8.8 swap

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So when shortening the axle housing, so you can run the short side axle in both ends, what is the WMS once shortened?
 
Not trying to sound uninformed since i have one of these axles and plan on shortening it. What does WMS mean, and exactly how much shorter is the short side axle from the long one ?
 
moparmat2000 said:
Not trying to sound uninformed since i have one of these axles and plan on shortening it. What does WMS mean, and exactly how much shorter is the short side axle from the long one ?
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I can answer one of your questions. WMS is wheel mounting surface. This is a measurement used in defining width of axle. Slide your rim on the studs and when it stops, it hit the WMS for that side.
 
I would imagine that the difference between the length of those two axles is what I have to cut out of the long side tube may not necessarily be exactly 3 in
 
This is the video I went by kinda lengthy but well worth the watch!!! He explains everything in detail...there’s 2 parts to his video series on the 8.8 the first is about the tear down another one worth watching as well...esp if you’ve never broke down an 8.8 internals!

Hope this helps!!!

 
For the guys that have pulled these out of a scrap yard, are there any off the wall tools needed or would have made the removal easier? I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on this!
 
Nope, only metric tools. And if your doing this outta a pick n pull, grab a second short side axle and install it in the long side of your axle while in the yard your buying it from if your intent is to shorten it, and also look for good discs you can swap into your rear as well. Sometimes you will find new discs on junked xploders. I have found new discs at rock auto pretty cheaply as well. Look for one with a locker and decent gearing if you can find one. You will be $$$ ahead if you do these things.

Gear ratio on data tag should have an L along with gear ratio. Example 3L73 on the tag denotes a 3.73 gear with a locker as Ford calls it which is a limited slip diff. No L between the numbers and its a pegleg open rear. You want to get it with a locker, makes it cheaper overall to redo down the road. Dont worry about clutches, they can be had new for about $60 with a new cross pin bolt, and a bottle of friction modifier included.

Parking brake cable lines can be a ***** to disconnect where they attach fwd of the axle. I used a wire brush on u bolt studs to remove the dirt and scale and some penetrating oil. Axle tube is 3&1/8" diameter, so save the U bolts and nuts. I pulled mine in about 1.5 hours with a friend to help me out.

BTW i just found out that lug studs are 1/2" RH thread. So that adds to all the bonuses this rear has to offer mopar guys like us.
 
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Also look for last gen lincoln town car, grand marquis, or crown vick donut spare. It has 5 bolt 4.5" lug circle BBP. 16" rim/tire. Dimensions are as follows 25" outer tire diameter, 5.5" width, and 14" inner rim diameter. This means it will clear the rear discs, and cordoba front big brakes, as well as fit flat in the spare tire compartment. It comes in 2 flavors aluminum rim, and steel rim. I hit the area junkyards while in class gor 2 weeks in Dallas, and grabbed 2 of these for $10 each. Heck of a bargain if you ask me. Neither had been driven on. Both were brand new. A little dirty. Nothing some some simple green and a blast w a hose cant cure. I needed one for my sons 69 notch, and one fror my 67 notch. I found only 1 steel, and 1 aluminum so i took what i could get. Woulda liked to have gotten 2 aluminum ones. I think they look cooler lol. Heres pix of what to look for. Take your tape measure with you lots of similar looking donuts.

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Someone mentioned to me that the center register hole may not clear mopar disc brake hub center registers. This may require slightly enlarging the center hole in the spare wheel, or machining down the disc brake hub registers slightly on a brake lathe. I'd prob just open up the spare tire center hole a little.
 
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How did y'all run your brake lines? I was thinking about buying 2 right side caliper brake hoses, installing 1 on the left side, and using a flex hose line from the chassis to the axle with the swaged in SAE T block attached with the built in vent n bolt, and just making and double flairing my own metal lines that are metric on the caliper hose ends, and SAE where they fit into the T block.

I was thinking this way, because the chassis flex line can remain factory chrysler type, and i can drill and tap the axle tube for mounting the chassis flex line in about the stock location and the ford axle can remain ford type hoses. Only things that would be SAE to metric adaptors would be the metal tubing on the axle itself.

Good idea? Bad idea? Anybody use a different idea?
 
Saw a clutch kit made by RMS, with yukon gear frictiin additive and a new cross pin bolt for $67 free shipping on evilbay.

