The Ford Barn - View Single Post - My t-Bird had a noise in rear end?

rotorwrench · 06-09-2020, 05:50 PM

Dana/Spicer offered rear axles in several gross weight ranges depending on what a manufacturer felt was appropriate. The 1955/56 Mercury used the Dana 45. The Continental Mark II may have but I don't remember. The Lincolns used the larger Dana 53 which is similar but not the same.

The Dana 44 was used by a lot of manufacturers for heavier duty application. The spline count changed in the 50s but I don't know what year exactly. The early ones were 19-spline and the later ones were 30 spline. Parts are available for them but you have to make sure you have the right differential carrier if you want to swap ratios. Randy's Worldwide has parts. The Dana 45 is an odd ball but does use the same gears & bearings as the Dana 44 if I remember correctly but the Dana 53 bearing is used for the pinion with shims. It had 20 spline axles instead of 19.

06-09-2020, 05:50 PM	#14
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,440	Re: My t-Bird had a noise in rear end? Dana/Spicer offered rear axles in several gross weight ranges depending on what a manufacturer felt was appropriate. The 1955/56 Mercury used the Dana 45. The Continental Mark II may have but I don't remember. The Lincolns used the larger Dana 53 which is similar but not the same. The Dana 44 was used by a lot of manufacturers for heavier duty application. The spline count changed in the 50s but I don't know what year exactly. The early ones were 19-spline and the later ones were 30 spline. Parts are available for them but you have to make sure you have the right differential carrier if you want to swap ratios. Randy's Worldwide has parts. The Dana 45 is an odd ball but does use the same gears & bearings as the Dana 44 if I remember correctly but the Dana 53 bearing is used for the pinion with shims. It had 20 spline axles instead of 19. Last edited by rotorwrench; 06-09-2020 at 05:58 PM.