well im only gettin the third member. so i guess find an A-body housing? eh?

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'72 Valiant DD for over a decade-225-Disc brakes, big T-bars, big Sway bars f/r, carter bbd/super six, GM HEI, 2- 12" subs in trunk, 1000w amp...
'77 cherokee cheif widetrack-360-33x12.5 tires-no lift. keeps driveway dry-project/backup DD/mudder

or else sell the 3rd member and get your 8.8 or maybe an 8-1/4 for 1/2 price.... maybe free?

APB by Fairchild had an Explorer 8.8 last summer. Axles, rotors and calipers were gone, but the rest was there. Pretty sure it was a limited slip one, too.

I thought about it but in the end decided the 8.75 was the direction I was going. Some of that had to do with the fact I will probably end up with a custom width anyway, and I didn't like the solid rotors on the Exploder rear.

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

so sandy,


for the final result of the explorer rearend , what years are the best to use?

how wide was it from rotor to rotor when you got finished? i think i read 56 1/2 or 56 5/8 somewhere

and what was the total you removed from the long side tube?

where did you come up with the amount to cut out of the tube?

i'm thinking you just measured the short side axle and the long side axle then found the difference between the shortside axle and the long side axle and deducted the difference from the long side tube, then replaced the long side axle with another short side axle.. i hope that made sense.

That all makes sense. All your questions are answered in the 8.8 thread.

Im a lil late for getting to work and can answer more questions later....

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

This was my swap.
http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic ... t=ford+8+8

It was good for the money. But I've had problems with the pinion angle, I don't know if it's cause the offset or my angle finder sucks. My sway bar worked for the swap also. The axle came with a 3.55 gears and a sure-grip. But what are you doing to the engine? Cause honestly for what it took to change it over, I would just assume have an 8 1/4 with 3.23 or so gears and a posi and such. You might spend a little more for the entire package, but the 8.8's are known for wear and such too. In fact at about 100k I've read the axles will go due to them actually being the races, and the sure grips wear a lot also. Good luck!

i will swap to a mild built 318.. roughly 9:1 compression, mild cam shaft, 2400 torque converter..

i also own a 80 chevrolet stepside truck with a built 427 big block, near 650 hp , narrowed 9 inch, 35 spline axles, full spool 4:88 gears, 6 point cage, its almost done, i need to put 4 bars in the cage, and i'm done with it and it goes to the paint shop...

this dart, i'm planning on a budget build up, mark it as a driver, but i dont like to drive stuff thats normal...


from the vehicles i've built over the years, its always better to put more than enough rearend in a vehicle, and once you do it your done with it.. so basicly, if i decide to put a blower on the v8, if and when i get the v8 in the dart, i'll have enough rearend to cope with it if i need to..plus the 8.8 is about the cheapest option so far, and there are plenty of aftermarket parts for the 8.8 to make it as strong as any other rearend thats out there.

plus the explorer rearend, is 31 spline already, already either 3:55 or 3:73 or 4:10 (in some rare explorers) already a good limited slip in them and disk brakes. and you could even add aftermarket axles later for even more strength if needed, rearend girdle if needed.. the 31 spline explorer rearend is actually overkill in that small of a car anyways, but overkill is always good...

i've put alot of thought into this, and its probably the cheapest, strongest, streetable option.. i have a small housing 9inch, and third member, but i would have to get a posi unit,gears, axles, and brakes for it, so the explorer rear is already cheaper by alot...

my next option is an 8.8 from a 87-93 mustang, have to convert it to 5 lug, so 2 short side axles from a ranger and 2 drums, it has a 3.08 gear in it, but gears are also easy to come by for the 8.8, and the 87-93 rear is already the right length, no cutting of the housing needed, just cut off brackets, and add leafspring perches..

but to compete with the explorer rearend, and remember for the money, i can cut an explorer rearend down for 0$, i'm doing it myself...
the 87-93 drum rearend has to be converted to 5 lug, to do this, you have to:
A----get 2 shortside axles and 2 drums from a ford ranger, make sure to get 28 spline axles because 87-93 mustang 8.8 stock rearends are almost always 28 spline, but its better to check the rear out before you go off and buy axles then find out you got the wrong ones..

also figure in leg work and time for parts, today time is money, and money is time, well to me anyways..

B--- use 87-93 fox body mustang rearend, no narrowing of the housing involved... order replacement axles from moser/jegs/summit around $230 and they are already 30% stronger than stock.. add a gear later on,


the problem here in kentucky is the junk yards seem to be onto the fact that alot of these 8.8 rears are good for streetrods and such so the value of them has gone up in this area..

especially the explorer rearends have went up,i can get one for $400 cash, plus i would still need one shortside axle, and cut the housing down.

i can get an 87-93 mustang rearend with a 3:55 or 3:73 gear for a carburetor i have on the shelf, then i have to convert it to a 5 lug, 5 lug moser axles are $215 plus ranger drums from advanced auto parts probably another $50 bucks.. or junk yard parts 2 short side ranger axles and drums..

i'm leaning to the 87-93 mustang rear just because its less money out of pocket either way i look at it.. but darnit, those disk brakes would be nice to have..

