Wrong rear axle help needed.

[aa010175]

Doing a safety check on my new 1962 with KH wire wheels. I found the right rear axle is wrong. The wheel centering lip to be too small by 1/2”. The rim is being centered by wheel bolts only and all the vehicle weigh is on the bolts. The left is good with the rim being centered on the axle lip with the axle lip supporting the vehicle weight. What is the RR axle part number for my 1962. Can it be purchased as new part? Any help is appreciated. Thanks Dave

[aa010175]

[Jim Wulf]

Doing a safety check on my new 1962 with KH wire wheels. I found the right rear axle is wrong. The wheel centering lip to be too small by 1/2”. The rim is being centered by wheel bolts only and all the vehicle weigh is on the bolts. The left is good with the rim being centered on the axle lip with the axle lip supporting the vehicle weight. What is the RR axle part number for my 1962. Can it be purchased as new part? Any help is appreciated. Thanks Dave

Dave,

Good catch on the axles!

That doesn't look like the '62 Thunderbird rear axle configuration that I'm familiar with, and new rear axles are not available new as far as I know. I've attached photos of a pair of NOS axles that I have, as well as the right axle on the '62 in my shop. The cast part number on each of the right axles is "C2SW5A". The left axle has the shorter shaft and a cast part number of "C2SW8A". Does your differential have an ID tag attached? I've seen a '64 with the original rear & axles swapped out for a Fairlane setup, so anything's possible.

'62 Right axle

NOS 62-63 Right Axle

NOS 62-63 axles

[aa010175]

Update On the axle situation. It turns out I have a 1961 Thunderbird small axle housing in my car. They only made a small axle housing in 1961. My car was built in March 1962. I’m unsure of how the small axle housing was installed in the car. Factory or somebody change the whole rear end out of this car at one point in time. But the other day I purchased axles and removed them from a 1964 Thunderbird rear end. Upon doing that, I discovered the new axles were heaver and the bearings larger than the old small axle shaft and housing. The 1962 and newer has larger axles housing. I don’t want to replace the axle housing, as it’s a lot of work and all the brakes have been restored. I have to take the axles that I newly purchased in and have them machine down so the smaller (1961) axle bearing can be used. More to follow. Dave

[Alan H. Tast]

Update On the axle situation. It turns out I have a 1961 Thunderbird small axle housing in my car. They only made a small axle housing in 1961. My car was built in March 1962. I’m unsure of how the small axle housing was installed in the car. Factory or somebody change the whole rear end out of this car at one point in time. But the other day I purchased axles and removed them from a 1964 Thunderbird rear end. Upon doing that, I discovered the new axles were heaver and the bearings larger than the old small axle shaft and housing. The 1962 and newer has larger axles housing. I don’t want to replace the axle housing, as it’s a lot of work and all the brakes have been restored. I have to take the axles that I newly purchased in and have them machine down so the smaller (1961) axle bearing can be used. More to follow. Dave

This is an interesting development, as I was under the impression that all '61-up 'Birds used the larger rear wheel bearing/housing. A search of parts books and service bulletins may be in order as time allows to see if a different number(s) show up for '61 vs. '62 and '63.

[aa010175]

Larry’s Bird Catalog shows a one only 1961 bearing replacement. Dave

[Alan H. Tast]

Information on rear axle housings, axles and bearings posted here:
viewtopic.php?p=135449#p135449

Long story short: 1961 is an 'oddball' year in that it used what Ford's master parts catalogs classify as a 'medium' rear wheel bearing, B7A 1225-A, with a 1-5/8" ID and 2-57/64" OD. It used the same axles and rear end housing as the '60 full-size Ford (with exception of '60 H/D rear ends in station wagons and HiPo cars). 1962-up used the 'large' rear wheel bearing, C1SZ 1225-B (replaced by C9AZ 1225-A) with 1-17/32" ID and 3-5/32" OD.

The 1961 rear axles were 32.2"-long for the right-hand axle and 27.84"-long for the left-hand side axle - slightly shorter than the '62-'65 axles, but not by much. The same axle-rear wheel bearing assemblies were used 1962-1965 with a 32-1/4"-long right-hand axle and 27-15/16" left-hand axle. 1966 had two different sets of axles depending if it used the 28-spline axle and 9" ring gear, or the 31-spline axle and 9-3/8" ring gear.

Rear Wheel Bearings:

Rear Wheel Bearings

Rear Axle Housings:
(1963-1966 listed; 1962 same as '63)

Rear Axle Housings 1960-64

1965-1972

Rear Axle Housings 1965-1972

Rear Axle-Bearing Assemblies:
1960-1964

Rear Axle-Bearing Assembly 1960-1964

1965-1972

Rear Axle-Bearing Assembly 1965-1972

Search of Obsolete-Supersede-Interchange and Master Parts Cross-Reference books still needed to confirm if full-size Ford axle-housing assemblies 1960-1963 will interchange with '61 and/or '62-'63 T-birds, depending on bearing size. Additional photos of the axles and ends of the '61 and photos of both types of '66 axles/ends for ID purposes would be helpful.