8.8 Rearend

[JohnnyK]

Because $295 housings (Seems awfully cheap?) plus a traction lok center piece, plus gears will get awfully expensive, awfully quick. My 8.8 rear end, with 3.55gears (THeres a couple hundred bucks right there), with trak-lok was $140CAD.. I see the bargain.. I mighta got ripped as it seems my trak lok might need rebuilding, but perhaps not.. (If I'm tightening the lug nuts with the rear end in the air and the car in gear, the tire will slip and rotate and the other tire will rotate in the opposite direction.. If I'm just spinning the tires by hand though, the other tire will rotate in the same direction). Plus $50 for the spring perches..

[brianj5600]

If you have a grinder and a welder you can have an 8.8 under the car for a Saturdays work and $295.

[Scode67FB]

This has been discussed here more than once. At the risk of oversimplifying:

The Explorer rearend is the same width as the 67-70 Mustang. However, the pinion is offset to the passenger side a couple of inches. The large pinion flange sometimes rubs on the tunnel. In order to get this one fit better, there would be a couple of options.
1. Swap the Explorer pinion flange (4 3/4" dia) for a snmaller diameter one from a Fox Mustang (4" dia).
2. Shorten the long side of the Explorer housing and "stretch" the short side so they are both equal and buy a set of custom axles.

The Explorer rear is better suited for a swap into a 65-66 Mustang. It's an easy and cheap job. Shorten the long side of the housing to match the short side and get another short side axle. From there, it's a matter of welding perches and bending brake lines, which you'd have to do no matter what rearend you swapped in. Or you could try what I'm doing. Shorten the long side to match the short side and weld 9" Torino style housing ends onto both ends. Get a pair of 81 F100 31 spline axles (the ones with 5 X 4.5" bolt pattern) and cut them to about 28." You'll end up with a rear that is about 1/2" shorter than the stock 65-66 length.
One drawback is the Explorer axle tube diameter (3 1/4"). I haven't checked into it yet, but maybe the Explorer shock plates can be made to work. The Mustang plates would have to be redrilled and may not have enough meat to cut. I know you can buy aftermarket plates that are slotted for large diameter tubes, but they're $140. I'd like to hear what others have done for the shock mounts.
Whichever you go with the Explorer swap, short of buying new custom axles, you can do the WHOLE thing for under $600. Shop around a little and you can easily find an axle with 3.73s or 4.10s AND traction lok. No way you can duplicate the setup in a 9" for the same money.

[ultrastang]

Originally Posted by Jim_Sams

The problem is there are no 8.8" swaps that are "Direct Bolt Ins"
The Explorer versions are still a hack job.....
You can buy "New" direct fit 9" housings on Ebay for $295 or so. I can't see the bargain in an 8.8 swap just yet.

I understand what you're saying, Jim, but the sad reality (outside of buying a custom-built 9-inch housing) is the original "built-to-fit" 9-inch rears are going the way of the dinosaur.

If a person cannot come up with an original, affordable, Ford-produced 9-inch rear end assembly, that would basically bolt-into their vehicle, (outside of paying for a custom-built housing), it means they will have to settle for a wrecking yard 9-inch from a Ford truck or car, if they are dead set on a wrecking yard 9-inch. That most likely means having to get a 9-inch rear end housing that's too wide for their intended application, and in the case of many later '70s passenger cars --that means coil spring rear ends, and in the trucks it means removing the shock mounting brackets and flipping the perches to the under side of the axle tubes and relocating them more inboard.

If this is the case, that means they will have to cut the axle tubes down narrower, get custom axles of the right length [and lug pattern] to accomodate the shortened housing tube length, weld the spring perches on for a 43-inch leaf spring spread, and remove all the associated bracketry that's not needed. If having to make some mods to the 8.8" constitutes as a "hack job", then this senario for the 9-inch would also fall under that same classification, and that's what it's all coming to.

As JohnnyK & I had stated, in order to get the 31-spline axles, decent rear ratios, Traction-Lok, disc brakes, etc. for the 9-inch, you are going to be spending a lot more money beyond the initial $295.00 cost of the custom 9-inch rear housing in order to have the same equipment that already comes stock on many of the 8.8" rears for a lot less cost to get there with the 8.8" to start with.

If we are talking all new parts to build a 9-inch rear, [assuming the wrecking yard supply has completely dried up], custom axles for a 9-inch (regardless of spline count) are in the ~$300.00 range. A Traction-Lok differential ~$280.00-$400 (depending on type), discs would be ~another $400. A complete 3rd member depending on case type [whether N-case or C7AW case], and depending on the differential type and gear ratio is going to range from ~$550-1,000 +. --Assuming the cheaper end of the parts spectrum, you are looking at ~$1530.00 dollars for new parts to put a bullet-proof 9-inch together, not including the $295.00 custom 9-inch housing itself to put all those parts in/onto.

I gave $200.00 for the '96 Explorer 8.8" I bought and the only thing it didn't have was a Traction-Lok differential --which I can pick up for $50.00 or less.

