explorer 8.8 in an a-body: experience needed

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the main concerns i have are wether or not the driveshaft flange will contact my exhaust, and if i will lose any tire clearance over my big bolt a-body rear with 1 inch spacers. things are already very tight on the pass side, but i have 1/2-3/4 clearacne on the ddrivers.

strenght is not a concern., with 400HP at the wheels and street tires, i shouldnt have trouble with breaking it.
 
72dart_swinger said:
mine ended up being a little narrower than a 8.25
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Yeah, but I don't think he plans to narrow his. I can't recall how much difference there was. I think it was like 1.875 inches?? So you might rub a little..

Obviously, I don't know your exhaust layout.. but I would be surprised if you have a clearance issue with the flange. Its probably only an 1" -1 1/2" all around larger than the standard yoke.
 
yup. no plans to narrow it.
what is the flange to flange width of a big bolt a-body 8.75?

if i can find an accurate number for that, i can see what were looking at as far as total width differnce.

also, the reason im worried about clearance to my exhaust is due to my 3 inch TTI system. with the stock rear, ive got roughly 1.5 inches of clearance at the youke to the pass side muffler. after spending the obscene amount of money for that system, id rather not modify it.
granted, id hav more clearance with a 2.5 system, and it would be quieter. and probably not hurt my power at all, either. anyone wanna trade a 2.5 x-pipe TTI for a 3 inch?

michael
 
ab7fh said:
140,000 miles, 36x13.5" tires... Still the same 8.8" the truck came with....

71back1.jpg
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73, w7djm
 
Guys,
which master cylinder would you need to run one of these?
is there any issue to worry about with the emergency brake cable?

Does anyone have a pic of how the rear brakes are set up?
Thanks a million.
 
^---My stock power master cylinder works fine on my 74' for this. If anything, I'd delete the prop valve for fun, but that's nothing to be concerned with.

For the e-brake cable: those cable loops you use for your dog leash, you use one of those to close the cable around the engagement hook. Done deal. Cable adjusts fine, make sure you adjust the drum brakes, make them they drag a little. 8.8 fits like it was made for it, seriously.

ford88_ebrake_cable16_720.jpg
 
dusterbd13 said:
so we've decided beyond a reasonable doubt that the 8.75 in my duster is done for. its a damn shame since its got new brakes, fresh moser axles, etc.

with that being said, I'm not spending 900 to rebuild the hogshead (cheapest i could find around here).

i however have read and heard about using the ford explorer 8.8 instead. supposedly just as strong as the 8.75.

found one local with rear disc, 3.55, locker, all the cables, lines, hardware, etc., and a 90 day warranty for 200. i cant pass that up.

what I'm looking for is a couple of things.
some guys have put them in at their normal length by just relocating the axle mounting points. this is actually what id like to do, as I'm currently running 1 inch spacers to make my bullitt wheels fit. the explorer rear is 2 inches wider than the stock small bolt 8.75 (any idea what that would be difference wise since I've got the big bolt brakes?) so i would be spot on in theory for my wheels.

the questions i have are:
1. any pictures of it done this way? I'm concerned about clearance with my TTI 3 inch exhaust.
2. what have people done with the master and proportioning system to account for the rear discs?
3. how have you been hooking up the e-brake?
4. how quiet is it?
5. what have you done to hook that funky plate to our mopar drive shafts?
6. will my drive shaft need to be shortened?
7. what am i looking at as far as the hydraulics are concerned?
8. anything I'm not thinking of?

please let me know as soon as you can, I'm planning on going down to the yard on Monday to get it before someone else does.

thanks
michael
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Ok lets think for a moment before jumping into a hole...

You're 8.75 had a issue im sure it was giving out warning signs most likely ignored it, making the cost of repair higher than it needed to be.

