9" rear in a jailbar truck

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by mhsprecher

Quite the thread.

I have a 45 JB that has a bad axle. I have replacement axle and have been contemplating taking the rear out and rebuilding it. I can't say that I have a lot of enthusiasm for the project and have thought about a replacement axle like you did. I have no idea how difficult it would be to find a 9 or 8.8, but the swap seems more complicated than I had envisioned. Not that replacing the axle in the old banjo is a walk in the park, either.

I have a friend who has a JB with a replacement axle. The prior owner and the guy who helped him with the project have both passed on, so I can't consult with them. I can visit the truck next month and see how it looks.

I feel really good about this swap. The confidence gained from doing this work is well worth the price of admission. The components went together just like many here said they would. In review, for a 'bolt in' you are looking for a rear axle from a '57-'72 ford F-100. If you knew it was ready to go on the inside the swap would be less complicated, but I was using a known rebuilt pumpkin and installing it in a fairly well used housing/tube/brake assembly that needed all the usual seals and outer wheel bearings. The pumpkin from Lanny has settled into a perfectly quiet and smooth rolling assembly after the right dose of the friction modifier kicked in and a few short trips for ice cream. Now it has about 600 miles on it and I couldn't be happier.