To replace the rear-end axle parts of your Ford, you should refer to the Ford axle code chart. This is also necessary for rear differential replacements. The Ford Axle code chart is a useful reference for positraction replacements and in discerning the axle ratio of your specific vehicle.
Ford trucks and cars from 1968 onwards are equipped with the Ford Axle codes, which are clearly indicated on the certification plate. Finding the location of this certification plate is easy. The primary purpose of this plate is to show you if your vehicle is equipped with a limited-slip to rear-end differential.
We will look at what axle codes are and how to identify the axle ratio from the code. You will also learn how to identify the codes in Ford vehicles.
What is an Axle code?
Axle code is a combination of letters and numbers stamped on a small plate/tag attached to your vehicle’s rear axle. The information on the plate includes:
- Manufacture date of the particular car model (DATE)
- Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Tire size (TIRES)
- Rim size (RIMS)
- Exterior paint code (EXT PNT)
- Wheelbase code (WB)
- Interior Trim code (INT TR)
- Paint stripe code (TP/PS)
- Radio code (R)
- Axle code (AXLE)
- Transmission code (TR)
- Spring code (SPR)
Functions
The purpose of the axle code is to help identify the specifics of a particular vehicle’s rear-end axle. This will ensure that the correct replacement parts are purchased or salvaged from a junkyard to be used in the vehicle.
Restoration matching issues will be avoided since the right optioned components will be used to make the restoration.
Read more: Broken Axle: Signs And Causes
How To Identify The Axle Ratio From The Axle Code
It is easy to locate the Axle Ratio from the Axle code, but first, we need to know how to get the Ford axle code itself. You can find the axle code on the Safety Standard Certification label information. Here is the step by step guide:
Step 1: Locate the Safety Compliance Certification Label
The Safety Standard Certification/ Safety Compliance Certification label is located on the door pillar of the left driver seat of your truck. Start by opening the left driver’s front door.
There may be other labels attached to that pillar so pay attention to one that looks similar to the one below.
Step 2: Locate the Axle code column on the label
Once you have identified the label, locate the word AXLE under the bar code section. It is a column with the label AXLE on top and the Axle Code at the bottom. That is your vehicle’s axle code.
Now that you have identified the axle code, let us know the axle ratio.
Step 3: Get the manufacturer’s axle code chart
You will need to get your hands on your manufacturer’s axle code chart for this part. And you can find the axle code charts on the internet from your manufacturer.
A copy of the Ford Axle Code Chart is linked below in this article.
Step 4: Locate the axle ratio column
With the chart in hand, locate your vehicle’s axle code on the axle code column. Proceed to match the code with its corresponding Axle Ratio column on the table to find the ratio.
Here is an example to help you through. The image below shows the Safety Label of a Ford Truck. From the arrow, you can see the axle code is H9. As you proceed to the Ford Axle Code chart, you will notice that the table indicates it has a Ford 8.8″ Limited Slip Differential with an Axle Ratio of 3.55.
Read more: Torsion Axle Vs. Leaf Spring: The Similarities And Differences
Ford Axle Code Identification
Ford Axle codes help identify the vehicle’s positraction as well as an axle to gear ratio. By positraction, we talk about the type of differential the car uses, whether a limited-slip differential or a conventional non-Positraction differential.
The Ford Axle code will also help you identify your particular model’s engine capacity and the year/vehicle make.
The axle code in our example, H9, has a specific meaning. Ford codes may have one or two characters, but any code starts with a letter. Like the H in our case shows a car with a limited-slip differential. The same applies to vehicles with codes containing numbers alone. There are a few exceptions that you will see in the Ford Axle code chart.
The other identification information, 9, as observed from the chart, indicates a 3.55 gear ratio of the Ford F-150.
Read more: Front Axle Of A Car: Types, Functions, And Replacement
Ford Axle Code Chart
The Ford chart below contains a general decoder system for Ford pickup from the 1980s till the 1990s. This consists of the Ford Pickup F100 lineup till the Ford F350 lineup.