I wish the 9-inch was still plentiful, but the reality is the salvage yard units are becoming extinct a little more each day, and the reality is that we as older car owners will have to adapt to other, cheaper, more abundant means to accomplish the same basic end results if money is an object.

The Explorer 8.8" rear I have has leaf spring pads on 39-inch centers. Just from breifly looking at it, it looks like all I will have to do is move the pads 2" outward on each side to put them where they need to be. The only other bracketry welded to this housing are the two pads the factory sway bar attaches to.

There are no goofy eyes on the upper, center, portion of the housing or on the axle tubes, for a 4-link, that would need to be removed like you would find on an 8.8" from a Mustang or Lincoln Mk VII. So, it's pretty uncluttered and from what I can see, only minimal mods would have to be made in order to make it work and have a very strong rear end assembly for (relatively overall) little cash expenditure in the process.

[JohnnyK]

This is true about the crazy bracketry on the mustang.. While I had mine out I thought I'd cut off the 2 strange 'eyes' at the top of the center section. Ideally, I would have liked the explorer center with the discs, as I had to adapt the SN95 brakes to the Fox rear end (And of course, as stated in another thread, the stinkin' parts store gave me Cobra calipers instead of regular calipers, so lets hope when the pads wear down, something doesn't come a'flyin out.). I was having a hard time finding an explorer though, and as ultra stated, the offset center probably would have given me sleepless nights.

Now the question is, did my 115v welder have enough oomph to keep the perches on the housing?

[ultrastang]

Originally Posted by JohnnyK

Now the question is, did my 115v welder have enough oomph to keep the perches on the housing?

Well, the simple test for that is to rev up the engine, grit your teeth and side-step the clutch. If the nose of the rear end and the tail end of the drive shaft don't punch through the floor, then you probably did a good job!

[Jsams]

Hey, I am not saying 8.8s are bad...
Is there such a thing as a leaf spring 8.8 that has equal length axles?

[brianj5600]

There are no direct bolt in 8.8s. If you have the tools,cutting brackets off and welding perches on is about a 2-3 hour job. I am not sure what a "hack job" is. Sounds like a sloppy job. If care is taken and you have a little experience it is not a hack job, it is hot rodding. That is like saying putting a T5 in is a hack job. Or fuel injection. It can be a hack job, but if care is taken it is modifying/upgrading.

[ozarks06]

Originally Posted by Scode67FB

One drawback is the Explorer axle tube diameter (3 1/4"). I haven't checked into it yet, but maybe the Explorer shock plates can be made to work. The Mustang plates would have to be redrilled and may not have enough meat to cut. I know you can buy aftermarket plates that are slotted for large diameter tubes, but they're $140. I'd like to hear what others have done for the shock mounts.
.

In an earlier topic about this (quite a while back), a guy used the Explorer plates and used late-model Mustang shocks (can't find the topic). Here's a link to his site with some pictures:

http://alldunn.com/zion/Mustang/?D=A

I drilled the 65 Mustang plates for the larger diameter tubes. There is plenty of room. I bought the Ford u-bolts ($15 each - should have had the local brake shop make them). The pinion offset measures about 3 1/2" to the passenger side, but in the car it is only 2" from the center of the tunnel (assume the tunnel is 1 1/2" off center?).

I too was concerned about the offset, but others have done the swap with no problems. I have a friend who recently put an Explorer rear in his street rod with no issues.

I am using an 06 Mustang GT transmission and driveshaft. The driveshaft is a 2-piece unit with a u-joint at the front and 2 CV joints (1 center, 1 rear, with a slip-joint [yoke?] in the center). I plan to mount it so the front section is in the same vertical plane with the line of the transmission and offset horizontally enough (or almost enough) to cover the 2" pinion offset. That way the 2-3 deg for the offset will be in the horizontal plane rather than the vertical plane. On the rear section of the shaft, I'll get the vertical offset (and with CV joints, if there is more angle, that should not be as big a problem as with u-joints).

I bought the pinion flange for an 06 Mustang GT (CV joint) from the dealer (~$50) and put it on the Explorer rear. It is about 4" in diameter. The nice thing about this is that it looks like the 06 GT driveshaft is the correct length with my setup - no cutting or lengthening. (At least that's what it looks like with measuring. I'll know when it's all put together in about 3 weeks.)

This might be a good solution if the offset is a problem, even if using an older transmission (the 05+ transmission has a flange not a slip-yoke). You could put a slip-yoke on the front end and use the 05+ driveshaft to compensate for the pinion offset. (By the way, the 05+ rear ends are about 6" wider than an Explorer so they definitely won't fit.)

At any rate, with a one-piece driveshaft, 3 1/2" offset is about 3 deg on each end with a 50" drive shaft. If the offset is only 2" that should only be about 2 deg at each end. (But it sure looks like a lot when looking down the tunnel.)

Before going with the 06 driveshaft, I bought an Inland Empire yoke for 1310 u-joints to work with the 65 Mustang driveshaft. It is smaller (about 3" across) and you can probably use the original driveshaft without lengthening or shortening. I put it on but took it back off (never run). As posted earlier, I'd take $30 shipped if someone can use it.

