I'm building a 30 A ccpu with a 76 Maverick rear end. It has 3.00 gear and I would like something in the 3.5 to 3.7 range. It is 28 spline axel. Where do I start my search.
Go to the nearest drive train specialist near you to have yours rebuilt to your specs. Remember, if you buy a used diff. it probably will have to be rebuilt. You are better off with buying one that you know has been recently rebuilt. That way you know what you have.
My Plymouth has a maverick rear. I used a the center section out of a mid 70s Mustang II. It was a 3.50 gear. Not all Mustang II had the 8 inch gear so you need to check them. The housing and axles are small and 4 lug but the pig is the same spline and bolts right in. Just make sure it is the 8 inch pig. I found mine on searching car-parts.com.
Summit racing ha s lots of gear sets to choose from. they run on the 150-250 range. you will be changing the ring and pinion not the axle gears, so spline count is a non issue. I like Richmond gears if I am buying new.
Richmond Gear is not the same as they were 10 years ago. I'm pretty sure they are owned by Yukon now. They don't really look like the originals when you pull them out of the box.
About 1/3 of the way down the page.................................. https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/mus/2008/05/Ford-8-in--differential-carriers/1626174.html
Hmmmmnnn Well I used to like them. blatant thread steal here @Larry T have you run the new gears are they any good or ???
Put an add on the wanted page, I did and got a guy from Minnesota to send me a 3.55 for $300 out of a junk yard. I put it in my 29 roadster with a 283 and 5 spd trans. The gear is perfect.
I have a 8" center section with 3.55 gear out of a mustang II don't remember what year. I'll let it go for $250.00 if interested shipping extra of course. It's in very nice condition I could send pictures this coming weekend.
They are still out there if you look. I was in a Pull-A-Part yard yesterday, and saw a 65 Galaxie. It had a 9", so I looked at the tag, and it was a 3.00. I know it's not an 8", but they are still out there, too.
My suggestion would be to get the car running and drive it with the 3.00's before you switch gears. When I built my 32 sedan I used an 8" out of a 77 granada with 3.00's. Im running a 327/T-5 and a 255 out back, with the 3.00's it pulls nice thru the gears and cruises at about 2300 rpm at 75 mph. I was thinking the same thought that you are when I was building. I,m glad I didnt switch gears now plus the money saved.
Good Tech here: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Ford-8_8-axle.shtml 1990-92 Ford Ranger is 56.5" inches wide usually come with 3:73's and a locker not uncommon in Pick a Part's under $200
I may be wrong, but something just doesn't add up with your figures. With a 3:1 rear, the final ratio would be around 2:1 with a T-5 in 5th, depending on ratio. That would result in rpm plus/minus 1800 @ 75 mph with about 30" rear tires. Are you sure the rear is a 3:1, and/or that the speedo and tach are accurate?
Well come on out to South Dakota and go for a ride, Thats what she runs. And yes its a 3.00 the tag was still on the 3rd member and we have clocked the car with my wifes daily driver, its right on the money.
I have to identical trans T-5 to be exact one out of a 5.0 mustang and the other from turbo T- bird they don't have the same ratios they geared the trans for different purposes so it all depends on wear you get the trans from
My bad 8" in the Mavericks where similar to the 9" drop in forget the information I posted about the 8.8
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