Ford 8.8 Swap

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Wilnutt

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a member asked me to give them a rundown on a 8.8 swap, to the best of my knowledge.... so i thought

sure no problem....

1.)ok...90-97 explorers....this is the vehicle you're looking for...

2.)me, i would be looking for a 95-97 due to they had disc brakes...

3.) GEARING....if you search correctly you can get them in a 3.55,3.73, and 4.10 gearing...great for sreet 3.55 to strip 4.10.... While looking at the tags on the back, you can tell the gearing buy looking at the first 3 numbers...they will say either 355,373,or 410. If an L appears in between the 1st and 2nd number (3L55), It's a limited slip...look for a limited slip..

4.)Now the most important part is getting it to fit, All you have to do is..... find to explorers (one for the complete rear, and one for an axle) LQK and other boneyards always have explorers with drums.. 95-97 can tend to be harder..dependant on where u live...but in time, you will prevail...
You will need the shorter side axel from the 2nd explorer (i'm quite sure it's the passanger side, you'll have to look at my other threads to see... here's one that might help http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=9224&page=3&pp=20 )

now you will have 2 of the shorter axles.. find a welder/machine shop/ etc. and get them to cut down the longer axle shaft of the housing to match the shorter side...now you will replace the longer axle with the spare short axle...now you have a centered 8.8 with limited slip and disc brakes (i'f you're lucky)

5.) for spring perchs... find the width of the spring perchs of and 8 3/4,8 1/4,7 1/4 for an a-body, spend the $11 to get new ones..... and get the shop to measure and weld them for ya...

now here's some tips....

make sure to remove the c-clip b4 trying to remove the shorter axle of the spare short axle.

make sure even if it says it's limited slip, to look inside and check for the s-style clip in teh carrier, if it doens't have it..it's not a limited slip.

these are just basic guidelines..by no means is it going to be this simple, something is buond to go wrong...lol... i had to buy and return 4 rears b4 i gave up bc i found an 8 3/4...

i would recommend being patient and pulling it yourself, it's not hard, if you have a buddy or 2

these babies are set-up for a nice 400hp i wouldn't push her more than 450hp.

I would always recommend rebuilding it a bit, there are so many rebuild kits. Replace seals, bearings etc. BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION!!! If you've seen my 8 3/4 you know how particular i get.


GOOD LUCK EVERYONE..AND REMEMBER...THSI IS ONLY A BASIC GUIDELINE ON SATRTING A SUCCESSFUL SWAP....
 
Do you know if a 2001 Explorer rear will work as well? There's a totalled one locally that's being parted and the rear is good.
 
Heres a Ford explorer fact for ya'..i own a '01 sport trac and it IS the most reliable vehicle i have ever owned..other then tires,brakes,oil changes and other maintenance items it has given me zero problems..and tows my duster like a dream...now back to the subject why would anybody put a 8.8 ford rearend in a Mopar go find yourself a nice 8 3/4...
 
now back to the subject why would anybody put a 8.8 ford rearend in a Mopar go find yourself a nice 8 3/4...

exactly , if you are going to spend money on shortening the housing and adding perches buy any longer 8 3/4 and a new set of axles , of get one that is already set up to bolt in from dr. diff ???
 
the reason is a cost issue, an lsd disc rear isnt cheap but this conversion is reasonably cheap, we all would love 8.75 but hard to find down here in new zealand for under $2k
 
I'd think you'd be better off with one out of a Mustang since they are equal length side to side.

Since you're going to be cutting and welding perches anyways. They might be a useable length to start with too....

Mustangs had disk since 94.
 
One other thing about the 8.8 the factory limited slip is the clutches are easily replaceable I've done a in couple 5.0 mustangs that I've owned, only ran about $50 each. The 8.8 a good choice there cheep and parts are plentiful.
The only thing I recommend is c-clip eliminators if your running high HP.
 
I've never measured the axle tube lengths on a Chrysler rearend to see if they are equal, or if the differential is centered. But, when I installed a floor shifter and console in a '74 Duster, I noticed the transmission hump is not centered in the floor. Checking further to see why, I realized that the engine and transmission are shifted about 1" to the passenger side. Why???

If you cut axle tubes to equal lengths and center the differential, how does that work with the drivetrain shifted to one side? Wouldn't you either have a driveshaft skewed, or would you need to shift the spring perches to the left? But, then that would throw off the backspacing on the wheels...

I'm confused,
Jerry
 
Thanks for posting the info for people interested - however, IMO, seems like an awful lot of work to only handle 400 or so hp. (not to mention I wouldn't be caught dead putting a Ford rear in my Mopar:toothy10:)
 
the reason is a cost issue, an lsd disc rear isnt cheap but this conversion is reasonably cheap, we all would love 8.75 but hard to find down here in new zealand for under $2k

since there is no location listed in peoples stats next to thier posts I have no idea where most of the members live .
 
Thanks for posting the info for people interested - however, IMO, seems like an awful lot of work to only handle 400 or so hp. (not to mention I wouldn't be caught dead putting a Ford rear in my Mopar:toothy10:)

In my experience a well set up 8.8 will handle upwards of 600hp run after run.
 
