Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Nomclature
Ford referred to the rear axle, generally, as removable carrier or integral carrier. We enthusiast have added the ring gear size to further winnow down the types.
Shorthand for the rest of us is:
9 inch, 8 inch (removable carrier) 7.5 inch (integral)
Ford did this with axle tags. If you are lucky enough to have a Ford axle that has not been messed with there will be an axle tag attached to one of the studs on the axle housing.
Fordification.com has a brilliant break down on this. The tags typically break down as follows:
fordification.com/tech/rearends_ford01.htm
By the way, there are 17 pages of tag break down on the Fordification site.
Ford also had a 9.75 rear axle that was used on later full sized Fords.
Did you know that Ford actually had a 7 3/4 (2.80 Falcon, Mustang and even 1967 Cougar) and an 8 3/4 inch ring gear that were considered part of the integral carrier 8-inch line through the mid sixties?
First and last
• 9 inch was first introduced in 1957 in the Fairlane.
• The 7.5 was introduced in 1960 model year in the new Falcon
• The 8 inch in 1962 in the redesigned Fairlane.
Strongest to weakest
Obviously the 9-inch axle is the strongest of the bunch. It is used in almost every level of Motorsports across the United States and the world.
The 8-inch is the next strongest axle with the ability to handle anywhere from 350 to 400 horsepower depending on how you drive. At the 400 horsepower mark, drag slicks are not your friend.
Aside from never being available with a five lug pattern the 7.5-inch ring gear integral carrier axle is the weakest of the bunch and will not withstand much horsepower at all. In fact if you are doing a hot 6 cylinder I would recommend upgrading to a Ford 8-inch rear axle.
Remember that sticky tires are the easiest way to find the weak link in your driveline.
Things to know:
Best way to tell if it is a 9 inch is the access to the bottom bolt on the carrier. If you can use a ratchet, it is not a 9 inch. The reason this is a good test is that the axle housing changed from smooth cover to dimpled cover sometime in 1965. Also, the 1957 to 1966 used a case oil fill, in 1967 Ford went to a carrier fill.
Ford did the same thing to the 8 inch sometime in 1966 foing from a case fill to a carrier fill.
The reason this is important is when buying a carrier. You can use a later carrier fill integral case with an early housing, but you can’t use an early carrier with a later carrier fill case.
Not going to get into The different carriers for 9-inch. That is it’s own video.
Fordification
fordification.com/tech/rearends_ford01.htm
#Mustang #Cougar #Falcon #Fairlane #Torino #Comet #Montego #Maverick
Episode 271 Manic Mechanic
Jford@autorestomod.com
Insta: @autorestomod
patreon.com/gasolinemedia
Sponsors:
autokrafters.com
Jford@autorestomod.com
Insta: @autorestomod
patreon.com/gasolinemedia
Nomclature
Ford referred to the rear axle, generally, as removable carrier or integral carrier. We enthusiast have added the ring gear size to further winnow down the types.
Shorthand for the rest of us is:
9 inch, 8 inch (removable carrier) 7.5 inch (integral)
Ford did this with axle tags. If you are lucky enough to have a Ford axle that has not been messed with there will be an axle tag attached to one of the studs on the axle housing.
Fordification.com has a brilliant break down on this. The tags typically break down as follows:
fordification.com/tech/rearends_ford01.htm
By the way, there are 17 pages of tag break down on the Fordification site.
Ford also had a 9.75 rear axle that was used on later full sized Fords.
Did you know that Ford actually had a 7 3/4 (2.80 Falcon, Mustang and even 1967 Cougar) and an 8 3/4 inch ring gear that were considered part of the integral carrier 8-inch line through the mid sixties?
First and last
• 9 inch was first introduced in 1957 in the Fairlane.
• The 7.5 was introduced in 1960 model year in the new Falcon
• The 8 inch in 1962 in the redesigned Fairlane.
Strongest to weakest
Obviously the 9-inch axle is the strongest of the bunch. It is used in almost every level of Motorsports across the United States and the world.
The 8-inch is the next strongest axle with the ability to handle anywhere from 350 to 400 horsepower depending on how you drive. At the 400 horsepower mark, drag slicks are not your friend.
Aside from never being available with a five lug pattern the 7.5-inch ring gear integral carrier axle is the weakest of the bunch and will not withstand much horsepower at all. In fact if you are doing a hot 6 cylinder I would recommend upgrading to a Ford 8-inch rear axle.
Remember that sticky tires are the easiest way to find the weak link in your driveline.
Things to know:
Best way to tell if it is a 9 inch is the access to the bottom bolt on the carrier. If you can use a ratchet, it is not a 9 inch. The reason this is a good test is that the axle housing changed from smooth cover to dimpled cover sometime in 1965. Also, the 1957 to 1966 used a case oil fill, in 1967 Ford went to a carrier fill.
Ford did the same thing to the 8 inch sometime in 1966 foing from a case fill to a carrier fill.
The reason this is important is when buying a carrier. You can use a later carrier fill integral case with an early housing, but you can’t use an early carrier with a later carrier fill case.
Not going to get into The different carriers for 9-inch. That is it’s own video.
Fordification
fordification.com/tech/rearends_ford01.htm
#Mustang #Cougar #Falcon #Fairlane #Torino #Comet #Montego #Maverick
Episode 271 Manic Mechanic
Jford@autorestomod.com
Insta: @autorestomod
patreon.com/gasolinemedia
Sponsors:
autokrafters.com
Jford@autorestomod.com
Insta: @autorestomod
patreon.com/gasolinemedia
