[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by Capt Kirk

38v8...I think my axle housing are one directional.

I went back out and wiped down the gasket surface and there are gaskets on both housings. One broke when I took the housing off and this gasket measures .006. The gasket on the other housing is intact with the exception of a little piece missing at the outer edge of one of the bolt holes. I didn't remove this gasket so I can't measure it.

Capt, good job on disassembly! A few comments.....

1. 37 to 40 axle housings are normally one directional, although I have seen them swapped around by some hotroders to give some funky spring possitions.
2. In one of your earlier pictures, taken of the rear banjo center, I noticed standard, non ford, bolts with lock washers bolting the axle housings bell ends to the banjo housing. The stock Ford bolts used here are special to help in sealing as are the female threaded holes on the banjo housing. I would suggest getting the original type bolts to use there.
3. Many folks probably do set bearing preloads and backlash by feel. This is the way I did mine in 2013, and in 2015 that rear had a complete failure, and all that I could salvage from that mess were the two axle housings and the torque tube. I used measuring devices this spring to make those setting on my rebuilt rear, and I plan to do any future rebuilds this way rather than by feel.
4. When you measure those shim gaskets that were between the housing bells and the banjo housing, keep in mind that those gaskest get compressed when all bolts are final torqued. So, for example, if you measure the thickness of an old/used gasket @ 0.007", it most likely started out at something like 0.008". Just sayin'... you would probably not be correct in putting a new 0.007" gasket back in.
5. Also, if the carrier bearings and their cups/races look good, and you decide to reuse them, keep in mind there has been some wear on those bearings over the years, and putting the rear back together with original shim/gasket thicknesses will more than likely not give you the correct preload, IMO.
6. While you have things this far apart, I would strongly suggest replacing all three rear seals, two in the small ends of axle housings and one in the front of the torque tube.

I believe there were some other things I noted as I reread this entire post earlier today, but when suffering from CRS, I could only recall these 6 things. If and when I remember more, I will just add them to this list.

ps...keep up the good work Capt, you did well today getting all this done, I assume working alone? You are much faster at this than I am, but than you might be a bit younger and still full of pep and vigor .