My 8.8 build Update 2/18 it's in
02-29-2016, 06:35 AM
#141
I see nothing wrong with what he did. He customized his half 8.8/half 10 bolt/half ManBearPig rear end to fit his wants and needs. A well built 9" is great but an 8.8 has several advantages. It doesn't Rob much if any more power than the 10 bolt, I doubt there is much of a weight penelty even though I don't know the weight difference between the two, plus they are cheap relatively speaking. Again the op built his rear end to his liking which is fine, but he could of built it for noticeably less if he had wanted to. He could of gone with a Boss 302/13-14 GT500 diff cover for $70-80. Also there are several different 8.8's that came factory with 31 spline axles, 3.73's and some that even came with a Torsion diff in certain model Mustangs and Rangers if you prefer that to a Trac Loc even though they are more rare and likely more expensive.
He basically spent top dollar on a 8.8" and it was still a few hundred cheaper than a 9".
I plan to build my 8.8" cheap. If I were going to spend more, I'd rather just step up to a 9".
Time is money and as much as I like to do things cheap, some times it's worth spending extra to (hopefully) only do it once, so I don't blame the OP for spending the extra to have all new parts, if a 8.8" is his axle of choice.
03-15-2016, 10:44 PM
#142
I've already said I'm not saying he did anything wrong. He did it how he wanted and that's fine. I was just curious why he chose what he chose.
He basically spent top dollar on a 8.8" and it was still a few hundred cheaper than a 9".
I plan to build my 8.8" cheap. If I were going to spend more, I'd rather just step up to a 9".
Time is money and as much as I like to do things cheap, some times it's worth spending extra to (hopefully) only do it once, so I don't blame the OP for spending the extra to have all new parts, if a 8.8" is his axle of choice.
He basically spent top dollar on a 8.8" and it was still a few hundred cheaper than a 9".
I plan to build my 8.8" cheap. If I were going to spend more, I'd rather just step up to a 9".
Time is money and as much as I like to do things cheap, some times it's worth spending extra to (hopefully) only do it once, so I don't blame the OP for spending the extra to have all new parts, if a 8.8" is his axle of choice.
04-20-2016, 07:34 PM
#143
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I went the cheapest way possible to get an 8.8 under my car. I the welding myself and the only things I bought new was the Hiltsy mount and the 4.10 gear that I put in. I used a 8.8 out of a 91 fox body so I could use my stock 28 spline axels and retain all my abs features. $200 bucks. Hiltsy mount was $50. Gear kit with shims, solid crush spacer, etc. was $180. Had to outsource the welding of the Hiltsy mount to the rear housing because with didn't want to deal with welding to the cast iron $30. Last was the royal purple oil and it was $40. If you have a good welder and some basic knowledge and fabrication skills it's doable. I did it in one evening with my younger brother in law that has no clue about anything, lol just another pair of hands to help hold stuff while I welded.
04-21-2016, 12:23 AM
#147
TECH Apprentice
I don't get why Fbody guys aren't crazy about the 8.8. Maybe it's a brand loyalty thing. IMO it should be the preferred rearend for a powerful street car. Their cheaper than most others. Have good street manners. Are usually quiet and reliable. Tons of gear options for them. They're plentiful. They have a huge aftermarket with parts that are much cheaper than they are for its competitors like any given differential. They're noticeably more efficient than a 9" and probably lighter unless the 9" is using an aluminum center section. You can eliminate the C-clips in them if you are worried about the axles coming out. They're relatively lightweight for how strong they are and much lighter than these Dana rearends people run. Some claim a 12 bolt is a stronger rearend and I call BS as a 8.8's ring gear is only a little bit smaller in diameter and 31 spline 8.8 axles are beefier and stronger than 12 bolt 30 spline axles, and Mustang guys don't talk about not running 8.8's in manual cars even powerful ones like Fbody guys do to 12 bolts.
The point I'm making is Fbody guys should embrace the 8.8 as a genuinely very good rearend swap and not just some budget/compromised upgrade to a 10 bolt which it's leaps and bounds better than. Just like a LS motor is a badass swap in a Mustang or most any other rwd platforms the 8.8 is an excellent all around rearend which has many benefits when compared to other rearends. If I ever get around to replacing my 10 bolt it will likely be with a 8.8 like you and the OP did.
I know there are other excellent rearend options out their for Fbodies, but a 8.8 is also one of them and it often overlooked like it's not a good piece or something.
Last edited by JROC; 04-21-2016 at 05:58 AM.
