how to determine whch front axle/gears u have

Kyle.malone · Sep 22, 2009

Exactly what the title says. I have a '71 and don't know how to tell which front axle I have. Help please. Also how do you tell which gears u have without tearing into the axles. Thanks

Jeepster · Sep 22, 2009

You do it the same way you would do the rear. Lock the hubs, throw it (transfer case)in neutral rase the front an spin the tire once while counting the rotation of the front drive shaft.

broncnaz · Sep 22, 2009

Sometimes the tag is still on the diff cover the second line will have the gear ratio Or look at the VIN tag and get the axle code off it. That would at least tell you what it was supposed to come with.

Kyle.malone · Sep 22, 2009

I got the VIN and went to the sites that decypher the VIN, but for some reason, everything 1971 and earlier did not have any front axle information. It started on the 1972 Broncos. That is why i am curious to finding out. I know that hte rear is a 9" rear with (?) gears. Are there any other sites that will give information other than the ones listed here on CB?

Viperwolf1 · Sep 22, 2009

The VIN itself doesn't tell you anything about the axles. You need the axle code from the VIN tag. Post that and we can tell you what it had originally.

Kyle.malone · Sep 22, 2009

Here is what the plate says on the glove box door.

U15GLK85209

092 M U150 3 C 18

521768

This is exactly what the plate says. I had a hard time reading off the plate.
The way i understand it is:

U15GLK85209 U15=Wagon G=302 L=Michigan Truck
K= Built in January of 1971

092=????? M=Whimbledon White U150=the series (Wagon)
3=?? C= 3 speed 18???? 521768=???

Am I correct in my decypher

Viperwolf1 · Sep 22, 2009

Kyle.malone said:
Here is what the plate says on the glove box door.

U15GLK85209

092 M U150 3 C 18

521768

This is exactly what the plate says. I had a hard time reading off the plate.
The way i understand it is:

U15GLK85209 U15=Wagon G=302 L=Michigan Truck
K= Built in January of 1971

092=????? M=Whimbledon White U150=the series (Wagon)
3=?? C= 3 speed 18???? 521768=???

Am I correct in my decypher

Correct. Here is the rest.

092=wheelbase
302 engine
18=2780 lb rear axle with open diff and 3.50 gears
open front diff
3=interior trim, parchment front seats, no rear seat
521768=DSO+special order number, Dallas area (52)

Kyle.malone · Sep 22, 2009

So where or how can I find out which front axle I have a Dana 30 or 44? Is there a plate on it?

Viperwolf1 · Sep 22, 2009

Best way is to look at it. 30 has kingpins and 44 has ball joints. If you've seen both they're easy to ID. Not sure exactly when the cutover was in '71.

broncnaz · Sep 22, 2009

X2 your just going to have to verify by sight My 71 has a D44 but I think it was made in Nov

Kyle.malone · Nov 2, 2009

I was still wondering, so i finallay found pics of the covers.. Here they are. I was able to tell that I have a 44. Wonder if my grandpa switched it a sometime.
The dana 30 is the first pic and 44 is the second.

DirtDonk · Nov 2, 2009

I was going to say that someone posted up a great couple of pictures to show the difference, but you found a good one on your own.
Where'd that pair of images come up in your search?

Kyle.malone said:
Wonder if my grandpa switched it a sometime.

Not necessarily. As was mentioned, '71 was the year they changed. Early '71's came with the 30, while later '71's came with the 44.
Supposedly the changeover came between serial numbers K20001 and K20002.

Paul

Boss Hog · Jun 8, 2010

What about U15GLS89357 then 092 M U151 34 G 18
04500 52

broncnaz · Jun 8, 2010

Boss Hog said:
What about U15GLS89357 then 092 M U151 34 G 18
04500 52

What about it pretty much the same thing applies except you have a 1974 model. In which a D44 was standard and gearing is 3.54

Boss Hog · Jun 8, 2010

What about the stock color and trim. Were was it sold to first. Was it stock auto.

Viperwolf1 · Jun 8, 2010

Boss Hog said:
What about U15GLS89357 then 092 M U151 34 G 18
04500 52

Sept '73 production
M = White
U151 = 4500 lb GVWR
34 = Parchment front buckets and rear seat
G = C4 Automatic
18 = 3.50 gears, open 2780 Lb axle, no power steering
52 = Dallas DSO

Interesting that it has a 3rd level GVWR package and 2780 lb axle. I bet it's one of the medium duty axles with large bearing and 10" brakes.

Boss Hog · Jun 8, 2010

Thank u so much. It has power steering. I think me and my son have agreed to go back with the original color. How can I tell if it has 2780 lb axle. Is that good or bad. I have the Dana 44 front axle I think. I also hope to end up disc brake all the way around.

Viperwolf1 said:
Sept '73 production
M = White
U151 = 4500 lb GVWR
34 = Parchment front buckets and rear seat
G = C4 Automatic
18 = 3.50 gears, open 2780 Lb axle, no power steering
52 = Dallas DSO

Interesting that it has a 3rd level GVWR package and 2780 lb axle. I bet it's one of the medium duty axles with large bearing and 10" brakes.

Viperwolf1 · Jun 8, 2010

Boss Hog said:
Thank u so much. It has power steering. I think me and my son have agreed to go back with the original color. How can I tell if it has 2780 lb axle. Is that good or bad. I have the Dana 44 front axle I think. I also hope to end up disc brake all the way around.

If it had PS from the factory it would have a "J" after the 18. Could have been added by a previous owner or even the dealer though. Take a rear wheel off and compare it to the diagram below. Yours will have one of the top two bolt patterns on the axle flange. The good thing is that explorer rear disks are a bolt on to the medium duty axle. Should have a D44 up front.

Boss Hog · Jun 9, 2010

Man that is good news. So if its the 3 9/16 x 2" pattern, I can use the rear disk setup from any ford explorer to bolt directly onto my rear axle. What about break lines and those portion blocks. I wish I wasnt at work today so I could check this out.

Viperwolf1 said:
If it had PS from the factory it would have a "J" after the 18. Could have been added by a previous owner or even the dealer though. Take a rear wheel off and compare it to the diagram below. Yours will have one of the top two bolt patterns on the axle flange. The good thing is that explorer rear disks are a bolt on to the medium duty axle. Should have a D44 up front.

Boss Hog · Jun 9, 2010

Nevermind, I think I will just stick with the drum setup. Seems like alot of work, and I dont plan on doing alot of wheeling or mudding. Thanks any how.

how to determine whch front axle/gears u have

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