SVO rear end on S197? Could it work.....
04-21-2014, 03:45 PM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: IL
Posts: 200
SVO rear end on S197? Could it work.....
Hi Guys,
Tom here stopping by from the S197 forum to ask if you guys might know the answer to this...
I am working this summer to upgrade my 7.5" rear end (I know 8.8 is better but costs big $$) to add the t-lock and 3.73 ring & pinion gears. I have been searching for a t-lock at a decent price but the best I can find is about $450 from American Muscle.com (for an auburn LSD).
Today I found a junkyard complete rear axle from an 85 Mustang SVO for $250! Doing a little research I learned that the SVO's had 3.73 gears from the factory and had the Ford traction lock differential (LSD) standard. I'm pretty sure these parts are robust as SVO's didn't get crappy parts. Hell they would probably hold 300HP no problem (I'd only be feeding them about 260-280HP)
So I wondered...hmmm? Could I just take the track lock diff and ring/pinion form this '85 axle and upgrade my 2006 S197 7.5" rear end with the parts (I have a 4.0 v6 car with T-5, open diff & 3.31 gears)? If I can do that it will save me about $400!!
Assuming they bolt up, and I have checked a few websites which show that the part number for the 2006 3.73 gears and the 1985 3.73 gears are the EXACT SAME PART #, so I would assume they would work. The only real question is did the bolt patter on the LSD's change?
Both cars have the 28 spline axles with five lug wheels FYI. So my axles should go right into the '85 LSD (theoretically).
Does anyone know? I would appreciate any advice/experience you guys have.
Thanks,
Tom
Tom here stopping by from the S197 forum to ask if you guys might know the answer to this...
I am working this summer to upgrade my 7.5" rear end (I know 8.8 is better but costs big $$) to add the t-lock and 3.73 ring & pinion gears. I have been searching for a t-lock at a decent price but the best I can find is about $450 from American Muscle.com (for an auburn LSD).
Today I found a junkyard complete rear axle from an 85 Mustang SVO for $250! Doing a little research I learned that the SVO's had 3.73 gears from the factory and had the Ford traction lock differential (LSD) standard. I'm pretty sure these parts are robust as SVO's didn't get crappy parts. Hell they would probably hold 300HP no problem (I'd only be feeding them about 260-280HP)
So I wondered...hmmm? Could I just take the track lock diff and ring/pinion form this '85 axle and upgrade my 2006 S197 7.5" rear end with the parts (I have a 4.0 v6 car with T-5, open diff & 3.31 gears)? If I can do that it will save me about $400!!
Assuming they bolt up, and I have checked a few websites which show that the part number for the 2006 3.73 gears and the 1985 3.73 gears are the EXACT SAME PART #, so I would assume they would work. The only real question is did the bolt patter on the LSD's change?
Both cars have the 28 spline axles with five lug wheels FYI. So my axles should go right into the '85 LSD (theoretically).
Does anyone know? I would appreciate any advice/experience you guys have.
Thanks,
Tom
Last edited by THS_Steed06; 04-21-2014 at 03:47 PM.
04-21-2014, 05:23 PM
#2
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Wooster OH
Posts: 1,240
First, your theories seem solid, but I cannot offer any real life experience for you.
You should know that the SVO 7.5 is rather notorious for either lasting forever, or simply giving up for no apparent reason. I broke mine at less power than you listed, but to be fair it had a few hundred runs down the track on drag radials before it gave up.
If possible you could look for a manual 87-88 TurboCoupe. 8.8 rear with 3.55 gears and it's pretty much a direct bolt in for an SVO. If an SVO's will fit, then the bigger TC rear should fit.
You should know that the SVO 7.5 is rather notorious for either lasting forever, or simply giving up for no apparent reason. I broke mine at less power than you listed, but to be fair it had a few hundred runs down the track on drag radials before it gave up.
If possible you could look for a manual 87-88 TurboCoupe. 8.8 rear with 3.55 gears and it's pretty much a direct bolt in for an SVO. If an SVO's will fit, then the bigger TC rear should fit.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Dragonus18
4.6L (1996-2004 Modular) Mustang
8
09-09-2015 01:21 AM
tj@steeda
Steeda Autosports
0
09-08-2015 11:50 AM