i picked up a 76 Lincoln Mark IV as a parts car for my (gasp) 1978 LTD II project, and i think the rear axle is a 3.00:1 ratio with a locking differential- if i read the tag right.

the tag reads like this:

WFV-P 5HC

3L00 9 453A

i assume the "3L00" in the second line means it's a 3.00:1 locking rear- is that correct? it has the big 4 wheel discs in servicable condition(which is why i wanted the car) and an unmolested 460/C6 that runs, which is also a good thing if any of you have EVER tried to score good 460 engine mounts for that particular chassis. Ford cars can be a real pain to find out what swaps with what.

You are correct, 3L00 means 3.00 gear with the Traction Lock differential.

thank you much. i have another 3.23 non posi pumpkin that i can put that posi into.
turns out the car was a better find than i ever could have hoped for- 70,000 mile 460 that has no leaks (it's rusty!!!), C6, 4 wheel discs with new pads, hydroboost setup that works and doesn't leak, dual exhaust with an "H" pipe.. and i traded a car that i bought for $400 even up for it. my LTD II will be a pretty badass cruiser- for a Ford...

Check out the clutch plates in the Traction Lock. Every one of them that I ever took apart had worn out clutches in it. This is a real problem for the 9" T/L. You should also check the side cover for cracks. The cover is very bad about breaking and tearing up everything inside the rear end.

how much are new clutches for one, and can it be relatively easily rebuilt at home?

It isn't too hard to rebuild. It takes a little bit of feel for getting the preload right on the clutches, which takes a few tries to get right. The hardest part is dealing with the case. It is a 2 piece case that is pressed together. You have to seperate the 2 pieces to get to the clutches. You will need some shims to set the preload. The clutches are about $55. I can't remember if I have any in stock right now.

ND- out of curiosity what is the width backing plate to BP on that rear? Is it leaf or coil? thanks-john