Taking the 8.75 out and putting the 8.8 in correctly is going to EXCEED $900.


dusterbd13 said:
gears and bearings went south. bearings prsumably went first, followed closely by the gears.

and i know most guys sont like to interbreed, but it doesnt bother me a bit.

michael
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Ah as i suspected like with most all diff issues, when the bearings started making noise, or actually the gears start whining because the bearings started to fail or worn beyond spec that changes tolerances and that was when something should have been done immediately, and this scenario wouldn't be as costly, to everyone else reading along when you hear a noise, noise = more involved problems to follow...


dartcuda1 said:
I worked for ford and who ever said that the 8.8 is stronger or as strong as the 8.75 is full of it.I used rebuild them 8.8s at least one a month.They are by far not a strong rear I would say as strong as a 7.25. Mark
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This isn't true, or someone else doesn't set them up correctly which is more likely as everyone thinks setting diffs up is easy.
I have 8.8's in vehicles in the low 8's and high 1.teens & 1.2 60's and not one of those 8.8's has came back to me with a single issue, in years let alone months.

I also have plenty of 8.8's in off road use where as most of us know the off-road community is a bit more likely to do EXACTLY what kills diffs and think nothing of doing it again.

I also have 8.75's in a quite a few cars and SS cars and they need more to keep them from breaking and if the customer of the race vehicle doesn't listen to me and let me do what and where i want i see them after every season or around 180 to 200 passes, they think they're saving money... Done my way which is more expensive than the 8.8 they won't see me after every season and will go beyond 220 passes comfortably but for that we use nothing you have in your hands or vehicle other than the housing


dusterbd13 said:
the main concerns i have are wether or not the driveshaft flange will contact my exhaust, and if i will lose any tire clearance over my big bolt a-body rear with 1 inch spacers. things are already very tight on the pass side, but i have 1/2-3/4 clearacne on the ddrivers.

strenght is not a concern., with 400HP at the wheels and street tires, i shouldnt have trouble with breaking it.
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And this is another cost, so you get the 8.8 for $200, now you need to instal perches, many many almost EVERY time welding perches moves the tubes and now you have a rear axle that is tweaked and robbing performance. (usually any time you weld to a axle it moves)
So done correctly you do not have a $200 rear axle instal, not even close.

Now you need a driveshaft or the cheapest way out have yours modified with the correct weld yoke, joint and flange added for the companion flange on the 8.8, or change that to a end yoke and still modify the shaft you have and joint.
Then you need to make or adapt the brake lines and then the residual valve or you'll have a pedal that isn't really working the rear brakes at all...
You'll think you are but in that moment of all truth you'll find out the hard way.


Your easiest and smartest choice is to see a shop that is a specialist in driveline and have yours built, i find it hard to believe that $900 if you drop off the center to them is the cost to build that.
I doubt you need more than bearings and gears at this point which when dropped off lowers the labor from doing it in the car which would make the build around 650 or around that area or maybe lower or maybe a bit higher.

Even if you dropped the entire car off i can't see $900 unless your carrier is AFU and that needs to go also.
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PoisonDart74 said:
^---My stock power master cylinder works fine on my 74' for this. If anything, I'd delete the prop valve for fun, but that's nothing to be concerned with.

For the e-brake cable: those cable loops you use for your dog leash, you use one of those to close the cable around the engagement hook. Done deal. Cable adjusts fine, make sure you adjust the drum brakes, make them they drag a little. 8.8 fits like it was made for it, seriously.
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Without the residual valve you really aren't using the rear brakes right, and really the master isn't right to move the amount of fluid per pedal stroke... but ](*,)

The drum in the rotor hat is the emergency brake and you don't set that to have drag.

Changing the prop valve to a adjustable would be the best thing to do if you are going to take the time and set it right, but you still need the residual valve and you should change the master as the calipers use more fluid..

.
 
I hear a lot of harping, every way is the wrong way to do it, no solutions besides a vague "pay me, I'll do it for you".

I'm glad I'm not you, I bet your hard to live with.

