Narrowed explorer?
03-06-2014, 09:11 PM
#21
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Cant.... no didn't need any tubes, still would have to make sleeves and that defeats the low budget rear I'm building.
I did make some progress in finally finding the pipe I needed, the local metal supplier had some. We tried to slide the bought 2.5 inch pipe in the axle tubes to be used as sleeves but the welding warped the tubes out of round by 50 thousands and it wasn't going to work that way. We ended up cutting off the tubes, both on the center section and axle tubes and instead of using a 6 inch sleeve, we are using the 2.5 inch DOM tube as new axle tubes, sliding one side in the center section and putting the housing end on the other side.
We did a test fit with a old piece of axle tube that we cut out when we shortened the 8.8. grinded down the seam, used a cylinder hone to clean it up and we had to use a flap disc on the DOM tube on the seams because the outside of the tube wasn't perfectly round, it was out by a few thousands. But after that, it slides right in the explorer axle tubes. (removing seam in the axle tubes with a carbide cutter)
Getting sick of this damn rear, I don't have the money or resources to get it machined, but it seems this will work, the test piece fitting with some light taps on the floor on a piece of wood. perfectly square in the 8.8 tube.
It's alot to try to envision so i'll try to get pics when we go at it in the next night or so. I don't want to admit defeat and not giving up yet.
I did make some progress in finally finding the pipe I needed, the local metal supplier had some. We tried to slide the bought 2.5 inch pipe in the axle tubes to be used as sleeves but the welding warped the tubes out of round by 50 thousands and it wasn't going to work that way. We ended up cutting off the tubes, both on the center section and axle tubes and instead of using a 6 inch sleeve, we are using the 2.5 inch DOM tube as new axle tubes, sliding one side in the center section and putting the housing end on the other side.
We did a test fit with a old piece of axle tube that we cut out when we shortened the 8.8. grinded down the seam, used a cylinder hone to clean it up and we had to use a flap disc on the DOM tube on the seams because the outside of the tube wasn't perfectly round, it was out by a few thousands. But after that, it slides right in the explorer axle tubes. (removing seam in the axle tubes with a carbide cutter)
Getting sick of this damn rear, I don't have the money or resources to get it machined, but it seems this will work, the test piece fitting with some light taps on the floor on a piece of wood. perfectly square in the 8.8 tube.
It's alot to try to envision so i'll try to get pics when we go at it in the next night or so. I don't want to admit defeat and not giving up yet.
03-07-2014, 07:37 PM
#22
I used an explorer axle and lengthened the pass side, then used two drivers axles. Slid a length of tubing inside the axle tube and welded. Kept the explorer disk brakes, used 1.5" 4.5 to 4.75 adapter spacers to make it the 4th gen width and accept 4th gen wheels. Swapped 10 bolt brackets over and built a TA mount. Bolts right in
03-08-2014, 09:48 AM
#24
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We did a rough measure since nothing is welded up yet and it'll come to 62.5 i believe. That's with rotors included.
So 30.5x2= 61 61+.75 (pin) its like .880 but just trying to make it easy to calculate. so its around 62.25 to 62.5 inches total. As said before my rims that came with the car have the wrong offset so I'll be using a .5 inch spacer max on each side...hopefully. At the track I'll use Chev Blazer 4x4 6inch backspacing till the money fairy comes and I can get custom rims for the track.
Pocket,
We shortened the explorer the first time taking 3 inches off the long and we were going to butt weld axle tubes from the spare but the tubes warped.
Now if i had to do another 8.8. I'd do it just like you did, but where i have Hiltsy's mount already welded to the center section, i'm just making new tubes and sliding them in the center and the cut housing ends. Bit more work but its hard to find another Explorer 8.8 this time of year and our "1" pick-your-part is limbed.
Plus I don't feel like crawling in the snow...
My goal from the beginning was to make a "cheaper" rear that I can source parts from the local parts u pick. However this is more pain than i wanted it to be.
Another option was to buy replacement 2005 mustang axles, 31.75 inches but I would have to get 28 spline spider gears. Two replacement axles to my door would be ~$300 CAD... then the 28 spline spiders... yada yada..
Now that I found pipe to "slide" in the explorers tube, I can make whatever length I want, depending on the axles i use.
This is the most promising way of getting this rear straight without machining... if it doesn't work now, i guess i'm junking it...
So 30.5x2= 61 61+.75 (pin) its like .880 but just trying to make it easy to calculate. so its around 62.25 to 62.5 inches total. As said before my rims that came with the car have the wrong offset so I'll be using a .5 inch spacer max on each side...hopefully. At the track I'll use Chev Blazer 4x4 6inch backspacing till the money fairy comes and I can get custom rims for the track.