| Axle Code (Door Sticker) | Axle | Capacity | Gear Ratio | Year / Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford 9" | 2800 | 2.75 | |
| 2 | Ford 9" | 2800 | 3.00 | |
| 4 | Ford 9" | 2800 | 3.25 | |
| 7 | Ford 9" | 2800 | 2.47 | |
| 12 | Ford | 3800 | 2.73 | 1991 |
| 13 | Ford 9" | 3750 | 2.75 | 1981-1983 |
| 13 | Ford 8.8 | 4.11 | 1985-1986 | |
| 14 | Ford 9" | 3750 | 3.00 | 1981-1986 |
| 15 | Ford 9" | 3750 | 3.25 | 1981-1982 |
| 15 | Ford | 3.31 | ||
| 15 | Ford 9" | 3750 | 2.73 | 1983 |
| 16 | Ford 9" | 3750 | 3.50 | |
| 16 | Ford | 3.73 | ||
| 17 | Ford | 3300 | 3.25 | 1971 |
| 17 | Ford | 3800 | 3.31 | 1995 / 1999-2002 / Expedition |
| 17 | Ford | 3.55 | 1998 | |
| 17 | Ford | 3.73 | 1997 | |
| 17 | Ford 9" | 3750 | 2.47 | |
| 18 | Ford 8.8 | 3800 | 3.08 | 1983-1986 |
| 19 | Ford 8.8 | 3800 | 3.55 | 1983-1986 / Expedition |
| 22 | Dana | 5300 | 4.10 | |
| 23 | Dana 60 | 5300 | 3.54 | |
| 24 | Dana 60 | 5300 | 3.73 | Econoline |
| 25 | Ford | 5300 | 4.10 | 1991 |
| 25 | Dana 60 | 5300 | 3.33 | |
| 26 | Ford | 4050 | 3.55 | |
| 26 | 3.73 | F-250 | ||
| 27 | 3.31 | F-250 | ||
| 27 | Ford | 5300 | 3.73 | |
| 27 | Dana 70 | 7400 | 4.10 | |
| 28 | Dana 70 | 7400 | 4.56 | |
| 29 | Ford 10.25" | 5300 | 3.55 | 1991 |
| 31 | Dana | 6250 | 3.07 | |
| 31 | 3.73 | F-250 / Excursion | ||
| 32 | Dana | 6250 | 4.10 | Econoline |
| 32 | Dana 61 | 5300 | 3.00 | |
| 33 | Dana 61 | 6250 | 3.54 | |
| 33 | Ford | 4.30 | F-250 | |
| 34 | 3.73 | Econoline | ||
| 35 | 4.09 | Econoline | ||
| 35 | Ford | 6250 | 4.10 | 1991 |
| 36 | Dana 70 | 7400 | 3.73 | 1980 |
| 36 | 4.56 | F-250 | ||
| 37 | Dana 60 | 5300 | 3.54 | |
| 38 | Ford | 6250 | 3.08 | |
| 38 | Dana 60 | 5300 | 3.73 | |
| 39 | Ford 10.25 | 6250 | 3.55 | 1991 Econoline |
| 41 | Dana | 6250 | 3.54 | |
| 41 | 3.73 | F-350 | ||
| 42 | Dana | 6250 | 3.73 | |
| 42 | Dana | 7400 | 4.10 | |
| 43 | Dana | 7400 | 3.54 | |
| 43 | Dana | 6250 | 4.10 | |
| 43 | 4.30 | F-350 | ||
| 44 | Dana | 6250 | 4.56 | |
| 45 | Ford | 7400 | 4.10 | 1991 |
| 46 | 4.56 | F-350 | ||
| 49 | Ford 10.25 | 7400 | 3.55 | 1991 |
| 51 | Dana 70 HD | 7400 | 3.73 | |
| 52 | Dana 70 HD | 7400 | 4.10 | Econoline |
| 53 | Dana 70 HD | 7400 | 4.56 | 1982 |
| 53 | Dana 70 HD | 7400 | 3.54 | 1983-1986 |
| 56 | 4.10 | Econoline | ||
| 61 | 3.73 | F-350 | ||
| 62 | Dana | 8100 | 4.10 | |
| 63 | Dana | 8200 | 3.54 | |
| 63 | 4.30 | F-350 | ||
| 65 | Ford | 8250 | 4.10 | 1991 |
| 66 | 4.56 | F-350 | ||
| 69 | Ford 10.25 | 8250 | 3.25 | |
| 69 | Ford | 8250 | 3.55 | 1991 |
| 72 | Dana | 6300 | 4.10 | |
| 72 | Dana | 11000 | 4.63 | |
| 73 | Dana | 6300 | 3.54 | |
| 73 | Dana | 11000 | 5.13 | |
| 73 | 4.30 | F-450 | ||
| 75 | 5.38 | F-450 | ||
| 78 | 4.88 | F-450 | ||
| 81 | 3.73 | |||
| 81 | 4.63 | Econoline | ||
| 82 | 4.10 | F-350 | ||
| 83 | 4.30 | F-350 | ||
| 86 | 4.56 | F-350 | ||
| 88 | 4.88 | F-350 | ||
| 95 | 5.38 | F-550 | ||
| 98 | 4.88 | F-550 | ||
| B2 | Dana | 5300 | 4.10 | |
| B3 | Dana | 5300 | 3.54 | |
| B4 | Dana | 5300 | 3.73 | |
| B5 | Dana 60 - Limited Slip | 5300 | 3.33 | |
| B5 | Ford 10.25 - Limited Slip | 4.10 | ||
| B6 | Ford - Limited Slip | 5300 | 3.55 | |
| B6 | Ford - Limited Slip | 3.73 | ||