[stangg]

There are no goofy eyes on the upper, center, portion of the housing or on the axle tubes, for a 4-link, that would need to be removed like you would find on an 8.8" from a Mustang or Lincoln Mk VII. So,

If you are planning to do a 3 link or a 4 link later on, those eyes make for a great place to mount your upper links.

I have the Fox style 4 link installed in my 68 and although my floor is not original it is in pretty much the same location, There is plenty of control arm to floor clearance on mine. so I really doubt that the eyes "need" to come off.

[ultrastang]

Good information, ozarks06. If you know of any other links related to putting the Explorer rear in a '67/'68 body (particularly links with good photos), please post them.

I've done a lot of searching lately, but there just doesn't seem to be a lot of well documented information with photos on this swap --especially for '67/'68 models.

[brianj5600]

Here is a couple emails I sent people about Fox or SN95 instaals on a 67.


I wish I had taken pics during the process. I don't have any of the completed project either. It is not too bad, but brake lines are a bit of a puzzle. I ended up cutting almost the entire bracket off the caliper soft lines and bolting them under the anti-moan bracket top bolt. I used the 67 chassis soft line, tack welded to the axle tube, and made hard lines to go to the calipers. It all clears the 2.5" exhaust over the axle. If you have side exit or dumps, it will be a little easier. I'm not real excited about the brake lines, but have not come up with a better idea.

I used a 95 gt slip yoke and rear coupler on a 50.25" driveshaft. If you have a 50" driveshaft with 1330 u-joints it will work fine. Mine is borderline too long. Some people use the old style pinion yoke and I have been told they will work with a 51" drive shaft.

I put my original rear end on jack stands with the leaf perches up with a scissor jack under the pinion. It made it easy to move the pinion up or down small amounts. I put a level on the leaf perches and adjusted the jack to get them level. I then used an angle finder to measure the angle of the pinion. Then set the 8.8 on the jack stands and set the pinion to the same angle and set the perches level and tacked them. Be careful not to put too much heat into the axle tubes or they could warp. I was told to weld 1" or less at a time, then move to the other side, and go back and forth. I think the pinion is 3* up in the car so upside down on the jack stands it was 3* down. I left the uca mounts on it and don't have a problem with exhaust clearance with 2.5" exhaust over the axle.

And

I used a housing out of a fox. I cut the brackets off the tubes with a grinder with a cut off wheel on it, followed with a grinding wheel to clean up the left over weld. The tubes are an odd size, I think 2.875". I used perches made for 3" tubes. The Mustang leafs use a smaller pin than most perches come drilled for so I welded them up and drilled them smaller. I set the pinion angle the same as the 6cyl rear end I pulled out. I think 3 degrees up? To convert to 5 lug look here. I bought 2 Ranger axles mentioned in the link from a JY and everything went together perfect. You can redrill the 4 lug drums to 5 lug or buy Ranger drum. Fox and SN95 housing are the same part so I swapped axles and brakes from a 95 to get rear disc. I used the yoke and companion flange from the 95 and had a 50.25" driveshaft made with 1330 ends.
The brake lines are different on the 8.8. The 8.8 soft line is center mounted, instead of offset like on early Mustangs. I used a stock 67 soft line and made hard lines to run to the calipers. I would probably drill and tap the tube and use a stock early model vent to secure it. I have not hooked up e-brake yet so I can't help out there.
You can also put 9" ends on the 8.8 and ditch the c-clips. I have not done this yet, but it is planned. I have heard that 9" axles are the same spline, but I can not be positive. Most the major axle companies sell 9" ends and axle for 8.8's.
The traction lock can be beefed up by adding an extra friction disc. There are threads on most Mustang forums that discuss it. Basically the stock set up has extra steel plates stacked together and you eliminate one of the steels for an extra friction.


I need to do a good right up on my Car Domain site to better share what I have learned. Next time I have the rear end out I will gat some pics. I have tried to get some intalled, but the don't show the detai needed.

[JohnnyK]

I'm not using the anti-moan brackets, so I hope that works out ok. Agree with the holes in the perches being too large. I found some tubing of the correct ID OD and just welded them into the holes. I copied the 8" angle, which I believe was 3* UP, not down.

Also, I have a 50" driveshaft. It is too long, but I'm going to try it anyways. It's just about touching the tranny with the suspension bottomed out.. But when I jack the rear end up to simulate loading, the slip joint slides out (Whcih i found odd, but no matter)..

[ozarks06]

Originally Posted by ultrastang

If you know of any other links related to putting the Explorer rear in a '67/'68 body (particularly links with good photos), please post them.

Here's a link to my swap into a 65.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2971175/7

Another link about modifying for a Nova (sorry it's a Chebby, but it's good info.)

http://www.jewettracing.com/pages/Guides.htm

Here are a couple of old threads about the swap:

http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/sh...search/1/tp/1/

http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/sh.../fromsearch/1/

[brianj5600]

Originally Posted by JohnnyK

I copied the 8" angle, which I believe was 3* UP, not down.

True that. I will edit.