I have a 1996 Ford F150 4x4 and the rear differential has a tag on it with the following numbers:

S838M
3 55 88 5K03

Assume this is a 3.55 rear end but what do the other numbers mean?

Do I have a limited slip?

I am going to service the rear diff and want to make sure I use the right fluid.

Any help would be appreciated

 

What does the axle code on the sticker in the driverside door jamb say?

 

I looked that up after I posted the question. It's 19. So from what I found that is not a limited slip?

 

3.55 open (not limited slip) 8.8" rear.

Takes plain old 80w90 gear lube, you may use synthetic 75w90 if you prefer. It holds 5.5 pints (so buy 3 quarts).

 

One wheel peel!

Adrianspeeder

 

I kept my scrupulous notes in my ph's notepad, sadly, which was the sum of all I learned, but some denotes axle length, and the number of splines on it, in case you buy one before you yank your existing axle.

 

Yeah, that was 8 years ago....

Pretty sure he's figured it out by now.

 

Lol

 

Well, pardon me. It took me days to find and learn just my axles.and rear end and I've lost much of it via "washing" my ph, once too often. (My new ph is good for video 15 ft down.)

Now I have things to re-learn and re-record about my '01 5.4 4x4, so whoever inherits it will know it in detail, or, I'll get too dollar for the upgrades, if I sell to buy a 7700. This thread popped up. I added to it a tiny bit as others will locate this just as I did. The forum is a sorta encyclopedia, for some of us, who endeavor to search and read and ask fewer and better questions of you guys, so you don't have to regurgitate the same stuff as often, when some lazy guy starts a new thread on stuff already in the archives.

I realize it stretches the imagination, but I actually know a lil more after being here than before I came, much thanks to you-all and others, when you help, in between your bouts of jocularity. Most is from reading, rather than asking what 14 others have asked previously.
​​​​​​​Best regards -

 

“Sir, this is a Wendy’s.”