04-21-2016, 05:29 AM
#148
Why? Most SN95 and New Edge 8.8' used a 28 spline diff. Not that it really matters as a 8.8 is an 8.8 at their core as far as I've always known and you can build one housing to be as good as another regardless of its date of manufacturer or what you took it out of. If you use a factory 31 spline rearend you definitly start with a strong rearend that doesn't need to be built as much though. BTW is a Hiltsy motor the mount for the TA?
I don't get why Fbody guys aren't crazy about the 8.8. Maybe it's a brand loyalty thing. IMO it should be the preferred rearend for a powerful street car. Their cheaper than most others. Have good street manners. Are usually quiet and reliable. Tons of gear options for them. Theyre plentiful. They have a huge aftermarket with parts that are much cheaper than they are for its competitors like any given differential. They're noticeably more efficient than a 9" and probably lighter unless the 9" is using an aluminum center section. You can eliminate the C-clips in them if you are worried about the axles coming out. They're relatively lightweight for how strong they are and much lighter than these Dana rearends people run. Some claim a 12 bolt is a stronger rearend and I call BS as a 8.8's ring gear is only a little bit smaller in diameter and 31 spline 8.8 axles are beefier and stronger than 12 bolt 30 spline axles, and Mustang guys don't talk about not running 8.8's in manual cars even powerful ones like Fbody guys do to 12 bolts.
The point I'm making is Fbody guys should embrace the 8.8 as a genuinely very good rearend swap and not just some budget/compromised upgrade to a 10 bolt which it's leaps and bounds better than. Just like a LS motor is a badass swap in a Mustang or most any other rwd platforms the 8.8 is an excellent all around rearend which has many benefits when compared to other rearends. If I ever get around to replacing my 10 bolt it will likely be with a 8.8 like you and the OP did.
I know there are other excellent rearend options out their for Fbodies, but a 8.8 is also one of them and it often overlooked like it's not a good piece or something.
I don't get why Fbody guys aren't crazy about the 8.8. Maybe it's a brand loyalty thing. IMO it should be the preferred rearend for a powerful street car. Their cheaper than most others. Have good street manners. Are usually quiet and reliable. Tons of gear options for them. Theyre plentiful. They have a huge aftermarket with parts that are much cheaper than they are for its competitors like any given differential. They're noticeably more efficient than a 9" and probably lighter unless the 9" is using an aluminum center section. You can eliminate the C-clips in them if you are worried about the axles coming out. They're relatively lightweight for how strong they are and much lighter than these Dana rearends people run. Some claim a 12 bolt is a stronger rearend and I call BS as a 8.8's ring gear is only a little bit smaller in diameter and 31 spline 8.8 axles are beefier and stronger than 12 bolt 30 spline axles, and Mustang guys don't talk about not running 8.8's in manual cars even powerful ones like Fbody guys do to 12 bolts.
The point I'm making is Fbody guys should embrace the 8.8 as a genuinely very good rearend swap and not just some budget/compromised upgrade to a 10 bolt which it's leaps and bounds better than. Just like a LS motor is a badass swap in a Mustang or most any other rwd platforms the 8.8 is an excellent all around rearend which has many benefits when compared to other rearends. If I ever get around to replacing my 10 bolt it will likely be with a 8.8 like you and the OP did.
I know there are other excellent rearend options out their for Fbodies, but a 8.8 is also one of them and it often overlooked like it's not a good piece or something.
Judging by the amount of views on all the 8.8 threads I think its only a matter of time before a sponsor begins to cater to those who want a 8.8 bolt in housing solution that either incorporates the TA mount or mass produces a reliable bolt on TA solution , There is a guy on here that has posted pics of his setup that uses the diff cover bolts to secure the torque arm to the rear- no weld.
The day is coming where the customer can source their own diff/gears/axles taking advantage of how plentiful/robust 8.8 rears are. Not everyone on here is after a single digit timeslip , heck I think if GM had dusted off the 8.5 corporate rear for the 4th gen there would be a lot fewer rear diff's getting blown up.
04-22-2016, 09:31 PM
#153
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What made you do the aftermarket driveshaft? Was the stock driveshaft un-able to work with a hybrid u-joint? I too am building my 8.8 with the 1350 pinion yoke and was wondering the length of driveshaft needed and if the stock one would work or not.
04-22-2016, 09:51 PM
#154
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I used my stock drive shaft and it worked fine, but if you haven't pressed out a u joint from a 4th gen google it because that plastic in there will not let it come out, and I used a press. You have to melt it out first...
