8.8 swap

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So does everyones 8.8 with drums do this? i actually bought two, paid 130 for both and the aluminum driveline! :) .. At the junkyard i had checked if the axles had play, it seemed tight, but at the same time the drums were tight on the brake shoes, could that be why it had originally felt tighter and now i notice the play?

Yeah just checked, hadn't seen the wheels in a while. They're
a hair over 5 and 3/4". It fit closely but i wanted to use the torque thrust's i had originally had on the car, so i opted to section the tubing.

Total for everything i spent 130 for an 8.8 with drums and lsd, with 3.27's and the other 8.8 with disks with open 3.73's. Along with the driveline, all bolts, shock plates, and sway bars. Pretty good deal imo! I did buy an extra short side axle too, which was 30 dollars at the local pick n pull, but that was before i bought the second rear for the disks -__- .
 
I guess that's the thing I don't think anyone is running one with drums.
 
When I first put my 8.8 in, I was running around with drum brakes on the front and disc brakes in the rear. I was actually impressed on how well it stopped.
 
Well that sucks i guess til i get the disks on it. It's actually less than an1/8th of an inch of play. I have good disks up front, just wasnt sure of the disks swapping onto a drum rear end. I only picked this one because it had the lsd, the axle with disks is an open.
I had no problems with stoppin before, i just wanted a good limited slip and my 8 3/4 -489 worn out sg would have cost 5 times as much as an 8.8 swap, to rebuild and get disks on it...
 
7duce swinger said:
Well that sucks i guess til i get the disks on it. It's actually less than an1/8th of an inch of play. I have good disks up front, just wasnt sure of the disks swapping onto a drum rear end. I only picked this one because it had the lsd, the axle with disks is an open.
I had no problems with stoppin before, i just wanted a good limited slip and my 8 3/4 -489 worn out sg would have cost 5 times as much as an 8.8 swap, to rebuild and get disks on it...
Click to expand...

If it's less than 1/8" of side to side play I doubt it's a problem but you could always pull the rear cover and inspect things to ease your mind. As mentioned earlier C-clip differentials have some side to side play. It's there but less noticeable with disc brakes because due to the design discs hold the axle in place better. Plenty of guys run cars with drum brakes on the rear. Seems like nowadays so many guys talk like if you don't have 4 wheels discs your car won't stop good and that's simply not the case. Do discs work better, sure they do. Does that mean drum brakes are junk, absolutely not!
 
65cuda360 said:
Sorry not a better pic, full width explorer 8.8, mustang bullit rims in a 65 cuda. 245/45/17 tires.
Click to expand...

How did you account for the offset? I'm thinking about doing this swap on my duster, but the a-body width axle is a little too narrow for my wheels and it sounds like cutting down the axle makes the 8.8 the same width as an a-body axle.
 
magnumdust said:
How did you account for the offset? I'm thinking about doing this swap on my duster, but the a-body width axle is a little too narrow for my wheels and it sounds like cutting down the axle makes the 8.8 the same width as an a-body axle.
Click to expand...

He did not cut it down. He ran it as is out of the Explorer. That puts the rear at 59 1/2" wide.
 
I just picked up a 1991 ranger 8.8 3:55 56" drum to drum. I'm thinking I don't need to cut..yes offset some to pass side, but so is a Mopar engine n trans... Any opinions?
Thanks
 
joesnow said:
I just picked up a 1991 ranger 8.8 3:55 56" drum to drum. I'm thinking I don't need to cut..yes offset some to pass side, but so is a Mopar engine n trans... Any opinions?
Thanks
Click to expand...

My father-in-law has a 64 rambler that someone put a 93 Ranger 8.8 in and when I was working on it I measured and it looks to me like that except for the mounting brackets it'd work fine in an A-body. I also measured 56" drum to drum. With the rear bolted in the car it was impossible to get a perfectly accurate measurement on the offset but it looked like it was right about 1-1/2" which is real close to an A-body. Has the 5 on 4-1/2 bolt pattern so it'd match up to BBP front disc brakes too
 
Just remeasured the 1991 8.8 ranger rear... It looks to be 3" longer on the drivers side...
If I cut off that 3" it will be 3" more narrow than stock... I made one that size for my '65 barracuda I had... Ran 3/4" offset hangers, shimed it rearward 1/2", and moved the spring perches to match... Worked great... I had 255/60-15 on aluminum slots under that car..
Not sure if I want to go that route or just cut an 8 3/4 down.
 
I could use some help here...I just bought a Explorer 8.8 with 373 limited slip, disk brakes and the shock mounts and u-bolts. I am clear on the steps to shorten the long tube, but for some reason the shock mounting is not making sense to me. I have looked at all the pictures on this thread and for some reason the explanations and pictures are not clear to me. Can I use the original Explorer shock mount or is the angle too extreme? If I buy Mopar shock mounts, can someone post a bright and clear picture? Any help will be greatly appreciated....Oh...'74 Scamp and still about 6 months from installing the rear.
 
You can use the Eplorer mount but it hangs low and you need to modify the mounting angle. Here is a pic, not mine, but this is a mopar shock mount:
7484757-GrableDartRearSusp2.jpg
 
I think I might be getting it...I have seen a few posts in this forum that say you can elongate the holes in the Mopar shock mounts...is this so that the U bolts on the thicker 8.8 tubes go thru the mounting holes in the Mopar shock plates?? The Mopar mounts are just bolted on to the bottom of the axel tube and no welding is needed...is that right?? Also, this forum states that the spring perch needs to be moved. I guess they are welded in a new position after the axle tube is shortened. Can the ford perch be reused or is it destroyed when removing it?
Thanks for your help
 
If you're careful, you can reused the perches, I did. I also just used a C-clamp and squeezed the U bolts into place with no issues. the holes are only 1/4" different, so that is 1/8" of squeezing per side.
 
When cutting and welding the axle tube, is it best to remove all the internals from the differential or can they be left in place?
 
Yes. that is what I ran, 8 3/4 shock plates. I could make a set at the garage I work at on the plasma table. Let me know and I will get you a price for them with the 3 1/4" hole spacing you want. I could also offset the center hole to move your axle backwards if you would like.
 
I just got my Explorer axle installed. I thought the Explorer brake hose would work, but it's too short.
I skimmed this thread and saw one guy used a passenger side caliper hose (without the Y) then used a standard Mopar hose spliced into the hardline.
Are there any other options? I'm not opposed to doing it that way, but thought I'd see if there were any other options. Is there a hose with the Y that is longer?

Thanks!
 
I have rear disc brakes. I used the Dart line into the splitter box and then all of the factory ford brake lines from there out with no issues.
 
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