Fox Help/advice with 8.8

Hey everyone, I know questions like this have been asked and answered a million times, but I’ve read tons of threads/posts I’m still kind of lost and looking for some help/advice

I have an 1982 4cyl I’m looking to do a 351w swap with a 144cfm blower (never done anything like this before) and I’m trying to figure out how to proceed with the rear end. I know I want an 8.8 from an 86-93, or a 94/95gt, and that I will want to do the 5 lug/disc brake conversion sooner rather than later. It seems that no matter what I will have to buy each piece individually because I can’t find exactly what I’m looking for already for sale. That being an 8.8 rear (housing only most likely because that’s all I can seem to find), Fox length 31 spline 5 lug axles, 31 spline carrier with an lsd and 3.55 gears

Now this is where I’m getting hung up, since I will have to buy all the pieces and I want to stick with the fox length axles, does it even matter which 8.8 I buy? Whether it’s a 94/95gt or the 86-93? Or would I be better off holding out to find a complete 8.8 from either of those choices? Also on LMR, it has drum brake axles and disc brake axles, what’s supposed to be the difference?



Thanks in advance!
 
  • Sponsors (?)


The 8.8 housing is the same from 86-98, so any bare housing would be the same from any of those years.

if you plan on going to 5-lug disk brakes, seek out a 94-98 rear axle as you’ll use some of the parts off it. You’ll likely end up changing the axles to fox lenght and swap to offset caliper brackets. But at least you can resell what you take off.

Difference between disk and drum axles is the center hub of the axle. On the drums they are smaller. I believe 2.25” OD on the hub. On the disks they are 2.5”. Venders do make spacer rings but it’s just something to pay attention to
 
Sometimes you have to take what is most readily available that can be adapted toward your end goal. It would be easier to get a unit that already has disk brakes on it to start with.

If you were local to me I have a couple that I would part with. Been tripping over them for years.
 
You could just put the 8.8 in with the drum brakes and four lug axles you have. On my 82, I remove the rear cover, drain the oil, remove the cross pin bolt and cross pin pull the c clips and then remove the brake backing plates with the brakes, lines, e brake stuff and all intact. I hang these by wire from the car while I swap in the new axle to the control arms, then reassemble. Its less mess and I dont have to bleed the brakes. Car has run 7.50 in the eighth, with the current 7.5 axle and stock four lug axle shafts on drag radials. I put in a new Ford FRPP traction lock and 410 gears 15 years ago. Still there even after trying a 456 geared 8.8, which is ready if this one fails. I will buy 5 lug race axles and c clip eliminators soon also.
 
Yeah, I'm hoping to find someone local to me that has some parts lying around that I can buy off them. Buying "new" everything would get expensive pretty fast
Yes it does..
DSCF0734.JPG
DSCF0740.JPG
 
  • Wow
Reactions: 1 user
You could just put the 8.8 in with the drum brakes and four lug axles you have. On my 82, I remove the rear cover, drain the oil, remove the cross pin bolt and cross pin pull the c clips and then remove the brake backing plates with the brakes, lines, e brake stuff and all intact. I hang these by wire from the car while I swap in the new axle to the control arms, then reassemble. Its less mess and I dont have to bleed the brakes. Car has run 7.50 in the eighth, with the current 7.5 axle and stock four lug axle shafts on drag radials. I put in a new Ford FRPP traction lock and 410 gears 15 years ago. Still there even after trying a 456 geared 8.8, which is ready if this one fails. I will buy 5 lug race axles and c clip eliminators soon also.
That's definitely something I think I will have to look into doing! I luckily found someone local on a FB group that has a complete 8.8 from an 88 vert for $80 that i was able to pick up today!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user