Driveline System: Notes
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2003 Lincoln LS. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Special Tool(s)
CAUTION:
The axle identification tag is the official service identifier. Do not damage the tag. Always reinstall the tag after removing it for axle inspection/repair.
The axle identification tag identifies a particular axle design and a specific ratio. In addition, the plant code will not change as long as that particular axle assembly never undergoes an external design change. If, however, an internal design change takes place during the production life of the axle and that internal change affects parts interchangeability, a dash and numerical suffix is added to the plant code. This means that as an assembly both axles are interchangeable; however, internally they are different. Therefore, each requires different internal parts at the time of repair.