed the difference.

The factory gearbox was also a standard Falcon three speed gearbox (2.95:1 - 1.69:1 - 1:1 with the gear lever mounted on top of that engine dog house.

That was an excellent position for it but unfortunately I wasn't happy with the huge gap between second and top gear and had to install a single rail four speed gearbox (2.95:1 - 1.99:1 - 1.39:1 - 1:1) with the gear lever coming right through the floor (not as tidy as the original setup and more difficult to leave the driver's seat towards the left).

That change was a breeze and the only extra work involved was making the hole on the floor for the gear lever.

Later I found that a Borg Warner T5 out of a Falcon 85-6 (3.5:1 - 1.99:1 - 1.39:1 - 1:1 - 0.78:1) also fitted straight onto the back of the 250 c.i. engine although I learned the hard way that I had to "remodel" a cross member slightly (the top of the T5 is a bit higher than the other gearboxes) and also had to have the original T5 clutch cable modified at one end to fit the Transit.

The speedo cable fitted straight into it but this T5 gearbox also came with a speedo "coupling" that has three wires in it to run an electronic speedo, which is another one of my many plans for the future.

Now, does anybody know if there is such a thing as a manual sequential six or seven speed gearbox that would fit behind a 250 c.i. engine and fits my very limited budget?

I would love to have an EXTRA LOW gear (not just a more powerful first gear) and a couple of steering wheel paddles to change gears so I can get rid of this ugly stick in the middle of the floor and gain more living space.

Am I asking too much?

[Rolo]

Still on the same vehicle.

Circa 1988-9 I also got rid of the front axle because of its drum brakes and installed in its place a front axle with disc brakes out of a 1982 dual rear wheel Transit (type unknown) and it accommodated the same deep dish 14" wheels I had before, although I want to go for bigger wheels now.

I also had to buy the master cylinder from the same Transit (I was told) but this master cylinder didn't last long and because I was left stranded far away from home I had to put myself on the hands of some "specialist" who changed the master cylinder for one from some other type of vehicle (I forget which now) and the brake line fittings had to go on the opposite side of it, leaving less room for engine service.

If I have the opportunity I want to go back to that 1982 type of master cylinder again.

*********************************************

Edited to add that the diff ratio (original) was/is 4.63:1 and I have been led to believe that the other two slower diff ratios are used only with four cylinder vehicles.

Keep in mind I'm talking about Ford Australia here and it may be totally different on your side.

[Rolo]

Luke:

If you haven't noticed it yet I can talk under water and I can overwhelm posts with far more information than is necessary (one of the disadvantages of being able to touch-type while doing other things simultaneously, like watching TV or checking the condition of females walking past my window) and because of the nature of this thread/sticky it might be wise for you to start being ruthless and doing some serious editing and deleting of at least my posts or parts thereof to leave only the relevant information although I realize it might also be too early for that at this stage.

So, don't feel afraid to offend; this is supposed to be a section with essential information about Transit underwear, not about the personal life and tribulations of vintage Transit owners.

[baconsdozen]

Post started OK,then got lost.

[FredTransit]

So, don't feel afraid to offend; this is supposed to be a section with essential information about Transit underwear, not about the personal life and tribulations of vintage Transit owners.

Rolo said that himself!

[Valsheda]

Luke:

If you haven't noticed it yet I can talk under water and I can overwhelm posts

I can see that mate , yer not kiddin'

[daddy cool]

Can of worms springs to mind

Gonna need an Access database or Excel spreadsheet for all the variants What do I know, I don't even have a rear axle

[Luke]

OK dont worry about this thread getting messy - what i'll do is get together bits of information and have each one in a seperate post in usefull information Eg
MK1-5 Rear Twin wheel and single 6 stud
mk1-5 rear single 5 stud
all MK6/7 RWD
australian varients
etc.
that way when there in the usefull info section (referance only section) they cant be added to and end up messy but i can edit in any new info.
and if anyone else wants to write one post it somewhere else, just cos it cant be posted in there i can move it over no probs.

anything we get is better than what we have at the moment - nothing!!!

madmark, gunslinger and sundowner have yet to add to it yet

[ovlov]

Just took some measurements from my mk1 & mk4?

1994 mk4 chassis cab twin wheel rear axle widths
back plate to back plate 54 inches/ (1370mm's)
spring saddles centre to centre 44inches (1120mm)
inner tyre wall to tyre wall 195/15 tyres 48 inches/ (1220 mm)

1972 mk1 chassis cab twin wheeler 185/14 tyres
back plate to back plate 48 inch (1220mm)
spring saddle centre to centre 39 inch (990 mm)
tyre to tyre 45inch (1140 mm)

Mk 3 front axle fits mk1, Ok but you have to use the mk1 springs

[madvanman]

the crown gear and pinion from a late 1992 100 single wheel 5 stud axel will fit into a late 1995 190 single wheel 6 stud axel, the complete diff unit will not swap, but you can swap the ratio