how hard is it to convert an 8.8 rear end

shoguun

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Jul 28, 2009
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I have been looking everywhere for a 8 or 9 inch rear end with no luck. Ive been to many junkyards many times. Everytime i find something someone has already taken it apart or damaged it. When i do find some the dude wants 300+ for a bone stock ton of miles 8 inch. nobody seems to give me a decent price.
So how hard is it to use a 8.8 inch and what kind of car do you pull it out of?
 
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Fox Mustangs have an 8.8. If I'm not mistaken, Explorers do, too, but they have an offset that presents a challenge and IIRC involves modifying the axles. It can be done, I'm not sure how difficult, though. I've just begun searching this in the archives, but haven't had an opportunity yet to really explore it.
 
It was amazingly easy.... you have to take some time in the angle measurements and then its just welding. I had to have a custom driveshaft made, but that was expected since I was installing an AOD with the conversion.

Again, if you HAVE to buy one... I might go the disk brake option, but this one was free and I can always convert it... but yeah... it was easy and everything drives/works great

Now, if you get the explorer one... you have to worry about the offset... also the 65-66 you have to worry about the width, so for a 67-8, it cant get much easier.
 
I put an Explorer 8.8 in my '66. One side of the Explorer housing is like 2.93"? (I can't remember exact number) longer than the other side. You need to cut it down to the same length as the shorter side. Then you use 2 of the shorter axles. There used to be a great write up that someone posted on the internet about this project, but I can't find it. It wasn't too difficult, but I have a friend who has experience welding the rear end up straight. I think I would have screwed that up. I did the whole thing for less than $300. That included rebuilding the 3.73 traction loc, a junk yard aluminum drive shaft, new bearings, seals, etc.
The down side is questionable strength compaired to a 9", and it is about an inch narrower than the stock 8". I had to use spacers. For the price though, I had to give it a try.
Good luck.
 
I put an Explorer 8.8 in my '66. One side of the Explorer housing is like 2.93"? (I can't remember exact number) longer than the other side. You need to cut it down to the same length as the shorter side. Then you use 2 of the shorter axles. There used to be a great write up that someone posted on the internet about this project, but I can't find it. It wasn't too difficult, but I have a friend who has experience welding the rear end up straight. I think I would have screwed that up. I did the whole thing for less than $300. That included rebuilding the 3.73 traction loc, a junk yard aluminum drive shaft, new bearings, seals, etc.
The down side is questionable strength compaired to a 9", and it is about an inch narrower than the stock 8". I had to use spacers. For the price though, I had to give it a try.
Good luck.

Here is a chart you can use to see what you are looking for as a replacement.. This is difficult to read in this format but if you would Have ms excell I can email the file to you. It is a work in progress. I add data to it everytime i find it. Also this is hub to hub width. Usually you can get away with up to 1.5 inches wider. This is really the limit I have seen and usually that much means rolling your fenders. But for example I am using a 96 8.8 in my 69. I had to cut off the axle mount and put new perches on. But the rest is getting used as as and I will be running 17x9 wheels. I test installed and all of my clearances we tight but within limits. I may have to do a little inner fender work where the spare tire mount to prevent rubbing.

Rear end Width,Mustang,Cougar,Commet,Granada-Monarch,Ford Ranger,Explorer,Aerostar,crown vick,T-Bird
1965,57.25,,,,,,,,
1966,57.25,,,,,,,,
1967,59.25,60,59.25,,,,,,
1968,59.25,59.25,59.25,,,,,,
1969,59.25,59.25,59.25,,,,,,
1970,59.25,59.25,59.25,,,,,,
1971,61.25,59.25,59.25,,,,,,
1972,61.25,,,,,,,,
1973,61.25,,,,,,,,
1974,,,,,,,,,
1975,,,,58,,,,,
1976,,,,58,,,,,
1977,,,,58,,,,,
1978,,,,58,,,,,
1979,,,,58,,,,62.8,
1980,,,,58,,,,62.8,
1981,,,,,,,,62.8,
1982,,,,,,,,62.8,
1983,,,,,,,,62.8,
1984,,,,,,,,62.8,
1985,,,,,,,,62.8,
1986,58.75,,,,,,,62.8,
1987,58.75,,,,,,,62.8,
1988,58.75,,,,,,,62.8,
1989,58.75,,,,,,,62.8,
1990,58.75,,,,58.75,,59.75,62.8,
1991,58.75,,,,58.75,,59.75,62.8,
1992,58.75,,,,58.75,,59.75,62.8,
1993,58.75,,,,58.75,,59.75,62.8,
1994,60.25,,,,58.75,59.75,59.75,62.8,
1995,60.25,,,,58.75,59.75,59.75,62.8,
1996,60.25,,,,58.75,59.75,,62.8
1997,60.25,,,,58.75,59.75,,62.8
1998,60.25,,,,,59.75,,62.8
1999,61.0625,,,,,59.75,,62.8
2000,61.0625,,,,,59.75,,62.8
2001,61.0625,,,,,59.75,,62.8
2002,61.0625,,,,,59.75,,62.8
2003,61.0625,,,,,59.75,,
2004,61.0625,,,,,,,
2005,,,,,,,,
2006,,,,,,,,
2007,,,,,,,,
2008,,,,,,,,
2009,,,,,,,,
2010,,,,,,,,
 
You know, now I'm thinking about trying to talk the wife out of the 8.8 we had built for her 90, so I can stick it under my 68. I also have five lug axles and rear disc brakes laying around for it too.

hmmmm............
 
I have been looking everywhere for a 8 or 9 inch rear end with no luck. Ive been to many junkyards many times. Everytime i find something someone has already taken it apart or damaged it. When i do find some the dude wants 300+ for a bone stock ton of miles 8 inch. nobody seems to give me a decent price.
So how hard is it to use a 8.8 inch and what kind of car do you pull it out of?

I know a place that typically sells 8" rears for $200. Of course, they'd have to ship it.

On the other hand, even if you got an 8.8 free, you'd have to buy the 5-bolt axle and brake drum kit, and that will cost you $500.
 
I know a place that typically sells 8" rears for $200. Of course, they'd have to ship it.

On the other hand, even if you got an 8.8 free, you'd have to buy the 5-bolt axle and brake drum kit, and that will cost you $500.

I paid $100 for a complete fox 8.8, $70 for ranger axles, $13 for perches, $12 for fluid and re-drilled the fox drums. The driveshaft cost more than the 8.8 at $235. The stock 6 cylinder driveshaft would have never survived, so that cost would have been there no matter what rear end I put in. Mine cost less than $450 including the DS. It took about 2.5 hours to cut off the old brackets and weld on new perches. It was the first time I did anything like that and the next one will take closer to an hour or an hour and a half. So far it has held up well to over 500hp/tq.