Pre XP Falcon and Pre VF Valiant diffs.

[xctasy]

Can any one here confirm the orgin of the early Aussie XK-XM diffs and Chrysler 225 diffs before the advent of the Borg Warner 78? Ratios ape the US Falcons, Plymouth Valiants, so I'm pretty sure they were imported diffs from the States, but anyone else know?

4.00 :1 diffs from the early 60's utility models (Ranchero to you) were used in Norm Ormbys legandery 1970 Australian Drag Race winning 400 hp 351 Falcon GT. It had no limited slip diff, and he used a fly-off handbrake to control wheelspin on launch. It ran a Toploader gear box!

Heres a range of crownwheel diameters which Ford Austalia used, and some weights and torques:-

Cortina 6 (200/250, log head and cross-flow) Early cars, 7.6" diff, 2500-2700 pounds from 1972 to 1980. These do wheel stands behind 302 V8'S!

Then in 1981-1983, Cortina Sixes got a smaller 7" diff with the 185-215 lb-ft cross-flow 3.3 and 4.1's, which were 2700 pounds. Marginal

Falcon Sixes 1966-1993 from early 170's to the last 3.9 OHC's with 155-255 lb-ft and 2700-3300 pounds got 7.6" diffs. Held up fine.

Post 1993-2003 sixes and post 1972-2003 302V8 Falcons/Fairlanes/LTD's got 7.785" diffs in cars ranging from 3300 to 3800 pounds, with 255 to 369 lb-ft. Bullet proof.

351 V8 Falcons/Fairlanes/LTD's from 1969-1979 weighed up to 4000 pounds and got 9" diffs.

 

[addo]

Mine (XP) said Borg-Warner on the casting. 3½ ratio. The tin hat was blank and the centre had a filler with square headed plug on one side of the nose area. It was very similar to the 78 series overall; I suspect you could mix and match axle tubes etc. Haven't looked at the wagon one yet.

 

[xctasy]

Ah, I see!

Lookes like there is 1963 as the time the BW stuff got into the Aussie Falcon.

 

[Anonymous]

How are the axle tubes held in to the diff housing?
The reason I ask is that the Falcon axle in the Transit is too narrow, and we have to run offset wheels or have a narrow track at the rear. Also we tried to run 215 tyres on it but they rubbed the springs.
I have seen a Transit with a Falcon rear akle but it had the short axle tube removed and replaced by a long axle tube from another diff.
We are thinking about doing that to a XF wagon diff with disc brakes, and maybe one day doing it with a sedan diff and go for 5 ink and coilovers.
Can I stick a drum brake axle tube on it and fit the disc brakes to it? I have a spare drum diff, and I would rather use it than buy 2 disc diffs.

 

[xctasy]

The tubes on BW 78'S are pushfit and plugged with a weld to stop 'em falling out!

The heavier duty import Banjo diffs are just heavy pressings. Anyone can use the XR 8" or 9" Falcon XA-XC Banjo diffs, cut them, and place the axle tubes from a Ford BW 78 Salisbury diff right on in, or any other diff.

When the widest American Fords had about 61" clear , they can fit those axles in too. Tank Fairlane (pre 1963) should fit up okay.


The early Falcons of 7.25" , 8", or BW 78 case were 53" clear, the XR-XY's about 58", the XA-AU's about 60" clear. The US LTD 8.8" still rates in at about 62" or so. 300 or V8 Econolines were even wider

The track of a Transit is pretty wide. Any XA-AU diff should fit with proper 8" aftermarket wheels which have a 1" wider track to start with. Not sure what backspace that is. About 3.75", I think.

Remember, the axle width on most sedan Fords is the production track, less about 1".

 

[Fingers]

The AU Falcon axle is actually wider than the XA-EL, just not sure by how much, but the difference in the backspace of the wheel is about 1".

 

[Anonymous]

So a Tank Fairlane should be wider, and an AU should be wider. I only need 2-4 inches, and I want to run standard Falcon wheels for now, but maybe chrome 12 slots later, 8" maybe.
The axle in it now measures the same between the backplates as a XF diff.

Are the AUs leaf spring, and will they be hard to fit?
What about F100, did they have a 9" and were they ever 5 stud? If not, can you put Falcon long side axles in the housing?

What would I be looking at to get a 9" type lengthened to suit? And would it be hard to line everything up and do the job at home if I went for the two long axles from a 78?

 

[DYNOED250]

my mate has au xr6 wheels on his ef xr6 he runs inch and a bit spacers behind the rims, so id figure an au diff would have to b atleast 2-3 inches orer aall longer
not to mention you get 28 spline thick as axels, with 4 pinion centers standard. id go and au wagon diff mabie ????

 

[Anonymous]

Do AU wagons have leaf springs?
What would I be looking at paying for a good diff?
What ratios did they have?
And finally, can I run 14" wheels or will I have to run 15"?

 

[DYNOED250]

Even BA falcon wagons are leaf spring :>:> . the au are leaf spring.b You will find most au wagon ratios are either 3.08 or 3.23,

about 500-800 from a wreckers and thats without axels. im pretty sure 14's might just fit over the brakes on the diff but only just

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks.
A bit more than our spare cash for a while, but certainly ticking in the back of my mind for when we have the spare to do it. 3.23 sounds about right.