04-23-2016, 02:39 AM
#155
TECH Enthusiast
Originally Posted by JROC
Why? Most SN95 and New Edge 8.8' used a 28 spline diff. Not that it really matters as a 8.8 is an 8.8 at their core as far as I've always known and you can build one housing to be as good as another regardless of its date of manufacturer or what you took it out of. If you use a factory 31 spline rearend you definitly start with a strong rearend that doesn't need to be built as much though. BTW is a Hiltsy mount the mount for the TA?
I don't get why Fbody guys aren't crazy about the 8.8. Maybe it's a brand loyalty thing. IMO it should be the preferred rearend for a powerful street car. Their cheaper than most others. Have good street manners. Are usually quiet and reliable. Tons of gear options for them. They're plentiful. They have a huge aftermarket with parts that are much cheaper than they are for its competitors like any given differential. They're noticeably more efficient than a 9" and probably lighter unless the 9" is using an aluminum center section. You can eliminate the C-clips in them if you are worried about the axles coming out. They're relatively lightweight for how strong they are and much lighter than these Dana rearends people run. Some claim a 12 bolt is a stronger rearend and I call BS as a 8.8's ring gear is only a little bit smaller in diameter and 31 spline 8.8 axles are beefier and stronger than 12 bolt 30 spline axles, and Mustang guys don't talk about not running 8.8's in manual cars even powerful ones like Fbody guys do to 12 bolts.
The point I'm making is Fbody guys should embrace the 8.8 as a genuinely very good rearend swap and not just some budget/compromised upgrade to a 10 bolt which it's leaps and bounds better than. Just like a LS motor is a badass swap in a Mustang or most any other rwd platforms the 8.8 is an excellent all around rearend which has many benefits when compared to other rearends. If I ever get around to replacing my 10 bolt it will likely be with a 8.8 like you and the OP did.
I know there are other excellent rearend options out their for Fbodies, but a 8.8 is also one of them and it often overlooked like it's not a good piece or something.
I don't get why Fbody guys aren't crazy about the 8.8. Maybe it's a brand loyalty thing. IMO it should be the preferred rearend for a powerful street car. Their cheaper than most others. Have good street manners. Are usually quiet and reliable. Tons of gear options for them. They're plentiful. They have a huge aftermarket with parts that are much cheaper than they are for its competitors like any given differential. They're noticeably more efficient than a 9" and probably lighter unless the 9" is using an aluminum center section. You can eliminate the C-clips in them if you are worried about the axles coming out. They're relatively lightweight for how strong they are and much lighter than these Dana rearends people run. Some claim a 12 bolt is a stronger rearend and I call BS as a 8.8's ring gear is only a little bit smaller in diameter and 31 spline 8.8 axles are beefier and stronger than 12 bolt 30 spline axles, and Mustang guys don't talk about not running 8.8's in manual cars even powerful ones like Fbody guys do to 12 bolts.
The point I'm making is Fbody guys should embrace the 8.8 as a genuinely very good rearend swap and not just some budget/compromised upgrade to a 10 bolt which it's leaps and bounds better than. Just like a LS motor is a badass swap in a Mustang or most any other rwd platforms the 8.8 is an excellent all around rearend which has many benefits when compared to other rearends. If I ever get around to replacing my 10 bolt it will likely be with a 8.8 like you and the OP did.
I know there are other excellent rearend options out their for Fbodies, but a 8.8 is also one of them and it often overlooked like it's not a good piece or something.
If not it's hard to overlook an s60/ 12 bolt for around the $2100 USD mark (35 spline ready to rock). Another thing to keep in mind is the mustang guys aren't utilizing a torque arm, which twists the **** out of the housing, making them more prone to be noisy than others.
Typically a 12 bolt will take any abuse you can throw at it, without a piece of **** posi unit inside of course.
Anyone **** talking the 12 bolt more than likely haven't owned one, or know nobody using one. Lord knows everyone on this site has to praise the rear they chose, which is always far superior to every other.
Keep it in the budget, do what you're happy with at the end of the day.
04-23-2016, 09:05 AM
#156
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I've changed these u-joints before, heated till the plastic comes out and held the new ones with the clips. I've even found the new hybrid conversion stock 3R to 1350 u-joint which I would get if the stock length shaft would work. Or if I need a different length driveshaft I would like to order that so I could have if ready to install as soon as the rear-end is complete and motor ready to drop in.
04-23-2016, 10:17 AM
#158
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