I've got an 8.8 (hey, Ford is good for SOMETHING) sitting in my garage that I'm planning on installing before the summer is over (hopefully before my 7.5 blows up).

Has anyone done this swap, or purchased a 9" bolt in?

I'm wondering how to fab the spring perches and Panhard mount.

I'm looking into using rectangular and large tube stock (not swapping the flimsy brackets off the 7.5).

If anyone has pics it would be a great help.


Also, does anyone know if Ford ever made a disc brake setup for an 8.8 that will fit under 15" rims?

Thanks in advance,
John

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'88 Camaro- Originally a 2.8, 7/98-3.1, 11/99- L-69, 8/00- Twee-Fidy!
Goodwrench350, Performer RPM intake, Holley600 (soon to be 2BBL Projection) Hedman shorties, no cat, 2chamber FM under pass seat,MSD ProBillet, 6AL, HVC coil, TH350 w/2400 stall and shift kit, Chassis Engineering adj. Torque arm, NOS SuperPowershot- going on when I get new injectors, 3.42 Open w/8.8" in the works.

"If it don't make it faster, it ain't got it!"
(no PS,PW,A/C)

 

sweet I've been wanting to do that. they should fit in 15" wheels. Mustangs come stock with 15s on v6s and its the same rear for the GTs.

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-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

305, TBI, auto, 14x3 chrome flat based open element with K&N, Milodon 160* thermo, functional Formula hood, cross-flow Flowmaster, '99z28 rear pipes and tips....

Soon to be installed:
Hooker 1-5/8" 50 state legal headers, Dynomax 3" I pipe (PN 44063 and 43248), Catco 3" cat, and injector spacer.

Super GRK_Taz World
F-Body Dual Exaust
EFI & Intake Options
AOL IM: superGRtaz

 

Swapping the shock mounts, panhard and lower control arm mounts over to any diff is easy. The trouble you're going to have is finding some way to attach the torque arm. there is no easy was to attach it or everyone would be swapping out the 7.5 for something better.

If you don't want to use the factory 7.5 mounts and make your own then take a look at a Moser 9" bolt-in housing. All their mounts are custom made and don't look hard to fabricate. The thing you're not going to be able to make is the torque arm mount. OK, maybe you could make the mount but the hardware tubes that are welded to the 9" housing you won't be able to do since diffs like the 7.5 ro the ford 8.8 are cast iron and getting a good weld to hold (lots or torque is applied to it) will be next to impossible.

Your only other option is to use the 8.8 and get rid of the factory rear suspension and convert to ladder bars.

The 8.8 is strong enough. A friend of mine has an 84 mustang with an 8.8. He runs mid 12's with it and has run 11.2's on NOS

Then again, My best pass (below) is with a 7 5/8" 10 bolt.


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Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block

Best ET on a time slip: 11.242 altitude corrected to 10.89
Best MPH on a time slip: 121.52 altitude corrected to 125.89
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP: 497.9
Best 60 foot: 1.546

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

 

they're as strong as chevy 12 bolts. Maybe you can make a arm mount that bolts onto the back of the diff housing... there are kits that do away with the torque arm that make the LCAs wrap around the axle and holt onto it. I think art morrison had some www.artmorrison.com
or you could make Y shaped control arms that are adjustable. have a plate on the axle with 2 holes for each side of the Y. that way you could adjust your pinion angle. The single end of the Y would go in the stock lower control arm mount.

[This message has been edited by Tas (edited July 01, 2001).]

 

Yeah, that would be like running a set of EXTREMELY short Ladder bars.

I don't really want to compromise the handling of the car (makes ladder bars out of the question).

I'm thinking about something that bolts to brackets welded to the axle tubes (yeah, welding cast iron is a *****).

I thought GTs came with 16" rims (pony 5 spoke) when they had discs in the back.

The torque arm I'm running is basically a single ladder bar in the center of the car, so I COULD use a rear ladder bar mounting bracket, just gotta figure out how to hook it up.

Thanks,
John

 

GTs have come with 16s and 17s. When I said stock I meant the lowest model(the new ones at least) even has 15s and disk brakes so you can fit disk brakes with your 15s.

------------------
-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

305, TBI, auto, 14x3 chrome flat based open element with K&N, Milodon 160* thermo, functional Formula hood, cross-flow Flowmaster, '99z28 rear pipes and tips....

Soon to be installed:
Hooker 1-5/8" 50 state legal headers, Dynomax 3" I pipe (PN 44063 and 43248), Catco 3" cat, and injector spacer.

Super GRK_Taz World
F-Body Dual Exaust
EFI & Intake Options
AOL IM: superGRtaz