Ford Exporer 8.8"

[Greg55_99]

I’ve been looking (pretty hard) at the specs of the 95-01 Ford Explorer rear ends. Width is about right (59.50”). Comes with a good selection of gears, limited slip, disk brakes and the bolt pattern matches the Mopar. Anyone have any experience with the Ford 8.8? I’ve got an 8.75” out of an early “B” body in my big block Volare now. Might be worth upgunning to something like the Ford.

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

The A body guys are already using them.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=89918&highlight=explorer

Greg

 

[bremereric]

If you have an 8 3/4" rear why? The A body guys are probably using them cause they can't find an A body 8 3/4"...I know I got the last one at Dr. Mopar in Austin.

 

[Greg55_99]

Is there a disk brake swap for the 8.75"? Be nice to have a set. Currently, I've got the old F-body drums on the back (I'd swapped out the B body drums YEARS ago). Kinda smallish....

Greg

 

[bremereric]

Is there a disk brake swap for the 8.75"? Be nice to have a set. Currently, I've got the old F-body drums on the back (I'd swapped out the B body drums YEARS ago). Kinda smallish....

Greg

Yep...SSBC

605 bucks with parking brake...

http://www.ssbrakes.com/commerce/detail/index.cfm?nPID=8568

 

[Greg55_99]

600 bucks for disks for the 8 3/4". Then I'll have to throw in the price of a pumpkin rebuild for my 3.91 Sure Grip. 'Round here.... a 3.73 Locker back axle assembly for an Explorer goes for $150 complete. Plus, the price of welding up perches and a driveshaft.... Still.... it IS an alternative....

Greg

 

[bremereric]

600 bucks for disks for the 8 3/4". Then I'll have to throw in the price of a pumpkin rebuild for my 3.91 Sure Grip. 'Round here.... a 3.73 Locker back axle assembly for an Explorer goes for $150 complete. Plus, the price of welding up perches and a driveshaft.... Still.... it IS an alternative....

Greg

Remember that is used price and I read the entire post on FABO and alot of work is involved in making it work. Stay with the tried and true 8 3/4" rear you have now. You have your own opinon and this is M2C. fftheair:

 

[ramenth]

Consider a few things. The 8.8 Ford isn't as strong as an 8.75. Rebuilt a few of 'em in my days with Ford, the most notable one being in a fairly stock 4.6L 5 speed Mustang GT that the owner thought was a weekend drag racer. It couldn't take the abuse. And he wouldn't pay the price of building the rear so it would. Somehow the former service manager kept sneaking it through as warranty (maybe that's one of the reasons the shop lost $36,000 in warranty claims) and within a month or so it was back in to rebuild it again.

The money it would take to build the 8.8 to be as strong as the 8.75 would put disk on your current set up. (Which I wouldn't, even on a bet.)

Which brings us to the next question:

If it's disk brakes you're after, stop and ask yourself, why? The biggest advantage to rear disk is that they aren't prone to back fade under spirited usage. Spirited. As in canyon carving. As in repeated heavy foot on the brake pedal. Or in towing, perhaps, if you're pulling that 3500# travel trailer behind you. Better heat dissipation with the rotors. But in normal, ever day use drums work just fine, considering the brake bias.

Unsprung weight of drum vs. disk is about the same between an 11" set up for the B-body rear and Explorer disk set up. That's drums/hardware/wheel cylinders/shoes vs rotors/calipers/pads/anchors/e-brake shoes/e-brake hardware. That's a wash.

 

[bremereric]

Consider a few things. The 8.8 Ford isn't as strong as an 8.75. Rebuilt a few of 'em in my days with Ford, the most notable one being in a fairly stock 4.6L 5 speed Mustang GT that the owner thought was a weekend drag racer. It couldn't take the abuse. And he wouldn't pay the price of building the rear so it would. Somehow the former service manager kept sneaking it through as warranty (maybe that's one of the reasons the shop lost $36,000 in warranty claims) and within a month or so it was back in to rebuild it again.

The money it would take to build the 8.8 to be as strong as the 8.75 would put disk on your current set up. (Which I wouldn't, even on a bet.)

Which brings us to the next question:

If it's disk brakes you're after, stop and ask yourself, why? The biggest advantage to rear disk is that they aren't prone to back fade under spirited usage. Spirited. As in canyon carving. As in repeated heavy foot on the brake pedal. Or in towing, perhaps, if you're pulling that 3500# travel trailer behind you. Better heat dissipation with the rotors. But in normal, ever day use drums work just fine, considering the brake bias.

Unsprung weight of drum vs. disk is about the same between an 11" set up for the B-body rear and Explorer disk set up. That's drums/hardware/wheel cylinders/shoes vs rotors/calipers/pads/anchors/e-brake shoes/e-brake hardware. That's a wash.

Looks like Robert has experience with the 8.8 Fords.

 

[8D5 Gran Fury]

I do know the Jeep Grand Cherokees used 8 1/4's and had discs...whose to say you couldn't swap the disc set up onto an 8 3/4? I've seen them in the yards and wondered, but then I get down to the "Wash" factor Robert spoke of.