Can Ford guys help me with a little info?

[DAV!D]

I'm currently running the VW syncro I built but it's time for something else. I recently picked up a 2007 E250 that I'm planning to convert to a 4wd camper van. I don't really know the in and out of Ford stuff, but I was planning to put 1 ton drive train under the van. While at a local u-pull lots I found a 99 Ford E350 that had a 7.3 in it.

I'm curious if anyone could ID the rear end for me and let me know if it would be a good choice for my van. I really don't know much about Ford rear ends or how to ID them.

Is that the ford sterling 10.5 rear end that people seem to like to use in their vans? If so, considering my van already had rear disk breaks, would this be a fairly easy swap with out having to do any adaptation to the breaks?

Last but not least, assuming the rear end is the right one, would it be worth grabbing the front axle housing for the ring & pinion? Someone has already pulled the axles out of it. But it's a leaf spring front end.

I just don't know a lot about Ford stuff to know how to ID it.

 

[villageidiot327]

according to the "diff wizard" on ringpinion.com

its looking like it could be the sterling 10.5, its hard to distinguish the shape of the rear cover from your pics.

the dana 60/70/80 have similar covers to each other, but the sterling looks rounded in that upper left corner, so it may be what you're looking for.

as for the front, you have to figure out what it is, could be a good head start to what you're looking to do. how about the gas tank/trans/transfer case?

 

[villageidiot327]

also, if that is the 10.5 rear end, you definitely want the emergency brake cables complete as far forward as you can get them.

 

[DAV!D]

according to the "diff wizard" on ringpinion.com

its looking like it could be the sterling 10.5, its hard to distinguish the shape of the rear cover from your pics.

the dana 60/70/80 have similar covers to each other, but the sterling looks rounded in that upper left corner, so it may be what you're looking for.

as for the front, you have to figure out what it is, could be a good head start to what you're looking to do. how about the gas tank/trans/transfer case?

The gas tank is still in the truck, but someone pulled the trans and left the transfer case to the side.

 

[villageidiot327]

before i bought anything, id want to figure out which 4wd conversion you're going to use.

and make sure the parts you buy will work for the kit you're going to install (assuming you're installing a kit)

whats there, to my untrained eye, looks strikingly similar to a friends class C rv, with a "salem kroger" conversion.

it looks like the front axle is likely a D60, which is good, but which version, I'm not versed enough to know.

good luck.

 

[Bikersmurf]

X2 on knowing how you're going to do the conversion. You'll save a lot if you know what the end result will be. Tire size? Gear ratio?

Diffs usually have a tag on them with an axle code. Offhand it looks like a good rear axle to have... ideally it'd have LSD and 4.11 gears.

 

[DAV!D]

Yeah, makes sense.. I just rarely see 350's at the u-pull-it yards around here, so I was wondering if it was a common rear-end to use.

 

[ujoint]

Thats a Sterling 10.5 rear, Dana 50 front. If its an early 99 (looks like it with that yoke instead of a flange) then it could also have opposing calipers (one front/one rear) and I would avoid it if going into a van.

If you're doing a 4wd conversion and not going over 35s or towing a lot then there's no reason to swap the rear axle anyway. If you want our leaf conversion then thats the front axle you need.

 

[Vandit]

Just to clarify, is the donor vehicle you're looking at in the pick n pull lot a van or a truck?

 

[ujoint]

Definitely a truck.

 

[Vandit]

I agree, but just wanted to be sure since he said E350 in his orig post. And definitely agree about the 99 rear axle. It was the only year they did calipers on opposite sides of the axle. There are enough used Sterlings out there that I would hold out until I found one from another year.

That front axle should definitely be a D50 in the '99, but you can verify by looking on the back side of the pumpkin. If it's cast with 229 it's a D50. If it's cast with a 248 it's a D60.

Also, that t-case is the nv273 which was used with ESOF. The manual t-case is the nv271. It all depends on what you ultimately want in your van.

 

[Betarocker]

Those parts are pretty rough shape, and will require a lot of parts to make them usable.

I would be looking at 2001-2004 if you are considering leafs for the front. 1999 was a transition year for F250 and F350, and was a mix of whatever parts were laying around through early 2000. Some had Dana 50, some had Dana 60 front axles. The rear were either Sterling 10.25 or 10.5, which were pretty much the same. Wheel studs went to a Metric 8x170 pattern in 1999 with a 14mm coarse thread, and 2001 were all 14mm fine thread. 2000 could be either.

I'd be looking to use the coil spring front suspension found on 2005 and onward Superduties. Larger brakes and tighter turn circle among a few of the benefits. I prefer the ride quality of the coil suspension. I had a quality Icon 7" lift on my 04 F350 and it rode better (even 12 years old) than my stock suspension 2016 F350. I installed an Icon/OUO/Fox 7" lift on my 2016 and it is smooth like butter, much plusher than the leaf design.

 

[Mountainhound]

Should be a ford/sterling rear. In one of the pics it looks like it has the tap on one of the case bolts if so it should tell you.

 

[ujoint]

I agree, but just wanted to be sure since he said E350 in his orig post. And definitely agree about the 99 rear axle. It was the only year they did calipers on opposite sides of the axle. There are enough used Sterlings out there that I would hold out until I found one from another year.

That front axle should definitely be a D50 in the '99, but you can verify by looking on the back side of the pumpkin. If it's cast with 229 it's a D50. If it's cast with a 248 it's a D60.

Also, that t-case is the nv273 which was used with ESOF. The manual t-case is the nv271. It all depends on what you ultimately want in your van.

Exactly. All of the 250s and 350s had Dana 50s unless its a DRW truck. They had 60s.

Those parts are pretty rough shape, and will require a lot of parts to make them usable.

I would be looking at 2001-2004 if you are considering leafs for the front. 1999 was a transition year for F250 and F350, and was a mix of whatever parts were laying around through early 2000. Some had Dana 50, some had Dana 60 front axles. The rear were either Sterling 10.25 or 10.5, which were pretty much the same. Wheel studs went to a Metric 8x170 pattern in 1999 with a 14mm coarse thread, and 2001 were all 14mm fine thread. 2000 could be either.

I'd be looking to use the coil spring front suspension found on 2005 and onward Superduties. Larger brakes and tighter turn circle among a few of the benefits. I prefer the ride quality of the coil suspension. I had a quality Icon 7" lift on my 04 F350 and it rode better (even 12 years old) than my stock suspension 2016 F350. I installed an Icon/OUO/Fox 7" lift on my 2016 and it is smooth like butter, much plusher than the leaf design.

Most of the early 99 stuff doesn't matter to us van guys (small sector shaft, different front u-bolts, etc) Like I said above, they're all D50 unless its a DRW truck until 2002. 02's had 60s across the board except the Excursion. Occasionally you'll see an 02 with a 50 so its always best run the BOM on an 02 axle. In 03 they went to the 14 x 1.5 thread. Last but not least! There's nothing wrong with the opposing calipers on an early Sterling, they just don't fit under a van because of the wider spring pad width in a van. The forward caliper will hit the spring unless you're running a giant lift block.