| B7 | Ford - Limited Slip | 5300 | 3.73 | |
| B9 | Ford 10.25 - Limited Slip | 3.55 | ||
| C1 | Ford - Limited Slip | 3.73 | F-250 / Excursion | |
| C2 | Dana 61 - Limited Slip | 5300 | 3.00 | |
| C2 | Dana 61 - Limited Slip | 5300 | 3.54 | |
| C2 | Dana - Limited Slip | 6250 | 4.10 | F-250 / Excursion |
| C3 | Dana Limited Slip | 6250 | 3.54 | |
| C3 | Ford - Limited Slip | 4.30 | F-250 / Excursion | |
| C5 | Ford 10.25 - Limited Slip | 4.10 | ||
| C6 | Ford - Limited Slip | 4.56 | F-250 | |
| C7 | Dana 60 - Limited Slip | 5300 | 3.54 | |
| C9 | Ford 10.25 - Limited Slip | 3.55 | ||
| D1 | Limited Slip | 3.73 | F-350 | |
| D2 | Limited Slip | 7400 | 4.10 | |
| D3 | Ford Limited Slip | 3.54 | ||
| D3 | Dana - Limited Slip | 6250 | 4.10 | |
| D3 | 4.30 | F-350 | ||
| D5 | Ford 10.25 - Limited Slip | 7400 | 4.10 | |
| D6 | Limited Slip | 4.56 | F-350 | |
| D7 | Dana 70 - Limited Slip | 5300 | 4.10 | |
| E1 | Ford - Limited Slip | 3.73 | ||
| E2 | Dana 70 HD - Limited Slip | 7400 | 4.10 | |
| E3 | Limited Slip | 4.30 | F-350 | |
| E5 | Ford Limited Slip | 8200 | 4.10 | |
| E6 | Limited Slip | 4.56 | F-350 | |
| EW | Limited Slip | 4.88 | F-350 | |
| F1 | Limited Slip | 3.73 | F-350 | |
| F2 | Limited Slip | 4.10 | F-350 | |
| F3 | Limited Slip | 4.30 | F-350 | |
| F5 | Ford 10.25 -Limited Slip | 8250 | 4.10 | |
| F6 | Limited Slip | 4.56 | F-350 | |
| F9 | Ford Limited Slip | 8250 | 3.55 | |
| G2 | Dana Limited Slip | 6300 | 4.10 | |
| G3 | Dana Limited Slip | 6300 | 3.54 | |
| G3 | Limited Slip | 4.30 | F-450 | |
| G5 | Limited Slip | 5.38 | F-450 | |
| G8 | Limited Slip | 4.88 | F-450 | |
| GW | Limited Slip | 4.10 | F-450 | |
| H3 | Ford 9" Limited Slip | 3750 | 2.75 | 1981-1982 |
| H3 | Ford 8.8 Limited Slip | 3800 | 4.11 | 1985-1986 |
| H4 | Ford 9" Limited Slip | 3750 | 3.00 | 1981-1986 |
| H5 | Ford 9" Limited Slip | 3750 | 3.25 | 1981-1982 |
| H5 | Ford Limited Slip | 3.31 | ||
| H5 | Ford 9" Limited Slip | 3750 | 2.73 | 1983 |
| H5 | Ford Limited Slip | 3800 | 4.10 | 1991 |
| H6 | Ford 9" Limited Slip | 3750 | 3.50 | |
| H6 | 3.73 | Expedition | ||
| H7 | Ford 9" Limited Slip | 3750 | 2.47 | |
| H7 | Ford 8.8" Limited Slip | 3800 | 3.31 | 1995 / Expedition |
| H8 | Ford 8.8" Limited Slip | 3800 | 3.08 | 1983-1986 |
| H9 | Ford 8.8" Limited Slip | 3800 | 3.55 | 1983-1986 / Expedition |
| K5 | Limited Slip | 5.38 | F-550 | |
| K8 | Limited Slip | 4.88 | F-550 | |
| KW | Limited Slip | 4.10 | F-550 | |
| L6 | Electric Locker | 3.73 | 2011 | |
| W5 | Ford - Limited Slip | 8250 | 4.10 | 1995 |
Read more: CV Axle Boot: Overview, Signs, And Replacement
Conclusion
Mismatching issues are a big problem when it comes to automotive repairs. Pairing your vehicle with the wrong axle components will not only damage your vehicle but cost you a lot down the line. Using the Ford Axle code chart, you will get to negate all these issues with ease.
Remember to locate the Safety Standard Certification label on the left side door post as you open the door. Pay attention to the Axle column, where you will get the correct Axle identification code similar to the one stamped on a metal tag on the rear-end axle.
