translating the codes on a 9" Ford tag

[Ozark Tim]

Is there anyone who knows how to properly identify the numerical codes on a Ford 9" metal tag that is affixed to the differential.
I know enough to see the axle ratio, but was wondering how to tell if there is a positraction present without removing the differential.
I have a trailer that was made from a 71 F-100 Sport Custom and it has a good bed ( not perfect ) and also the 9" tag says it is a 3:50 axle ratio. Beyond that the other identifying numbers of the tag are Greek to me.
I am not about to give up my 3:00 ratio or my 360 would go from very bad to worse on highway mileage not to mention the excess rpm's, but would try to do some trading to aquire a posi unit for my 3:00's.
If anyone has information that could assist me I would appreciate it greatly.
OT

[spartman]

Either post a pic of the tag or write down what it says and post that.

I believe it has a traction-loc in it there should be an L in the ratio numbers.

IE: 3.00L or something like that.

[fordman]

i'd like to find out that info myself. i've got a 3.25 but thats all i can decifer from my tag also.

[RandyBee1]

If you want to know if your rear is a posi-trac couldn't you just jack up the back and rotate one of the tires?

[Ozark Tim]

Yeah I know the jack it up and spin ( or dont ) a tire to see if there is an engagged unit, but it is sitting in the woods at my buddys property and before I go to the effort of dragging a jack through some nasty stuff I would like to have a way to decipher the tag. If not for the ease of that, just to be able to translate them at will in the event that I come across somthing I should want in the future.
I will look at the tag the next time I am out there for an archery hunt and write down what is all on the tag. I definately could see it was a 3:50, but there was quite a few other things stanped there as well.
In the mean time if anyone can help with this please give a reply

[FORDification]

If it's a regular open rearend, the ratio will be listed like this: 3 00
If it's a locking rearend, the ratio will be listed like this: 3L00

I have a good chart which can decipher those tags and tell me what kind of vehicle they originally came from, in case you find a rearend that's no longer installed on a vehicle....and providing that the tag is original. If you post your codes I'll look them up for you. (There are so many of them that I've never transcribed them onto a webpage....it would take MONTHS of typing to do!)

[fordman]

kieth if you were going to post the chart wouldn't it be easier to just scan it? unless it's unreadable by a scanner.

[FORDification]

It isn't just a chart....there are 14 full-size (8.5" x 11") pages of codes for the 9" rearends, and another three for the Dana series. The bandwidth required for hundreds of people to download that many scans would very quickly chew into my monthly allotment. By transcribing them onto a webpage, the entire page will still be less than a couple of the scans and wouldn't make any kind of dent in my bandwidth allotment.

I might have a volunteer to transcribe those codes for me to HTML format, so that they'll be indexed by the search engines, and will then turn up in their results when someone's doing a search. In the meantime, I'm more than happy to look up any factory tag codes that anyone needs info on.

[dcbullet]

It isn't just a chart....there are 14 full-size (8.5" x 11") pages of codes for the 9" rearends, and another three for the Dana series. The bandwidth required for hundreds of people to download that many scans would very quickly chew into my monthly allotment. By transcribing them onto a webpage, the entire page will still be less than a couple of the scans and wouldn't make any kind of dent in my bandwidth allotment.

I might have a volunteer to transcribe those codes for me to HTML format, so that they'll be indexed by the search engines, and will then turn up in their results when someone's doing a search. In the meantime, I'm more than happy to look up any factory tag codes that anyone needs info on.

How's the quality of the print? We have software at work that I can scan and then convert it into excel or word, which could then be put into a txt file or at least manipulated to make the conversion to HTML easier.

[fordman]

i didn't that you should do it. i just meant to say if you chose to do it. its really not a big deal to me i was just trying to think of a typing short cut for you.

[Ozark Tim]

Thanks for the responses y'all. Looks like everyone would love to have the chart for reference like me, but just knowing that they include the L in the ratio ( I suppose for limited slip ) makes it pretty easy to figure. I dont remember an L in the code so I am pretty sure it is an open 3:50 rear end.
Many thanks again for your assistance on this and if anyone ever decides to post the charts with refernce to decoding these differentials I will be all eyes.
OT

[fuzzier1]

Ozark

Is there a N molded into the third member just above the yoke? If there is I will buy it from you regardless of the gear ratio.

Fuzzier