MustangScott

Hello all need some help again. I'm looking into bullet-proofing my car some prior to getting the X-Charger. I've recently run across the Driveshaft issues on the v6 so i wanna get a new driveshaft. Where my issue comes in is that i want to get an 8.8" rear end with t-loc and 3.73's. Is there anything special i need to consider when buying a driveshaft with a v6 tranny and v8 rear end? Are v8 and v6 driveshafts even different? Anyone got any recommendations on a t-loc? I was thinking Detroit true-trac, but the rear end i'm looking at only says t-loc. Any good places to look for a driveshaft? Do they Exist for under 400$ (most i've seen are right around there)? How about good prices on 8.8" rear ends. Newtakeoffs.com has one for like 860 or so. Does anyone think the 7.5" rear w/ 3.73's and t-loc can handle 300-350hp? HEEELLLLPPP. hehe. Wow that was a barrage of questions, and tones of red underlines.....

.... oh yea. Is it the rear end, or where it links with the front that determine the type of driveshaft you need. If i wanna replace both, i just get a gt drivetrain and gt rear axle, and dont need the cobra flange?

rdsx18

Wow that's a lot in one paragraph haha. Well the only place I can help you is I know most good driveshafts for a GT are around $700. Also with the rear end, I am fairly certain that the t-loc they refer to is the one ford makes. I also do not believe that the 7.5 would hold the power once you start beating on it. Any reason why you are not swapping the tranny out? What is your tranny rated for, because your drivetrain is only as strong as the weakest link.

scorpio333

Can a 7.5 handle 350hp or more? You'll get arguments going both ways on that.

Can you put the gears/t lok in your 7.5 yourself? If so that will be cheaper than a 8.8. Most people shy away from doing gears themselves and go the 8.8 route. It's a bit more expensive but you're getting more surface area, larger axles and gears already installed. Installing the 8.8 was no big deal, but doing gears myself wasn't something I wanted to try.

The GT and V6 driveshafts are different on the pinion end. If you're doing this all at the same time, I guess you can get either driveshaft. The 8.8 takeoffs can be had with either the normal 8.8 pinion flange or the cobra flange. It's mostly a wash, $25 more for a GT shaft or $30 more for the cobra flange. Shaftmasters has the drive shafts for right about $500. I did the DS first, then a month later did the 8.8 so I went with a V6 shaft and the cobra flange.

The t lok is a limited slip, the Detroit is no slip. Big difference. Read up on the advantages/disadvantages. Most people don't care for the Detroit in a daily driver, but they're awesome if you live 1/4 mile at a time.

MustangScott

Another Question. I'm in a 4.0L getting a GT takeoff 8.8" rear end. What driveshaft do i need? A v6 shaft, or a gt shaft. I was thinking about getting a GT takeoff driveshaft for like 120, as that ought to handle the HP's and torque i can squeeze outta my 6er, but i dont know if they are compatible. Should i drop an extra 4 bills for a one piece aluminum one? And again, if i do which do i need with the gt rear end?

JimC

The V6 and GT drive shafts are different lengths. Even if you put the 8.8 rear end in the 4.0, you still need the V6 drive shaft because the length from transmission to rear end remains the same.

MustangScott

Ah! Gotcha. Danke! Nuts that means i needa drop 5 bills on a DS >.< I hope it's worth it. I also need the pinion flange as well correct? The cobra one?

MustangScott

Thanks for the Info Guys. Just got mine from ShaftMasters. Oh and a plus, they are Military friendly <3. Hehe. Thanks for the help guys. As always the info out of this site rocks.

MustangScott

Anyone know of a good DS loop for pretty cheap?

JimC

I picked up the CHE loop from Powerhouse, something like $75 as I recall.

tx_zstang

With a proper pinion flange on a 8.8, the same driveshaft will fit just fine between the 7.5 and 8.8. I'm using a shaftmasters alum shaft on mine, and had a 7.5 rear in there until a few months ago, and upgraded to a 8.8. The 8.8 needed a different flange (to bolt the driveshaft to), but otherwise fit right in. If you can get the driveshaft with the proper flange on it, then you might want to do that instead. But DO upgrade the driveshaft!!!

Regarding the rear end, I found one from a '08 cobra and am using that, with its stock internals. The 7.5 had is still intact and works, but pushing over 320 hp to the wheels with drags is not good on the t-locs for sure!

BTW, it's good you're taking care of all the things you'll need ahead of time.