chitown21y

iTrader: (6)

So here is the plan....

I am on the wife budget but want to move over to a 8.8 before anything bad happens. I purchased a 04 cobra diff and 3.73's and plan to buy the CS brackets. I want to use my stock drive shaft with ds adapter and axles for now to save some $ then upgrade as I go. The cobra diff has 31 spline axle stubs so what can I use to make it work for now?

Anything else I might need?

Thanks for the help!


Dave

tmonttt

iTrader: (10)

I'd definitely like to see where this goes. If it's possible to do this, I'd definitely give it a shot.

Fuzzy_Wuzzy

iTrader: (8)

just have dss make some custom shafts that adapt the v outers to the ford inners. should be reasonably popular for them. the v outers are strong enough for quite a few mods...

chitown21y

iTrader: (6)

What about using explorer 31 spline inners? Never seen them so not sure if they would interchange?

tmonttt

iTrader: (10)

I believe this is the adapter we would use for connecting our stock drive shaft to the 8.8. Not sure what the deal would be on axles, but if someone speaks to DSS, let the rest of us know what they quote and what the best way to set it up is.

http://www.driveshaftshop.com/2004-2...nversion-plate

shadyLS6

your still going to have to source axles.. just pay the man for the solution instead of ripping off the kit



outer CVs fail at stock power, just sayin

So who has a ford 8.8 and the stock GM twig?? i have "heard" its been done but never seen pics.

I bought the full partial kit sourced my own diff.. spent 3k on everything including fluid. I also got the Full DSS option, drive shaft and 1000hp axles so $300 extra.. Go Ford OEM Trac-Loc- super quiet DD

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

Fuzzy_Wuzzy

iTrader: (8)

the standard kit for the 8.8 still uses the stock outers... The only adaptation different that i wish Creative Steel would offer is a way to use the stock ford inners (assuming they can take the power, what are the cobra guys using?)

Lbar

Cobra guys have run 9's on stock ones so he should be good.

chitown21y

iTrader: (6)

So what 31 spline inner's work with the cobra 8.8? Is the only option to buy the CS axles complete? Already going to buy the brackets from CS and the DS adapter but trying to figure out the cheapest option (for now) for the axles?

slowlaneblues06

iTrader: (2)

IMO, just go ahead and get the Full axles from CS, with the upgraded outer CVs.
Not a bad idea trying to keeep the stock DS, prob better for NVH, but it is easier to service a DS with U joints VS having to buy an $800 DS form the dealer whan the stock carrier inevitably fails. Good luck with the build.

soulja

iTrader: (3)

How many ppl have broken their outers on stock power?

Fuzzy_Wuzzy

iTrader: (8)

I would just run the stock outters for now, i have not heard of a rash of breaking outters. And if you do there are tons of spares out there because a lot of us have broken inners and have a spare outter or two...

chitown21y

iTrader: (6)

What can I run for the inner's?

shadyLS6

didnt mean to be conclusive, that stock v1 outers will fail. Its not common but it does happen on stock power. i have no #'s just a few threads over the years.

Id say go with a 31 spline inner cobra CV to stock Outer Cvs.. talk to DSS or Geforce into Manufacturing an axle that what splined one one side for the cobra inner and one side for outer ctsv..

thats where i see the problem. DSS most likey has an agreement with Max not to sell 8.8 CTSV stuff without Max's ok.. at least thats what i would do.. contracts are king and im sure he protected his investment in the 8.8 R/D

again.. you're gonna end up spending the same $$, so just pay CS for a partial kit. partial, axles and brackets.. there is no OFF the Shelf alternative that i know. feel free to prove me wrong, i researched for a few weeks an alternative to DSS axles, couldnt find anything + i didnt want to rip apart the car and not have the right parts on hand to do the job

chitown21y

iTrader: (6)

I just don't have 2500 to buy the partial kit right now so trying to find an alternative. Why do they sell just the brackets if you have to buy there axles anyways? I have always thought that spending 1/3 of what I paid for the car was to high anyways so trying to find other options to fix GM's BS.

tmonttt

iTrader: (10)

^^ Agreed with Chitown when it comes to that. Like Nikdsc5 responded to me, it's not ripping off the kit considering CS offers the brackets only option. Also, like Chitown said, someone else can make an axle shaft that has different spline counts on each end. It doesn't have to be DSS if they are under contract, although I don't quite see how it could be contracted to not sell axle shafts that are 31 splines on one side (any Ford 8.8) to our CTS-V spline count.

Regardless, the CS 8.8 is an awesome setup for a bullet proof rear end, but I just don't have the $3,000 to drop into a rear end when I only paid less than four times that for the entire car. So if I could reuse a stock driveshaft, have axle shafts made, pick up some cheap inner CV's and use Max's brackets and do it for less than $1,500, I don't see what the issue is? Correct me if I'm wrong, but he offers the brackets only for the DIY'rs and I'm one of them.

shadyLS6

im not trying to knock doing this swap on a budget. Be the first to find an alternative to the DSS axles.. Its just that this kit has been out for almost 2 years i think. And i still dont think there is a cheap way to source the axles. feel free to correct me if im wrong

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

I literally just pulled the trigger on y CS kit. I'm now 3100$ less rich. Sucks, but hopefull with the sale of my stock diff, drive shaft, and cv's I will be along the lines of 1800$ less broke. Yes, I got my own 8.8 rear out of a junk yard and put my own internals in it, but still opted for the modified diff cover from CS. So, for my rear I spent ball park 570. so 3100+570=3670$ total for a 8.8 rear. Yes I got the upgraded cv's as well as CS trans mount. So If I wanted to bring that price down by 510$ I could have but for 1000hp reliability