Flange to flange my unit is 56 5/8"
The short side/long side difference is 2 5/8" (thats how much you narrow the long side.
I just measured the short side axle and the long side axle then found the difference between the shortside axle and the long side axle and deducted the difference from the long side tube, then replaced the long side axle with another short side axle

I paid $46 for the extra short side axle

The explorer housing with 3.55 gears was $250 including gears, discs, and drive shaft flange ....but excluding calipers and hoses. Those were an extra $50 for used calipers and $40 for hoses

It cost $170 to narrow the housing and move the spring perches and remove extra brackets. Add a little for paint and new brake lines and U bolts you end up at about $575.

I used slotted 7.25 shockmounts/spring plates and new Ubolts ($20)

Finished the 8.8 weighs 185lbs ....25 more than the 7.25

I didn t need to change master cyl or add a prop valve

My 8.8 had 39,000 miles on it. I had about 15 to chose from. (Spaldings in Spokane wa)

Here is one available today with 3.73 Trac Loc
2001
Rear Axle
Ford Explorer 373PZ 56,006 A JX60 $350 Spalding Auto Parts - ARAPro USA-WA(Spokane) E-mail 1-800-366-2070

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Since we're talking about what rear ends cost...

3.21 geared open differential 8 1/4 from Duster-$150
49.625" driveshaft to fit 108" wheelbase Valiant-$60

No cutting, welding or adapting required, but the stuff was kinda hard to find and I still have 10x2.5" drum brakes. New Sure-Grips are available for $220 or so. This is the highest numerical gear I care to run without overdrive.

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Joshua

yep your 8 1/4 for $150
sure grip $220

thats $370
the suregrip will need bearings and installed unless you do it yourself, and you might need to have the brakes reworked

it adds up quick, doesnt it

the 8 1/4 would bolt right in thats for sure. but while i'm doing the rearend swap i'm also installing the spring relocation kit.

Unless you are in a hurry and need the car ready to get you to work like tomorrow, there are better deals than $220 for the SG unit. I bought one brand new in the box from Ebay around last christmas and paid $65 and that was delivered to my door. This unit is a Spicer Trak lok just like OE. You need to watch 2 things; spline count changed in 96 or 97 so you need a unit made for a 95-older and be careful, as they made alot of 8-1/4s in the early 80s with a 2.26/2.41 ratio and these are the only 2 ratios that work on that particular carrier, SG or not. The one you need will be listed as good for a 2.71/up (Higher numerically) ratio.

sigh.....Every time I post anything about 8.8s there are a pile of responses about how cheap/better 8.75 and 8.25 axles are.

so.....cost me out a 8.25 with a 3.55 or 3.73 sure grip and disc brakes....cuz Im real tired of hearing about drum brake, open diff, 3.21 ratio 8.25s being compared to Explorers. Lets see an apples to apples comparison.....and just for fun lets hear the cost on a similarly equipped 8.75.

I posted last night about a real/ available 8.8 rotor to rotor 3.73 trac Loc for $350.
Add $46 foranother axle...Add $170 for machine work..total $575.

Point me to a real/available 8.25 with discs and 3.55 or 3.73 ratio and sure grip ready to install in an A body for anywhere near the same price.

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Sandy,

What good is exploring options if none are presented? Not everyone has the money to narrow a rear end, have spring perches welded on and a custom driveshaft made. I don't at this time so I hunted down an 8 1/4. For something that bolts in the factory stuff is easiest, but these axles are getting scarce and in the case of an A-body 8 3/4, expensive. If one wants everything an Explorer 8.8 provides, 3.55, 3.73 or 4.10 gears, limited slip and solid disk brakes with parking brake, then it's a very good choice. For folks without overdrive in a street car 3.55+ gears are generally not a good choice. Since I already had a big bolt pattern 7 1/4 those brakes move right over to the 8 1/4.

The Ford 8.8 has drawbacks that are common to most carrier tube axles. One is that gear changes are time consuming and costly. Another is C-clip axle retention. Most folks this doesn't affect, but if you run fast enough at the drags or want to run the salt C-clips are not allowed. If you want apples to apples with an 8 3/4 you'll have to come up with a C-clip eliminator and assign a dollar value to not being able to swap 3rd members.

