southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

since i couldnt find any 8.8 mustang rears for cheap and with the gear ratio i wanted i went with an explorer housing from a 96 with 4.10 gears.


luckily my friend that was helping had the hook up



sleeves because the 8.8 tubes are bigger then the 7.5.


first weld, my friend mike didnt like how it looked so he grinded it down and did it again.(he wanted the contact patch to be bigger)

southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

I have to thank my friend mike for doing all the welding since i cant weld and i dont have the equipment.



lower control arm bracket for the mini ladder bar setup.






moser axles 31 spline


old 7.5 is out, it had 3.73 I was curious to see how much of a difference the 4.10 gears were.

now differential cover since the junk yard punched a hole to drain the fluids

its much quieter then the 7.5, i can barely hear it whine with my magnaflow exhaust.

dutinsss

iTrader: (2)

nice. i'm test fitting an 8.8 with 10 bolt brackets welded onto it right now. i wish i could have used 10 bolt tubes like you did but i got this housing already done so i'm going with it. what did you have to do to make those sleeves?

southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

i just took the 8.8 center and the 7.5 tubes to the machine shop and got them made, they weren't the design that we discussed but they worked so i cant complain.

joe77

I was wondering what you did for the abs? do you have a 3 channel or 4?

southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

i have a 3 channel so my abs light is on, if you have a 4 channel you can get reluctor rings pressed onto your axles from moser i believe.

garygnu

very nice build.you could sell some of them .

MUSTANGBRKR02

iTrader: (91)

I thought the explorer had a offset pinion?

Chronicle

iTrader: (7)

Stupid question:
What did you do about the torque arm?

southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

it does but we offset it buy measuring the old 7.5 from pinion to flange and then making the 8.8 the same measurements, when i recieved the axles they were both the same length.

southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

i went with a mini ladder bar setup instead.(this isnt my picture but i did the same thing)

Chronicle

iTrader: (7)

I'm gonna be honest, I've never heard of that before. You you explain to me how that works?

Jays_SSZ28

iTrader: (2)

So you just put all the tubes in and welded them up? No centering bar or anything?
It would be impressive to see someone doing it properly and you have no pictures of that so I'm assuming no.

southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

the mini ladder bar keeps the pinion angle set just as the torque arm does

southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

no i didnt use a centering bar the sleeves kept it centered and we used 2 squares against the flanges that the backing plates mount to and measured close on the square and then out as far as we could and it was less then a 1/16" difference.
sorry these are the only pictures i have of us fabricating the rear.

Oldsmobility85

iTrader: (1)

Thats cool dude good job. Keep us updated on how the car hooks. I am wondering how it will do without the forward lift of the tq arm.

Carter01

iTrader: (11)

Definitely a cool idea but i too question the absence of the TA... Let's us know how she does!

Chronicle

iTrader: (7)

I just realized you live in Harford County, I'm definitely getting a hold of you if I decide to go this route.

southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

so far its been holding up its been in the car for about 3 weeks, ive been beating on it and have already made a 250 mile trip to school.

fastsspr

iTrader: (49)

Man cool build. I'm in the process of fabricating mine too. I used an Explorer rear to build mine.
I going to keep looking your progresss!