Ford builds its own "Dana 60"

I was just out scouting limited slips and stumbled across a "Ford 9.75 inch" rear end. It sort of looks like a Dana 60 but isn't. It looks like a possible new source. It's what you find in an Expedition IRS, also.
Just thought I'd bring it up.....
R.

It's a Ford corporate 9.75" not same as a Dana 60. Dana 60 has 10 cover bolts, corporate has 12.

That's why I put quotation marks around the name. It was a surprise to me that they are building their own rear end that pretty closely duplicates one that's already on the market. Probably economics.

I am wondering if anyone else has noticed them and if they had a high performance application like the other truck axle.

R.

How many bolts on the Ford 8.8 covers?

Ten. The 8.8 is pretty easy, it's kind of square.

The 9.75 looks like this:

A Dana 60 cover is below it:

No reason to even look at it unless you're fooling around with a later model Ford truck. Plenty of other better choices.

Due to a lack of race parts for it?

I don't know what's available for it. Looks like nothing. Housings are supposed to be weak. Look like they are stupid heavy. Randy's shows some gear sets for it up to 5.13. The only yoke is a flange type. Axles are some queer 34 spline deal. No spools. Looks like parts are mostly year specific. With D60s and 9"s supported by the aftermarket, why even consider it?

Since some version of the F-9" is used on big tire pro mod cars, what's the advantage to more weight, more power lost, and all new parts?

Ford's been using a few different sizes of the sterling axles since the late '80s. I've had alot of guys argue with me that they are a dana 70.

Plus if you break something in a 9" most likely someone in the pits will have parts for it.

It's not a 70 or an 80. It's a Sterling and it's a smaller version of their 10.5 used in full size trucks. And it's basically useless if you don't have a Ford truck. If you get beyond what a good 9" can withstand, then there are options beyond that from Strange, MW and others.

the 9.25's dont seem like a very good axle, we have seen several fail in stock trucks that dident appear to be abused, the 8.8's in the same trucks we dont see any problems with. the 8.8 is a great axle with a huge aftermarket following and they are damn near the same width as an e body rearend(1" narrower) and most have 3.55, 3.73 or 410s from the factory, have rear discs with e brakes and most are limited slips, they are in pre 2000 ford exploders and my local LKQ has em for $60 on their holiday sales