Pocket,
We shortened the explorer the first time taking 3 inches off the long and we were going to butt weld axle tubes from the spare but the tubes warped.
Now if i had to do another 8.8. I'd do it just like you did, but where i have Hiltsy's mount already welded to the center section, i'm just making new tubes and sliding them in the center and the cut housing ends. Bit more work but its hard to find another Explorer 8.8 this time of year and our "1" pick-your-part is limbed.
Plus I don't feel like crawling in the snow...
My goal from the beginning was to make a "cheaper" rear that I can source parts from the local parts u pick. However this is more pain than i wanted it to be.
Another option was to buy replacement 2005 mustang axles, 31.75 inches but I would have to get 28 spline spider gears. Two replacement axles to my door would be ~$300 CAD... then the 28 spline spiders... yada yada..
Now that I found pipe to "slide" in the explorers tube, I can make whatever length I want, depending on the axles i use.
This is the most promising way of getting this rear straight without machining... if it doesn't work now, i guess i'm junking it...
03-08-2014, 01:25 PM
#25
I honestly dont remember. Built a jig using a 4th gen 10 bolt and the explorer axle with two drivers side axles and it lacked 3" from the ends of the jig. Thats where the 1.5" measure of the adapters came from. 4.5 to 4.75 solved the ford to GM bolt pattern
bluedemon:
Measure the OD of the axle tubes at the flanges, the ID of the differential. Use new mild steel pipe with similar ID/OD turned to match. Saves trouble with pulling/hacking up another axle. When welding tubes, I do it in 4 points rather than continuous. Set the tachs, then do a 1" burn, 180*, 1" burn, 90* burn, 180*, burn etc until its continuous. Keeps warping under control
Also, swapping 28 to 31sp or reverse requires more than just spider gears. I know the center pin is a different diameter too, that means the whole diff goes with
bluedemon:
Measure the OD of the axle tubes at the flanges, the ID of the differential. Use new mild steel pipe with similar ID/OD turned to match. Saves trouble with pulling/hacking up another axle. When welding tubes, I do it in 4 points rather than continuous. Set the tachs, then do a 1" burn, 180*, 1" burn, 90* burn, 180*, burn etc until its continuous. Keeps warping under control
Also, swapping 28 to 31sp or reverse requires more than just spider gears. I know the center pin is a different diameter too, that means the whole diff goes with
03-08-2014, 05:27 PM
#26
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Pocket... That's what we're doing... Instead of turning it down I'm slowly removing material till it slides in. Have one tube done with the housing end on... May need a hydraulic press to push it in further...
03-09-2014, 11:39 AM
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got my housing ends welded to the bought pipe today, one went in a little too far so I may have to adjust how far it goes in the center section and i'll use some scrap explorer axle tube to make exterior sleeves. She'll look like Frankenstein after this but should be very stout!
03-09-2014, 06:15 PM
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time for the pics!!!
Everything is perfect +/- 1/64, I can live with that since some seasoned rears are out over 1/8 of an inch... I mig welded the housing ends on, but i'm having a experienced stick welder weld over it and the insides with the nickel rod...
Everything is perfect +/- 1/64, I can live with that since some seasoned rears are out over 1/8 of an inch... I mig welded the housing ends on, but i'm having a experienced stick welder weld over it and the insides with the nickel rod...
03-21-2014, 10:58 AM
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We used the nickel rod just because it's what we had left after welding the bracket to the center section. It was stick welded and I Mig welded the housing ends on.
All in all, it came out better than I expected. The tubes almost stayed perfectly straight, off by a few mere mm. I'm kinda at a standstill again because I need to have access to my car to pull the rear end to make measurements where the brackets will go on the new 8.8.
After doing it this way, I may do another 8.8 as a spare and sell my 10 bolt. If the new 8.8 works like it should. I have to clean the housing from all the dirt and grinding dust before I can reassemble, might pressure wash it.
We never used a hydraulic press but took a old piece of explorer tube and slid it over the axle bearing end and hammered it in. A press would be easier but this worked well. There was minimal weld distortion and it looks really promising.
Just waiting for the snow to go...taking forever for spring to come this year.
All in all, it came out better than I expected. The tubes almost stayed perfectly straight, off by a few mere mm. I'm kinda at a standstill again because I need to have access to my car to pull the rear end to make measurements where the brackets will go on the new 8.8.
After doing it this way, I may do another 8.8 as a spare and sell my 10 bolt. If the new 8.8 works like it should. I have to clean the housing from all the dirt and grinding dust before I can reassemble, might pressure wash it.
We never used a hydraulic press but took a old piece of explorer tube and slid it over the axle bearing end and hammered it in. A press would be easier but this worked well. There was minimal weld distortion and it looks really promising.
Just waiting for the snow to go...taking forever for spring to come this year.