I've never measured the axle tube lengths on a Chrysler rearend to see if they are equal, or if the differential is centered. But, when I installed a floor shifter and console in a '74 Duster, I noticed the transmission hump is not centered in the floor. Checking further to see why, I realized that the engine and transmission are shifted about 1" to the passenger side. Why???

If you cut axle tubes to equal lengths and center the differential, how does that work with the drivetrain shifted to one side? Wouldn't you either have a driveshaft skewed, or would you need to shift the spring perches to the left? But, then that would throw off the backspacing on the wheels...

I'm confused,
Jerry
.........u need room 4 the steering column...................kim..........
 
Well, for the price of a "well set up" 8.8, couldn't you just get a 8 3/4?

I suppose if you already own the 8 3/4. Don't get me wrong I've got 8 3/4 in my Duster which is pretty bullet proof. I just think the 8.8 is a viable and low cost upgrade for a 7 1/2 or maybe 8 1/4. since you can go buy a 8.8 complete
with discs for $200 or less and have it shortened for the same price you'd pay to have a c-body 8 3/4 done. And there's just a whole lot more of 8.8 stuff
available used.
 
'74 sport, the engine and trans. are offset to one side because the u-joints need to work in a certain degree off offset in order to spin so they lubricate themselves. ford offsets the rearend housing to one side, mopars use the offset motor and trans. the measurement from the spring to the drum remains the same, they just offset the carrier.


danmc77, as far as why i look at it like this, including the price of my 8.8 and all the stuff like machining, new brakes, and bearings i have about 300 into it. the cheapest used a-body 8.75 i found was twice that. And that was still wearing its very well worn bearings and small bolt pattern.
 
the mopar motor and trany are off set due to the steering box, if the steering box was foreward of the motor like in a GM,( i dont know where a ford steering box is in refrence to the engine bay,,, ) the motor could be centered,
a big block in an A BODY really makes this of set stand out,,

a friend of mine os putting A 8.8 ford rear in a 1948 dodge street rod,,

the rear came from a 1986 lincoln mark,,it has rear disc brakes and a COMMON 3.27 rear gear ratio,open axel,,reason 1st it came with a ton of stuff he picked up,,2nd its the perfect length, 3rd in great shape,,
it was a triangled four bar system with air bags,, we cut off all the ford stuff and welded on leaf spring perches,,and kept the factory ford sway bar,
 
...mopars use the offset motor and trans. the measurement from the spring to the drum remains the same, they just offset the carrier.
Not to beat a dead horse, but... do I understand you correctly?
The Ford engine/tranny is centered, but its differential is offset to produce an engineered angle between the transmission and pinion, just so the U-joints can be lubricated.

On the other hand, the Chrysler engine/tranny is offset, but its differential is centered in the axle assembly for the same reason, to provide U-joint lubrication.

Regardless of the reason (I'm not questioning that), I just wanted to know if the axle tubes should really be cut the same length as described above, because that would put the drive shaft at an angle. Apparently, it is. Thanks for explaining that.


...the cheapest used a-body 8.75 i found was twice that.
I hear ya, brother. They are certainly scarce around here, and when found, the owner is pretty proud of his treasure.

Jerry
 
Aside from shortening the axle tube on the 8.8", swapping axles is very easy. I've never done it for an A-body, but me and some buddies have put full-size axles under Jeeps, Rangers, Suzuki Samurais etc. The 8.8" is a good axle stock. It's used in everything from Mustangs to F150s. Just a little more info for y'all, but you can also find the narrow-width 8.8" under a Ford Ranger, occasionally. Just be sure its the 8.8", not the 7.5".

Rangers generally have 28 spline axle shafts, Explorers always have 31 spline shafts. Obviously the Explorer's is going to be stronger, but if you can't find one, the Ranger one is another possibility.
 
i would think the ranger would be a better fit for an A body,,,if its a 5 lug ?
 
i would think the ranger would be a better fit for an A body,,,if its a 5 lug ?


No. The Explorer 8.8" would be better. They are the same width, same bolt pattern, etc. Spring perches are on top on the Ranger model. Underneath on the Explorer. But that doesn't matter, since they'd have to be removed anyhow. The Ranger axles didn't come with disc brakes. And, as I said, the Explorers were 31 splined, the Rangers were only 28 splined.

Bolt pattern for both axles is 5 on 4.5".
 
I've never measured the axle tube lengths on a Chrysler rearend to see if they are equal, or if the differential is centered. But, when I installed a floor shifter and console in a '74 Duster, I noticed the transmission hump is not centered in the floor. Checking further to see why, I realized that the engine and transmission are shifted about 1" to the passenger side. Why???

If you cut axle tubes to equal lengths and center the differential, how does that work with the drivetrain shifted to one side? Wouldn't you either have a driveshaft skewed, or would you need to shift the spring perches to the left? But, then that would throw off the backspacing on the wheels...

I'm confused,
Jerry

The pinion on an 8.75 is offset to the pass side, and the axles and tubes are equal length.

When I cut down my Dana 60, I had to make the pass side shorter, and I used a spool so the pass side axle could just push through the spool splines further than the driver's side. It gave me enough offset.

I couldn't have done that with any other style diff (open, limited slip)
 
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