8.8 swap
- Thread starter dart360swinger
- Start date
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FYI These are for the newer Charger/Challanger rims but they clip right in the mustang rims. If you are using a spacer in the front the will work to.
Also not sure why I cannot post more than one pic at a time size way below limits
Also not sure why I cannot post more than one pic at a time size way below limits
Love this thread slot of good info. Found an 8.8 from a 2000 mustang GT. from the pictures both sides seem to be the same length and owner said it measures 60" across. I'm a missing something as to why people are cutting the exploder rear vs just getting the mustang? Also if I do this mod will I be able to find steel wheels that will fit my dog dish caps pretty easy. The whole tire rim size back space thing is not something I'm super in tune with. Thanks
jrlegacy23
68 Barracuda
People are cutting down the Explorer rear because it is easy and once it is cut it is close to the A-body factory width (like 1/2" difference).
At full width, the Explorer rear is 59 1/2" wide with one side 3" longer than the other.
At full width, the Explorer rear is 59 1/2" wide with one side 3" longer than the other.
jrlegacy23
68 Barracuda
Depends on what rims you are running and which A-body you have. I would recommend doing some measuring on your car, as there are different variances from car to car, and see what you come up with. I would hate to say that as that is probably why you are asking these questions, you don't want to mess you your measuring, but that would be the recommended path.
I just ran into a problem with a 96 F-150 8.8 rear and thought I would share this information. I'm doing a job for a young man and I'm changing the front and rear gears to 4.88. Well on the 8.8 the ring gear is so wide it interferes with the cross shaft and you can't remove it or install it. Well i thought no problem, I'll just install a C-clip eliminator kit on it. Wrong, found out they don't make the kit for truck rears. What you have to do is use a notched cross shaft ($38.00). Also you have to install the shaft before you put the gear on the carrier. You then rotate it to install one C-clip, then rotate it 180 degrees for the other axle.
Thought I would supply this info in case some bought a truck rea thinking they could shorten it for their car.
Thought I would supply this info in case some bought a truck rea thinking they could shorten it for their car.
Picked up my 8.8 yesterday for $190, could have gotten it half off too if I waited a week but I would have had to do it solo. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread and provided pics/info. Definitely saved me a couple hundred bucks, found a few 8 3/4s but most were around a grand plus shipping. Currently I'm debating if I should just run it as is or spend the $500 or so to go through it all. Found an ancient internet relic that had some really good info on rebuilding an 8.8: http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/5ohcpa/cpa5ohtech001.htm The only tricky part seems to be setting the pinion depth, I suppose I could just rebuild everything and have someone else do that part. Any thoughts, tips, insults?
Magiver
Well-Known Member
If you have to rebuild it maybe $190 wasn't such a good deal after all.
The main reason to use this rear is to save $$. If your willing and able to spend that much you may as well use the Mopar 8 3/4 and keep your car pure.
jrlegacy23
68 Barracuda
The odds are the 8 3/4 will also need to be rebuilt and cost more, therefore saving money going with the 8.8. I rebuilt my 8.8 by choice, and still have less money in it that just buying the center section of an 8 3/4. I have a little more than the amount of buying an A-body housing.
Joe Dokes
Well-Known Member
They choose the Exploder Rear because:
1. It has 31 spline axles vs.28 spline axles for the Mustang
2. They made a bazillion Explorers and they all came with 5 on 4 1/2 bolt pattern
3. Most came with a muscle car friendly 3.73 Trac Loc
Regards,
Joe Dokes
Yeah I don't think it HAS to be rebuilt just that I want to. I'd love to know where everyone is getting their sure grip A body 8 3/4 for so cheap, maybe that's a westcoast thing. Most drum to drum setups I've seen out of running vehicles are priced at around a grand. Most center sections and A body housings are $300-500 and then there's the issue of shipping. I'm thinking of just rebuilding most of it myself and leaving things like the pinion depth to someone else.
Magiver
Well-Known Member
I'm also installing an 8.8 in my 68 Dart. The price was $200 plus $37.50 for a short axle.
