Brake drums are really thin at the axle flange, but my measurements were without the drums.

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Joshua

The Explorer rotors I measured looked to add somewhere between 3/8" and 1/2" overall. Looks like that would give you your 58.5" and then some.

The D100 axles I have wont give me any more than 57.5 (without drums/rotors), best I can tell.

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'15 Chrysler 200S V6
'74 Duster 360, factory 4 speed car

The way I figured the axles would have to be shortened 3" each to be resplined. That would make it 6" narrower than the D100 rear end.

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Joshua

The axles I have measure out to 31.125" long (72-74 D100 axles are longer), and it looks like they would have to shorten them about 3.125" to get into the meat of the axle (assuming on the safe side). This gives me 28" long axles and about 57.5" wide flange to flange with an assumed 1.5" for the thrust block.

Anybody have a measurement for the thrust block?

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'15 Chrysler 200S V6
'74 Duster 360, factory 4 speed car

Oh, you have shorter axles. I have the '72-'74 D100 axle shafts.

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Joshua

Here's another thought on the 8.8.

Per my information, 94-98 Mustang axles are 3/4" longer than the 93 down ones, but the housings are the same width. This is due to the disk brakes on the later axles. So, in theory I could take an Explorer housing, shorten one side and use (2) axles 3/4" of an inch longer than the short side axle. Not much different than what Sandy did, except that it would be about 58" wide, axle flange to flange. Add in the thickness of the rotors and I would be about 58.5" wide, just about where I need to be.

Two benefits for this; 1. the differential would be centered (not a big deal, but nice) 2. stock 94-98 (+ later?) rear disk brakes would fit. Big deal I know, but I really don't want solid rear rotors, and it opens up the possibilities of aftermarket setups. The Explorer has no possibilities that I have been able to find.

One down side to the c-clip axles is you can't put fix caliper brakes on them.

Nice point for the shortened 8.75" axle is, if a bearing goes bad, I don't have to replace the axle, just the bearing. On the 8.8, if the bearing goes bad and eats in the axle, I have to replace a custom axle.

Just sharing some thoughts in case it stimulates some ideas for someone else.

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'15 Chrysler 200S V6
'74 Duster 360, factory 4 speed car

Wanna trade?

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'15 Chrysler 200S V6
'74 Duster 360, factory 4 speed car

Sorry, the 8 3/4 stuff is for my Dart when I get tired of the open diff Ford 8", blow it up or just quit trying to be so thrifty. I figure the 2.94 gears in the 8 3/4 will make for a nice street gear behind the blown 360 and I'll have 4.10s for "short trips".

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Joshua

Mine will work for for stock lenth A-Body axles, they just aren't long enough for the axle width I need.

No worries, though. I was more joking than anything.

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'15 Chrysler 200S V6
'74 Duster 360, factory 4 speed car

94 and later Cobras use the same caliper as the 94 and later GTs with a ventilated 11.65 diameter rotor by virtue of thinner pads and a different caliper bracket.

If you want to run the 87 to 93 Mustang 8.8 with five lug wheels at the stock width, use 83-92 Ranger driver side 7.5 axles and/or 86-97 Aerostar right side axles. These can be used with stock drums as is or converted in various ways to disc brakes.

Google for Matt90GT's Mustang Brake Upgrades page. A most comprehensive study of interchange, conversion, and adaptation related to the Ford 8.8 with detailed explanations and links to other sites.

Hey, thanks for the info! And I will look up the brake upgrade site you mentioned.

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'15 Chrysler 200S V6
'74 Duster 360, factory 4 speed car