2005 Ford E350 Passenger Van - Rear Axle Assembly Replacement

This 2005 Ford E350 passenger van is one of our fleet customers'. We discovered the rear axle assembly (also known as the rear end) was worn out. This part was very difficult to find; I had to call at least six places to locate it. Here's why:

When replacing a rear axle assembly in a vehicle, you have to make sure the new gear ratio is the same as the old one. What I found with the 2005 E350 is that Ford made it with many different combinations of engine, transmission, and rear axle assembly. I had to find the correct rear axle assembly for this van's particular combination. We found the right one at a local used parts dealer after six plus tries. Now it's on the road. Picking up real live rear ends!