Anybody use their clutch kits? And what kind of results did you get?
 
Anybody got a PN# for that china freight whoops i mean harbour freight tubing cutter. I searched there online it doesnt show one.
 
moparmat2000 said:
Anybody got a PN# for that china freight whoops i mean harbour freight tubing cutter. I searched there online it doesnt show one.
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They don’t carry them anymore...I looked at every one I could find and even online and they said they discontinued carrying it.

I just measured mine like in the video I posted above and just kept checking and rechecking my measurements until I was at 2 and 7/8 before cutting it with a cutoff wheel. If you take your time it’s real easy...unlike the pipe cutting...you will have to bevel it down to where you get good penetration with your welding.
 
Tsully said:
They don’t carry them anymore...I looked at every one I could find and even online and they said they discontinued carrying it.

I just measured mine like in the video I posted above and just kept checking and rechecking my measurements until I was at 2 and 7/8 before cutting it with a cutoff wheel. If you take your time it’s real easy...unlike the pipe cutting...you will have to bevel it down to where you get good penetration with your welding.
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****. Oh well, i can die grinder it. I plan on having the cut where the perch can straddle it to help strengthen it.

I plan on going thru this axle and redoing the bearings too. Will the explorer ring and pinion and wheel bearings be the same as a mustang?

I see kits on evilbay that say ford car, and kits that say ford truck?

Are they all the same?
 
moparmat2000 said:
****. Oh well, i can die grinder it. I plan on having the cut where the perch can straddle it to help strengthen it.

I plan on going thru this axle and redoing the bearings too. Will the explorer ring and pinion and wheel bearings be the same as a mustang?

I see kits on evilbay that say ford car, and kits that say ford truck?

Are they all the same?
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No...mustangs are 28 spline and Exploder is 31 spline...when I bought my wheel bearings...they where coming up for a 12 bolt chevy also...so after doing some research I found that ford basically copied the 12 bolt chevy...lol! I think the pinion bearings are the same...all the others are different depending on axle spline from what I researched.

As far as the cut...when I did mine...I did land right at the perch...both side of mine are equally at 17 1/4 from pinion housing to brake backplate!!!
 
17 1/4" is that tube flange to center of the new perch, or inboard side of perch?

So on the bearings, do i get them for an F150 truck?

Anybody make C clip eliminator kits for these?
 
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moparmat2000 said:
17 1/4" is that tube flange to center of the new perch, or inboard side of perch?

So on the bearings, do i get them for an F150 truck?

Anybody make C clip eliminator kits for these?
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I measured over 12” from the carrier housing made my mark and then measured from that mark my 2 7/8 section that I wanted to remove. My total measurement was 17 1/4 from the housing to where the brake plate and caliber brackets mount. In a nutshell I made drivers side housing length the same as the passenger. As far as bearings go...I just went to Rockauto and looked up what I needed, copied the part number and then EBay or Amazon for the parts so I could get the free shipping. They do make C-clip eliminators for these and they start around $160...I read on an explorer forum that you wouldn’t need them if your rear has Disk Brakes...however NHRA will not allow you to run a stock rear if you’re in the 10.99 (1/4mile) or 6.99(1/8mile) brackets.


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jamesdart said:
i left my explorer rear stock width, the offset is funky, but its not close enough to rub anything. depending on how your exhaust is run, you should be fine. i could see why some people wouldnt liekt he offset, but the width was perfect for what i wanted to do.
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are you able to use stock wheels and tires like that?
 
I may have missed it and I apologize if this has already been covered but did you have to do anything special to convert the disk breaks? Or did you just connect the lines?
 
Making progress on the 8.8. Not the prettiest welds but they be strong. I had to modify a mustang brace kit for my explorer rear end. Next time I will buy a finished axle lol.

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Whats the part number of the bastard u joint going from the ford rear to a small block mopar car stock driveshaft? I need to get one.
 
I just saw an episode of "Hotrod Garage" where that had a mid 60's ford truck on a 90's crown vic frame. I assume it was an 8.8, and they installed an Auburn limited slip carrier.

They just removed the cover, pulled the c clips, slid out the axles, pulled the carrier, and ring gear, swapped the ring gear to the limited slip unit.....and bolted it back together.

No adjustments of any kind.

Is that for real?
 
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