thinking about doing a 8.8 swap to my 68 - Page 2

urban_cowboy · 02-19-2009, 09:07 AM

+1 on the 9". If you are swapping out the rearend, get a good one. The 9" has more pinion teeth in contact with the ring gear than other rearends, the parts are very available, they are easier to setup IMO, and they are period correct for your car.

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Starfury · 02-19-2009, 12:34 PM

But they're heavy and expensive:P

countryboy116 · 02-19-2009, 10:14 PM

while the 9" may be a little stronger, you can find 8.8s out of fox bodies all over the place and theyre easy to make work and alot cheaper to get one usually than a 9", imo id just look for a 8.8 out of a fox and convert it to 5 lug

92ponyranger · 02-19-2009, 10:20 PM

http://dazed.home.bresnan.net/JaguarIRS1.html

andrewmp6 · 02-20-2009, 12:28 AM

A 9 inch will take more power then any 8.8 and laugh about it.If you get a alum 3rd member it cuts some weight off it.The best thing is a lot of drag racers and off road types use a 9 inch so good used gear sets are cheap.Only rear end id use over a 9 inch is a dana 60.

mustangracer91 · 02-20-2009, 02:08 AM

just my 2cents, but the 8.8 if you can weld/have someone do it, 9inch if you don't...depends on what motor you're running too. If you're a Honduh racer and do crazy clutch dumps from every stop light, I'd say the 9 is cheap insurance...or if you're running a 400 hp+ small block or a big block...I've RACED 8.8's with 400hp + nitrous on 150k+ mile stock rear 8.8's and never blew one despite me actually trying to (so I'd have an excuse to change my gears). 8.8's aren't bullet proof, but they're pretty good. Also, your t-bird rears pre '89 will work, however they are WIDER, but most of them do come with rear disks as well...just 4lug, so you'd have to swap rotors...simple axle swap and you're done if you want 5lug...

Starfury · 02-20-2009, 02:16 AM

Andrew, more power capacity isn't always what everyone needs

I'm going with an 8.8 because it's lighter than a 9" but will handle all the power I'll ever throw at it. I'm building a small block road racer, so something light but strong will suit me well. Mustangs are tail-happy enough as-is, I don't need more weight back there.

andrewmp6 · 02-20-2009, 06:59 AM

After i snapped a 8.8 in a ranger with a small block and slicks i'd never use one again.The truck still drag races tell this day but with a 9 inch in it.

68dustin · 02-20-2009, 10:55 AM

well my buddy is just going to give me a mustang 8.8 rear end with 3.55 gears with the stock posi unit.. I figure if i have it i might as well try to make it work. I think Im going to just set it aside for a while until i figure out what i want to do. In a few months when the time comes i will look around for a 9" but if i cant find one for a decent price the 8.8 it is... so how much wider is the 8.8 mustang rear end compare to the 68 mustang 8"?

Starfury · 02-20-2009, 12:42 PM

Less than 1/4"

It really is the perfect width for the car.

For axles, you need to go to a junkyard and find two 83-92 Rangers or Bronco II's with a 4cyl or 3.0, or a couple 86-97 Aerostars, or any combination as long as you have two vehicles. You need the driver side axle from a Ranger/Bronco II, or the passenger side axle from an Aerostar. Grab the brakes from these vehicles as well. You'll likely need to rebuild them, but scavenge what you can.