the 5 on 5 bolt pattern could also be pontiac or olds. , the most important are the 2 nuts that you have to remove with a wrench. that really identifies a 9 " re.

Loks like I got the eight inch item. I have just yesterday ordered some 3.80 gears for it and will stay with the unit in place. It is quiet and I am not going to drag it just want a cruser. I have found someone to install the gears if I bring him the pumpkin. While I have all the tools I don't have a way of checking shimming etc. i hope to watch and learn.
thanks for all the help and info there is a thread I found www.mustangii.org/decoder/axle that gives good info and my unit was listed. Just got to save my pennies to pay the gear change artist.
Wally

http://www.woodyg.com/fairlane/finfo/fordrears.html
This should help.

Close but no cigar......mine is a WDW-U1 don't seem to be on your list. I do believe its an 8 inch, 3.00.....that is until next week or so when I get my 3.80 gears.

The 8 in the tag # indicates it is an 8". The 5 on 5 pattern could mean it is from an early Bronco, they used an 8" with a bigger pattern. Just went out to the shop and checked the interchange. The WDW-U1 is from a Maverick/Comet circa '73-'76 with a 3.00 gear. If the flange is 5 on 5 someone had it redrilled. I suspect it is a standard 5 on 4 1/2" as all the V8 equipped Comet/Mavericks had. They ,by the way, are the only ones that had the 8" rear, the 6 cylinder cars used intregal carriers and 4 bolt wheels.

Thanks a bunch...seems thanks to everyone is not enough but its all I got....at least I got a V8 unit and I reallyt like the look of the webbing it looks stronger than the nines visually. Although I am having trouble finding the drain plug. What I think is the drain plug is facing forward and has a bunch of numbers cast into it an a really funny small rectangle insert for a tool I probably don't have. The numbers are not in any order but read as follows 13579

By the way is there any easy way of swapping out the ring and pinion without gages and shims worries? The guy at the local differential shop has all the equipment and says he will do it for 125.00...is this a good deal? The 'gear guy' at the shop looks pretty good to me! Promised one day service maybe I can watch and learn something. I'm getting gears from Speedway they are the cheapest new items I could find. Almost has to be as I cannot begin to understand what I might get into....another gear supplier 'Summit' of the gears wants another 100.00 for an installation kit.

By the way the five on five pattern is talking to the wheels..the axle...you seem to make me think your refering to the input shaft housing am I confused? Although I just checked and my input flange has only five bolts.
Someone earlier had asked me the distance between lug bolts and I measured 2.5 inches center to center and the response was its a five inch pattern...it came with Lincoln Turbine wheels ...so his conclusion was understandable.

thanks again for all the help and suggestions and the sticky links have been valuable to me and i think anyone reading this.

Most of the Ford rearend drain plugs just use a regular 1/2" or 3/8" ( can't recall without going and taking a look) drive ratchet to remove, you may need a short extension to clear everything. That's all I use.

Here is an excellent site and company that builds TONS of 9" rearends. They are building my second 9" as i type this. Great Company - reliable, honest, fast turnaround and great to deal with and very knowledgable. Ask for Doug. Tell him Bob Morgan referred ya.

http://www.quickperformance.com/ninecase.htm