Square vs. Round

Ford 2000; 3 cyl. gas and diesel tractors....my new-to-me 1970 diesel 2000 has square axle housings while the earlier 1967 gasser has round axle housings. Is this an improvement of some kind? If so, what's the benefit? Thanks.
 
Later square axle housings are the same as a 3000's - reduced costs for Ford, and allowed a differential lock to be an option.
 
That makes sense. My 2000 doesn't have the differential lock option. I wonder if the square axle housing is stronger than the round?
 
Not knowing the difference between malleable iron and cast iron, I looked it up and thought others might be interested:

Grey cast iron
Grey is the most versatile and widely used cast iron. The presence of carbon leads to formation of graphite flakes that does not allow cracks to pass through, when the material breaks. Instead, as the material breaks the graphite initiates numerous new cracks. The fractured cast iron is greyish in colour, which also gives it the name. The graphite flakes make the grey cast iron exhibit low shock resistance. They also lack elasticity and have low tensile strength.

However, the graphite fakes gives the cast iron excellent machinability, damping features as well as good lubricating properties making them useful in many industrial applications. The graphite microstructure of the cast iron has a matrix that consists of ferrite, pearlite or a combination of two. The molten grey iron has greater fluidity and they expand well during the solidification or freezing of cast iron. This has made them useful in industries like agriculture, automobile, textile mills, etc.

Malleable cast iron
Malleable cast iron is basically white iron that undergoes heat treatment to convert the carbide into graphite. The resultant cast iron has properties that vary from both grey and white cast iron. In case of malleable cast iron, the graphite structure is formed into irregularly shaped spheroidal particles rather than flakes that are usually present in gray cast iron. This make the malleable cast iron behave like low-carbon steel. There is considerable shrinkage that results in reduced production of cast iron as well increased costs. Malleable cast iron can be identified easily by the blunt boundaries.
 
The square axle is stronger.
Looking at my original owners manual for the
early models they say that the max rear
ballast on a 2000 is 2300 lbs and the 3000
is 3000 lbs.
As mentioned, the square axle allowed for
the diff lock option too which is great to
have.
 

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