8.8 build question.
Also, all Lincoln Town Car limos 95+ got 31 spline stuff. I know next to nothing about F-bodies, but I would bet an 03+ style rear axle has got to be close. Just get a wheel with a little less backspacing right?
I know a guy that's on a LTC limo rear end with a 28" tire leaving off a brake with 600ish WHP and a 4400lb race weight and he hasn't broken anything yet.
I know a guy that's on a LTC limo rear end with a 28" tire leaving off a brake with 600ish WHP and a 4400lb race weight and he hasn't broken anything yet.
How much shorter is a sn95 rear end compared to the stock 10 bolt?
Also, wouldn't a housing with the f-body suspension mounts welded on it be stronger than one cut with tubes inserted?
Also, wouldn't a housing with the f-body suspension mounts welded on it be stronger than one cut with tubes inserted?
You think the guys at Burkhart, strange, currie, moser, etc use 10 bolt tubes? No, they weld their own brackets. I've been welding **** together for the past 12 years of my life, including the cage that had no problems passing tech inspection. If you don't know how to weld, then I guess 10 bolt tubes are the way to go, but I weld, and good. So I build mine how I want to, with more than enough strength.
I'm sorry, but if you're building a rear end for yourself, then why cheap out? There's no excuse to Fab up a good looking housing, then ruin it by not getting quality axles. Figure it like this.
Explorer 8.8 rear: $100
Trak Loc Cobra rebuild kit - $100
FRP Ring and Pinion - $125
Axle Tubes - $40
Strange Engineering housing ends - $80
Strange Engineering 31 spline Alloy Axles and bearing package - $379
Torque Arm Mount - $50 from a member on here, and the strongest one I've seen.
Girdle Cover $125
All Suspension related brackets - Free from my 10 bolt.
Grand total: $950, you cant beat that.
Oh, but I did
A little time with a welder, and I have an absolutely bulletproof rear. And you're only spending an extra $80 to ditch the c-clips, so why wouldn't you? I'm sorry, but if I'm building something, I'm building it right. Cheap is good, but bad quality is not acceptable. Especially when I'm running an LQ9 with a 350 shot on the motor through a Stage 2 T56. You say pressing in some 10 bolt tubes is "repeatable", but I don't want to build mine more than once. You guys can rinse lather and repeat all you want.
And think about it, go take a peak at any of the rears that Moser, Currie, and Strange sell for the f-body. You'll notice one thing, they don't come with c-clip axles.....that isn't by mistake.....just sayin.
Explorer 8.8 rear: $100
Trak Loc Cobra rebuild kit - $100
FRP Ring and Pinion - $125
Axle Tubes - $40
Strange Engineering housing ends - $80
Strange Engineering 31 spline Alloy Axles and bearing package - $379
Torque Arm Mount - $50 from a member on here, and the strongest one I've seen.
Girdle Cover $125
All Suspension related brackets - Free from my 10 bolt.
Grand total: $950, you cant beat that.
Oh, but I did
A little time with a welder, and I have an absolutely bulletproof rear. And you're only spending an extra $80 to ditch the c-clips, so why wouldn't you? I'm sorry, but if I'm building something, I'm building it right. Cheap is good, but bad quality is not acceptable. Especially when I'm running an LQ9 with a 350 shot on the motor through a Stage 2 T56. You say pressing in some 10 bolt tubes is "repeatable", but I don't want to build mine more than once. You guys can rinse lather and repeat all you want.
And think about it, go take a peak at any of the rears that Moser, Currie, and Strange sell for the f-body. You'll notice one thing, they don't come with c-clip axles.....that isn't by mistake.....just sayin.
Am I afraid of the C-clips? No. The axles themselves will fail first, even then the brakes will prevent catastrophic failure. Also, whats the #1 complaint of 9" owners, Fbody or ford... leaking axle seals. Bolt in retainer? You can keep it
You think the guys at Burkhart, strange, currie, moser, etc use 10 bolt tubes? No, they weld their own brackets. I've been welding **** together for the past 12 years of my life, including the cage that had no problems passing tech inspection. If you don't know how to weld, then I guess 10 bolt tubes are the way to go, but I weld, and good. So I build mine how I want to, with more than enough strength.
You guys seem hell-bent on going overboard on these cheap conversions, so knock yourselves out. Just dont preach to everyone that you HAVE to do it XYZ way or it wont be worth doing
I agree, there's more than one way to do one of these conversions, that's the beauty of it. I wanted a custom width so I had to do axles anyway. And since I wanted to do a cheap brake upgrade and fixed calipers are the ticket for that, I needed to do away with C-clips. There's method to the madness and sometimes what's "worth doing" to one person seems like a waste for another. Either way these conversions are cheaper than any bolt-in complete rear I've seen. As far as leaking, I know there are some leakers out there but I'm sure there are plenty of folks using big Ford bearings that don't leak. If you are building a housing and welding ends on I think it's critical to make sure everything is lined up and true to have the best chance of having it dry.
Also, an extreme budget build wasn't the goal of my 8.8 build. I wanted to do something you don't see everyday, and in the local Fbody community, it hasn't been done. But when I build what is essentially a 12 bolt out of an 8.8 rear for less than a grand, I'm happy with that too. $97 bucks may work for your "home built junkyard racer", but I'm meticulous to the sense that when I build something, it looks as clean as it possibly can. For me, that means clean welds, clean new tubes, and freshly media blasted suspension brackets that'll get welded on. After done, the rear end makes it way on into the powdercoating booth as well.
But to each their own.....
Last edited by BRUTL; Feb 9, 2012 at 09:50 PM.
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