alternatives to an 8.75- what about an explorer 8.8?

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I bought a 68 Dart to build and race in NSS. Someone put an 8.8 under it. If someone is willing to come get it I'll take 25.00 for it or lunch or trade something or if you beat me down some, FREE.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
I bought a 68 Dart to build and race in NSS. Someone put an 8.8 under it. If someone is willing to come get it I'll take 25.00 for it or lunch or trade something or if you beat me down some, FREE.
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wow, you just HAD to live in the exact opposite part of the country from me :D
 
wow, this is so much great information guys! i was starting to doubt if it was a worthwhile swap, but it sounds like it's pretty common and isn't too hard to get it fixed up for our application.
 
MoparJoe20 said:
Yeah I'll have to dig them up later since they are on my other comp, I also had to relocate the rear brakeline to the framerail forward of the axle instead of over it, on the rear I used the stock ford steel line and hoses.
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How about those pics?
 
Buying my 8.8 today.... I think I am good on info for now, but if anyone wants to chime in, now is the time! Pics of the installation (especially the new spring perch you welded on) would be great...
 
Does anyone know if any sort of proportioning valve needs to be grabbed from the donor explorer?
 
I am planning on starting one of these conversions this summer and was wondering about the pinion angle, how important is it to get this right, how do i go about finding the right angle?
 
Best that I can recall, the early Stang/Falcon and the Grenade/Monarch twins had the same spring perch spacing as the A-body. The length is within a couple of tenths of A-body units. I don't know about 64 & later Comets or the Maverick/Comet twins of the 1970s. On the G/M, all I remember seeing had the 4.5"x 5 lug bolt pattern. As someone already pointed out, the others could be 4 or 5 bolt.

The best find would be a 9" out of a Lincoln Versailles. The axle fits at the spring perch and comes with disk brakes.
 
It's been a while but here's the 8.8, had it under the car for about 2 years now.

0421091720.jpg
 
NICE!!! My 8.8 is all torn down, waiting to go get chopped.... Looks like I have to drive it down to portland to get the work done...
 
MoparJoe20 said:
I have an explorer 8.8 under my 68 Dart, I did the swap about a year ago and it seems to be fine so far, the one I used came from a 97 w/80k and has 4.10's and a trac lok.

I did it as cheap as possible just to see if it would work, I had the dr side cut down and used a short pass side axle on the dr side, took about 2.5" off the total width and is 57" flange to flange. The driveshaft was real simple, it's the same length as one for a 8.75 car, since I already had 7290 U joints I just used a 1330-7290 adaptor U joint at the rear. I'm running 15x7 wheels with 3.5" backspace and they sit dead center in the stock wheelwells, the car had stock width A body 8.75 with B body brakes before and needed 4.5" backspace to keep the tires away from the fenderlips.
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Did you have to change the spring perches and shock mounts for this swap??
 
You will need new spring perches, even if the stock perches were the right width the pinion angle would be off anyways, the shockmounts are on the mounting plates so no change there.
If you currently have a 7.25 you will need shock mounting plates from a mopar with 3" axle tubes - pretty much any car from the 60's-70's is game as long as it doesn't have iso springs.
 
MoparJoe20 said:
You will need new spring perches, even if the stock perches were the right width the pinion angle would be off anyways, the shockmounts are on the mounting plates so no change there.
If you currently have a 7.25 you will need shock mounting plates from a mopar with 3" axle tubes - pretty much any car from the 60's-70's is game as long as it doesn't have iso springs.
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Good to know... Didn't think about that!
 
So, gonna beat a dead horse here(sorry)

Just need to cut down 2.5" on the driver side and then weld the spring perches/shock mounts in the appropriate places adjusting for the pinion angle?

I found a place locally that'll cut down an 8.8 for me, and i wanna make sure i get it right the first time.
 
right...... I'm actually cutting down 2 5/8" ..... It's at Dutchman's in Portland as we speak... you want them to actually take OUT the tube from the housing, cut it down, then put it back in.. if they say they can just cut it out of the middle of the tube, go looking elsewhere... Even if they welded on a sleeve (which would look terrible) it would still not be as strong as it was before....

That being said, I did some research last night.. We have to have spring perches that are 3 1/4" .... A lot of people are trying to save the ones that are originally on it, or they make their own from square tubing... Found a couple guys that made 3" spring perches work, but I don't know .... I'm going to TRY and save the stock ones when I remove them...
 
Knock on wood - my tube is butt welded and is holding fine, I had the ends of the tube beveled in a lathe and welded them up, one of my friends thats a fabricator told me the weld is the strongest place in that tube now.

I reworked a set of 3" perches to fit the larger tubes- had a friend open them up on his bridgeport and cut a 45* bevel for weld penetration.
 
WOW... I need to eat my words..... I was told by a reputable gear vendor that an axle shop would pull the tube out to cut it..and that a place like Dutchman's would most likely do it that way... Just got my axle back today from Dutchman's, and they just cut off the end... I guess I should have asked when I dropped it off? Since this place specializes in axles, it must be correct... I thought the weld looked a little sloppy, though... I guess I'm picky :)

axle june.jpg


axle june 2.jpg
 
Judge Mills said:
WOW... I need to eat my words..... I was told by a reputable gear vendor that an axle shop would pull the tube out to cut it..and that a place like Dutchman's would most likely do it that way... Just got my axle back today from Dutchman's, and they just cut off the end... I guess I should have asked when I dropped it off? Since this place specializes in axles, it must be correct... I thought the weld looked a little sloppy, though... I guess I'm picky :)
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If you dont mind me asking...what did they charge you? I live south of Salem and am going to need to know of what the rate is...if its too much here I will drive to Portland or have my friend whos a fabricator do it.

Thanks in advance
 
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