I don't have any problems, My 8.8 is rollin' right, works great. The way you make it sound, it should have exploded in my hands. What a load of bull hockey.

BTW how are you supposed to weld perches on? JB weld? Enlighten us underlings with your glowing rod of awesomeness.
 
Well there is right and wrong ways, there is more wrong then right ways to do something, whats to naysay its the truth.

And whats vague, i didn't see you tell him the truth, you need a residual valve it's not my fault you don't know what your giving someone advice about.
You add discs and calipers to a car with drums it needs a residual valve and should have the master changed and even the prop valve, but at the least you need the residual valve.

When you weld to housings they move, just another fact of what knowledge brings, and again a wrong way to do something and it'll work somewhat, but it's not right.
Im not gonna tell someone a half correct way and they'll be thinking it's perfect and right when it's not.

I'd delete the prop valve for fun, but that's nothing to be concerned with.
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Here is great advice, delete the prop valve you told him, do you understand what the prop valve does

Give people all the right info and details and they can make there own choice.

That is what anyone should do.

.
 
Ok, I'm a crappy immoral person, got that. My brakes still work well though... Lock up at the same time, so strange.

Your still beating around the bush on the right way to weld a perch on. Flame on.
 
What was that line in Monty Pythons Holy Grail, when he was swinging the dead cat....oh yeah....something like "bring out your dead".....How dare anyone talk about using another brands parts in there car.....says the guy that will be using a gm trans and a ford rear.....
 
The brakes aren't working right, they are working somewhat.

What beating around the bush, welding on a tube, or heat on a tube and it moves, these are true issues. Right way is to then straighten but how is that done without the jig to set it.
I have seen tubes move when people added a shock mount to them, and a shock mount doesn't take nearly the heat a perch does.

Now you and they know , your choice to do as you please with your car, but state all the facts.
In the case of the OP he most likely never needed to spend 900 to fix his 8.75 correctly, but to have the 8.8 right isn't as simple as it was made to be.

That's all the right info for someone to have to make there own decision
 
"Somewhat" sure works well, no disrespect, but I'd rather let my pedal tell me what's right or wrong then some uptight tech who's from 3k miles away up at 2am who has never driven my car flaming me. I'm sticking to my story, I sleep well at night.

Thanks for the info, alternate sides and weld a little at a time then, no need to condescend. Hey that rhymes! :D
 
I've got an 8.8 in my 99 Z28. It's got 393hp at the wheels, weighs 3800lbs and runs 11.80s with a 6 spd. No issues with the rear end at all. When my 8.25 goes out in my Duster, it will be getting an 8.8. Oh, I had $600 into the Camaro with $300 Moser axles.
 
I have delt with a lot of full size ford trucks now for these the 8.8 is junk. but i have one in the back end of my cherokee and it has not failed me. now the plus for this axle, not sure what year your car is but it will give you the big bolt pattern two disk brake set up, put a proportioing vavle in line just after master cylinder, welding new spring pads on is not a big thing and drive shaft place can make or even shorten your existing drive shaft
 
Interesting dialog. I am looking to do the same with my '65 Valiant. The cost of 8.75" Sure Grip from a B-body is painful. If I have less than 400hp I would think this could be an affordable solution to replace my weak 7.25" stock rear end. I wish this thread gave more specific "how to" and less "you can't do that"!
 
Mopar Melee said:
Interesting dialog. I am looking to do the same with my '65 Valiant. The cost of 8.75" Sure Grip from a B-body is painful. If I have less than 400hp I would think this could be an affordable solution to replace my weak 7.25" stock rear end. I wish this thread gave more specific "how to" and less "you can't do that"!
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An A-body 8-1/4 will handle 400 hp too and is a direct bolt in and generally sell cheap. I've seen them with a sure grip and 3.55 gears go for $300 and less. I'd look into that before I did the work to make a brand X rearend fit.
 
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