I have an 8 3/4 from a C-body. I bought it for $100 and it came with 2.94 gears. To have this rear end fit an A-body is about $300 worth of housing and axle labor plus some C-body wagon or D100 axles that can be shortened. I paid $50 for such axles. To get disk brakes the costs about $400. That's $950 and no limited slip, but does give me a 3rd member I can change in an hour or less and axles not retained by c-clips and that don't serve as a bearing race. If drum brakes are OK and the car had good large bolt pattern brakes before then the cost is about $550.

In summary, the 8 1/4 can be cheaper, but has fewer desirable features than the Ford 8.8. The 8 3/4 is technically superior, but more costly if given the disk brakes and limited slip of the Ford.

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Joshua

Josh: dont get me wrong....Im OK with your math...and the way you look at the options for your project. Believe me when I say Im on a budget and live in a place with few junkyard options.

I just get tired of hearing how I shoulda done this or that from folks who do nuthin, spend nuthin, plan nuthin. ....yet dispense advice AFTER you get a good thing up and operating for a competitive price.

I get not everybody has an OD......that kinda goes along with the advice from those who dont have that either.



KYdart asked about an 8.8.....lets keep it about that....just for once I dont want to hear about how I could have had an open 3.21 10"brake 8.25 for $30 less.

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

OK, I am not gonna add anything to the 8.8 vs 8-1/4vs. 8-3/4vs drums vs rear discs in this post. I just wanna say that, for every quote of what it cost YOU to do what YOU did to YOUR car, there's always gonna be variations of junkyard costs in different places, (then throw in those that have a "buddy" that works there and gets them all their parts for close to nothing); dealer bought parts, vs Randy's (or Summit or whoever) bought, vs. "My uncle had one on the shelf that he gave me" parts prices; also variations in whether the person did whatever 100% themself vs. pay the hot rod shop start to finish, vs. traded my friend a roof job for him setting up and shortening my rear end or whatever, it is gonna be hard to compare apples to apples even on the same job with all of the same parts used, with all of these variables; The only way to get a fair comparison would be to have a set of ground rules and maybe quotes from different parts of the country on something like this; And I will use the 8.8 in the example as it would probably be universally more available because of the age difference;

OK; Everyone go call around to find a Ranger/Exploder rear end in the year range that Sandy used, with the extra short axle as well, in their area. For the purposes of this deal assume that you are able to find a rear end already with the ratio you want but non posi. Write that down.
Now find a local shop that does narrowing, whether it be a trans shop, a hot rod shop, a resto shop. Get a quote for having them cut, align, and narrow the long side to the same length as the short side.
Now call your choice of Randys, West Coast Differentials, National Drivetrain or any other regular advertiser in the common car mags for a price on a posi (and say whether you quote an Auburn, an Eaton, Traklok, whoever; variables there too) and a master install kit that will have all your seals, bearings, shims, crush collar, etc. Maybe call a couple to compare. Now see what someone wants to install the posi unit and set up the rear end; may be the same shop that did the housings but not always.
Now add in a driveshaft shop quote to make a DS to connect your trans to this rear. U joints included and whether you use a Mopar front and Ford rear U joint, some sort of a conversion joint or whatever. What have you got? I would expect that even with everyone following this same set of rules that depending on location, "buddy" discounts or whatever, that someone in, say, Milwaukee or maybe Ft lauderdale or Phoenix is going to pay a different price than Sandy did for the same job. But being that you might have a welder and the fixture in your garage, enough leftovers from past jobs that you have no extra parts $$$$ outlay, a rear end that already has a Posi, your Dad owns the yard the rear end came from, and you can see that it is entirely possible that no 2 people on here are going to necessarily pay the same to do the same mod to their car! Now I used the Ford 8.8 as an example to "even the tables". Is it the right answer for everybody? NO! Did you luck into a '74 Dart that is wrecked or rusted out beyond repair, with a correct-for-you gearset, SG 8-1/4 with all new brakes and drums, that you can just bolt right into your car and then get your money back as scrap weight for the rest of the car? Not everyone has that sort of luck. Is your car your daily driver that is broke down leaving you stranded until it is whole again? Or a drifter car or a quarter miler or a dirt track car?? The point of all this is that I see maybe the start of a pissing match. It is great to have options and know that you are not stuck in a corner. Alot of keeping a 35-40+year old car going, is NOT the world of dealer parts counters stocked full of NOS parts that are chalk mark correct. You gotta make do with what happens to be available alot of times. It is nice to have friends elsewhere that did XXXXX to their car when YYYYYY broke to share their experience. That does not mean that XXXXX is the only way, or right for you. It just opens other ideas that you might never have thought about, that will maybe keep you from having it sit 'til the locals tow it away as an "eyesore" because you can't find the "right" part. (another story.) Me? I'm one for keeping my Mopar all Mopar, especially the 3 big ones; motor/trans/rear end. but that may not be right for you, either.