It looks really good inside, the bearings and gears check out good. I'm just going to replace the axle seals and run it. On this type of c_clip axle replacing a axle bearing requires a new axle because it is the inner bearing race.
It looks really good inside, the bearings and gears check out good. I'm just going to replace the axle seals and run it. On this type of c_clip axle replacing a axle bearing requires a new axle because it is the inner bearing race.
txstang84
Well-Known Member
If you do need to rebuild, a new 8.8" LS 31 spline carrier is $240 from FRPP, or clutch kits can be bought for about $50. If you're not confident setting the pinion depth, most decent shops can have it done in a day for < $200. There is another option; Ratech makes a solid pinion spacer that eliminates the crush sleeve. Arguably the better way to go, but may require more times in and out with pinion shims for whoever is assembling it. But, once it's set, it's set...with a crush sleeve, you run the potential of squishing it too much during setup and not achieving proper bearing preload during final assembly...
Thanks for the info
http://www.americanmuscle.com/ford-31spline-88-carbondisc.html
$228.99 for a carrier with the carbon fiber clutch pack installed seems like a really good deal. The clutch pack alone is $107.96 and I could probably sell my old carrier to make back some of the cost. Assuming I'm keep my old ring and pinion (I'm happy with 3.73), this seems like a bolt-in traction-lok rebuild. Would this be as simple as leaving the pinion alone, putting the old ring on the new carrier, installing it and putting in new fluid? Anything I'm not considering?
$228.99 for a carrier with the carbon fiber clutch pack installed seems like a really good deal. The clutch pack alone is $107.96 and I could probably sell my old carrier to make back some of the cost. Assuming I'm keep my old ring and pinion (I'm happy with 3.73), this seems like a bolt-in traction-lok rebuild. Would this be as simple as leaving the pinion alone, putting the old ring on the new carrier, installing it and putting in new fluid? Anything I'm not considering?
kman521
Well-Known Member
You still have to press the bearings on this new carrier so you have to buy new bearings or pull your old ones off and use them.
Keep all the shims each side in the same place and you should be good but check the back space before and after to make sure. The pinion depth will stay the same so you won't have to pull the pinion.
Thanks, watched a few vids last night and it definitely doesn't look too bad. Will probably pull the pinion to check the bearings there as well and use the solid pinion spacer to set the pre load. Still sold on the new carrier since it will probably save me a few hours.
jrlegacy23
68 Barracuda
Yes, I used the one from my old police car when my department retired it. I got the conversion U-Joint on ebay. I could not find it anywhere else. It is all in my build thread (I think)
Had some serious issues with the Ratech solid spacer. long story short I put the spacer in with no shims and it was still too loose to get any pinion bearing preload. The oddiest part of it all: we threw in the old crush sleeve that was longer (.438in vs .420in) and was able to get a decent preload. For those that don't know, the thicker crush sleeve should have been even looser than the spacer. No idea what was going on there but I'm buying another one from Yukon and if that gives me trouble I'll use the damn crush sleeve.
I figured I'd do a follow-up on this for future readers. I bought a second solid spacer from Ratech since the Yukon one was three times the price. This spacer was smaller this time around, I wish I had the exact measurement to compare but it was significantly smaller since it took 3 shims to match the length of the old one by itself. I started with that and worked my way down. I didn't get any preload until I was down to the last shim and it was only 4-5 in/lbs. Fortunately for my sanity I threw just the spacer in and ended up with right around 30 in/lbs of preload. I'm going to stick with that.
Moral of the story: Ratech solid spacers seem to be hit or miss. The only way I would have gotten any preload off the first spacer is if I had shaved it down. This would explain the mix reviews I seen on Summit before buying it. Keep this in mind if you're choosing this route for convenience, it may not be very convenient at all and cost you a lot more than a crush sleeve or 2.
bwillaub
Well-Known Member
GREAT THREAD! I'll be looking at this one many times when I reach this point with my build! Thanks!
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