explorer 8.8 in an a-body: experience needed

so we've decided beyond a reasonable doubt that the 8.75 in my duster is done for. its a damn shame since its got new brakes, fresh moser axles, etc.



with that being said, I'm not spending 900 to rebuild the hogshead (cheapest i could find around here).



i however have read and heard about using the ford explorer 8.8 instead. supposedly just as strong as the 8.75.



found one local with rear disc, 3.55, locker, all the cables, lines, hardware, etc., and a 90 day warranty for 200. i cant pass that up.



what I'm looking for is a couple of things.

some guys have put them in at their normal length by just relocating the axle mounting points. this is actually what id like to do, as I'm currently running 1 inch spacers to make my bullitt wheels fit. the explorer rear is 2 inches wider than the stock small bolt 8.75 (any idea what that would be difference wise since I've got the big bolt brakes?) so i would be spot on in theory for my wheels.



the questions i have are:

1. any pictures of it done this way? I'm concerned about clearance with my TTI 3 inch exhaust.

2. what have people done with the master and proportioning system to account for the rear discs?

3. how have you been hooking up the e-brake?

4. how quiet is it?

5. what have you done to hook that funky plate to our mopar drive shafts?

6. will my drive shaft need to be shortened?

7. what am i looking at as far as the hydraulics are concerned?

8. anything I'm not thinking of?



please let me know as soon as you can, I'm planning on going down to the yard on Monday to get it before someone else does.



thanks

Post deleted by 69DartGT

and how does that relate?

You'll see very few helpful posts from Greg...

The 8.8 is a good piece, if it has discs (yours does) it will also have the carbon fiber clutch discs in the locker, it requires synthetic gear oil but the discs last easily ten times longer than the old fiber discs did... Without tearing into the axle your kinda stuck with the drive flange & you'll need to have a driveshaft built.. There is a conventional style yoke available but the axle has a crush sleeve so to properly swap the yoke requires taking the carrier out & replacing the crush sleeve to set the pinion bearing preload... I would swap the crush sleeve for a spacer & shims so it never needs to be dealt with again..

BTW width should be 59 5/8 & the center section is offset about 2.5" to the passenger side which can cause issues with driveshaft clearance..

Helpful? It's probably the best advice he'll ever get. It'd do you some good, too, if you can figure it out.

Sorry, no pics but a friend of mine did this swap on a 74 Duster but he has since sold it. It was an 88-89 model Explorer rearend. Like you said it was a little wider but he used the same Crager wheels with no issues. (No idea on the backspacing.) He cut the spring perches off the old rearend and welded them to the Explorer rear. He used a Wilwood master cylinder and stock proportioning valve. He used the rubber brake hose on the Duster and the metal lines going to each caliper screwed right into it. He got the Explorer driveshaft and had the flange welded to the Duster driveshaft. He didn't hook up the emergency brake, he installed a line lock and always used that. But he did say he thinks the 8.8 uses emergency brake cables so I'm sure something could be made to work. His was quiet and he really seemed happy with it but he had to sell the car to help put his daughter through college so there's no way I could get pics now. But I did see it first hand and it was a neat installation. Good luck!

$900 to rebuild an 8.75?? Your kidding right?

You're going to put in a USED 8.8 plus all the work it entails never mind stock axles and C-clips for $200 but you haven't considered a USED 8.75 that you can have swapped and driving in less than 2 hours?

I think you need to re-think this a little.

What exactly is wrong with yours? A bearing kit is $120, clutch kit for the posi is another $80 plus a couple of hours labor is about $350 out the door, $200 if you DIY. Even if your crown and pinion are pooched you can still do the deed everything new for $6-700 or a used unit for $400ish complete (1/2 that if you get lucky at a boneyard). Now you get to keep your new brakes and axles.

You won't get that 8.8 done with new axles and brakes for any less $$$ and you will be without the car for MANY DAYS instead of hours.

Kevin

Unless you're doing it to get the disc brakes, I bet you end up paying way more than fixing the 8.75

New driveshaft / having 1 built is not going to be cheap.

Greg's comment is starting to make sense.

I have to agree that in this situation the 8 3/4" will be cheaper overall, once you consider all the headaches involved to swap an 8.8" - place a value on your time.

If you didn't already have an 8 3/4", I'd recommend the 8.8 highly. Strong, cheap, discs, lockers, and 3.55-3.73 gears are common in them. What's not to like (unless you're a purist).

Surf the 'net a bit, there are a few places that have documented an 8.8 swap. Check Dippy.org, Cbodydrydock for sure.

There is a difference in width/differential offset between Ranger and Explorer axles, so research that before you buy.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Axles.html
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Explorer8_8.html

Quote:

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I have a friend who is going to marry a really fat girl with no personality. I don't plan to say anything to him, but I've also made sure I have plans to be out of town that weekend.

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C'mon Greg, give him a break. If you can't give him some technical help, stay outta the way.

If we all did what everybody else thought we should we'd all still be riding in black Model Ts.