How To Step Up To A Currie 9-Plus Rearend

Our particular application gets a 9-inch Ford differential with Currie guts inside. Per engine builder Marvin McAfee's instructions, Project Reclaim gets a 3.89:1 Traction-Lok for optimum performance with a Tremec five-speed.

Currie Enterprises begins axle assembly by cleaning out the housing with a rotary wire brush. Grit or metal shavings are unacceptable because they can damage a new differential.

Good advice for any rearend builder: Install a high-power magnet in the axle's sump to pick up stray metal particles (ferrous metals only) that can damage moving parts. Currie installs magnets in all of its sumps.

This is a jig designed to check axle fitment and housing trueness. Axles are inserted into this jig to ascertain proper alignment.

Because differential leakage is challenging, Currie takes extraordinary steps to prevent leakage using The Right Stuff on both sides of the gasket. Sealer is also applied around mounting studs.

Our Currie 9-Plus is dropped into place and seated flush against the gasket and housing. Sometimes the differential housing will tend to hang up on the studs. Currie Enterprises gently works the differential as shown.

Differential locknuts are torqued in a crisscross fashion to a total value of 30-40 lb-ft. Currie torques in third values-14 lb-ft, then 26, then the full 40 lb-ft. Never torque these nuts to 40 all at once.

Axle shafts are installed last. When the brakes go in, the axle bolts are torqued to a total value of 30-40 lb-ft.

Currie builds a nice looking housing, super strong for our 350-horse application. Terry Simpson of The Restomod Shop has had our Currie housing powdercoated for good looks. A Grab-A-Trak five-leaf, reverse eye system with gas shocks gets us heading toward home.