Everyone tells me to use a 9 inch, but in a UNDER 500 HP application, wouldn't a 8.8 be fine? I mean they come on every mustang and f150/explorer right off the lot...and those are rated a 325 hp??? The truck will only be used for occassional burnouts and maybe a trip or two to a dragstrip just for kicks and grins...... So has anyone broke one? If so what was your setu[p and what were you doing with it?
450-500hp is about what they're rated for in a lightish vehicle. Maybe as low as 400 if you're talking a manual tranny and a heavy car or slicks. They do have issues with the bearings eating the axle shafts, as the axle shaft surface is the inner race for the bearing, so check that if you're getting a junkyard axle. Ideally you want one with no pitting where the bearing rides. New axles are at least 200 a side. I have seen where the bearing has gone bad and eaten the axle to the point where it snaps just while driving down the highways, and in a drum setup that will allow the wheel to extricate itself from the vehicle completely. There are ways to make them handle almost infinite power, like c-clip eliminators, but I don't have any experience going down that road. Hope this helps!
An 8.8 is strong. Here is my experience. I drag race a mustang. It has a stock 8.8 out of a thunderbird in it. I have around 700 hp. I decided to leave the rear end stock just to see how strong it was. I beat that rear end weekend after weekend at the drag strip. slicks and a prepped track for 3 years and the clutch pack is what finally gave out. No more posi burn outs. I then did the C- clip eliminators strange setup, Spool. You can see the mustang run on youtube under polaris 6147.... its for sale as well. In my opinion, the 8.8 is damn near as strong as a 9 inch the only real advantage to a nine is the gear swap. The 9 has the front set up that bolts in the 8.8 is a major ordeal. The 8.8 its much stronger then a 10 bolt chevy, and it will do everything you stated flawlessly for many years. To me its a hell of a rear end. I ran 550 hp through a 7.5 and did some pretty neat wheel stands in my 82 mustang. That rear end made a believer out of alot of people as well.
Yeah, I think they catch a bad rap. The availabilty and cost is hard to beat. I had a 2000 F150 and dogged the crap out of it, 33's, burnouts, but it was with a 4.2 V6 and it will have no where the torque or HP of what I think im gonna build.... A lot of people dog them, but most never say they actually had one fail.
You will be fine, upgrade the axles, add some c-clip eliminators or just have 9" ends welded on, but decide before you buy axles, because then you need 9" axles if you use 9" ends. I ran one in my 1,000hp mustang, had a girdle cover, tubes welded to the pumpkin, strange 5 lug pro-race axles, spool, and 3.73 gears. I drove it everywhere, to the track, go 8's, drive it home, cruising, etc. Even in stock form, they are fairly stout. But a good launch on slicks can kill one just like anything else, you will find the weakest link. If you beef it up with good parts, it will live forever. If I could do it again, I would have welded the 9" axles ends on mine, as the c-clip eliminators leak when used on the street. I found if you keep an eye on the bolts, and re-tourque them often, it pretty much eliminates the leaking. Good Luck, James
I never understood why they cought a bad rap but they do. They come with 28 spline axles, I upped mine to 33. The weakest part of the structure is perhaps the housing and they sell a strut that can be welded under the pumpkin and out to the ends to keep them from twisting. The axles are strong as hell, and reality is the ring gear is 8.8 or .2 smaller then a 9. Like I said, it is way stronger then a 10 bolt, and they are everywhere. But that 8.8 will be fine and do anything you want.
Beat the snot out of some and never really broke one. In my current project I'm going with a 9" because of the crazy power, manual trans and 10"+ wide slicks, but I considered putting an 8.8" in until I bought the supercharger for the v12 ;-)
We put an 8.8 out of a 99 explorer in my dads 41 tudor. It has 31 spline axles from the factory and the small ford bolt pattern. His also came with 3:73 gears and a factory locker. We haven't tested it yet.
Also, I'm pretty sure that using a 9" will create more drivetrain losses, based on the geometry of the gears. Therefore you need more power just to turn the 9" and the faster you go the more those loses become. I would say build a proper 8.8 and don't look back. My guideline is that a 9" is only for someone who has broken a built 8.8.
the 8.8 is a tough ass axle, they get overlooked because of the 9" for some reason. i've blown up a 9", every axle has its breaking point. if i was picking a new axle it would be an 8.8 all the way, not only are they strong and cheap and everywhere but they eat up less horsepower than a 9".
8.8's are tough. I put many a hard nitrous launch on the stocker with 3.73's in my 95 Mustang on a sticky tire and a 5 speed.
I just put one in my '51 F1, and I'm worried it won't hold up to my flathead? AHAHAHA....I can't even write that without laughing... But on a serious note, this is a good thread, I was wondering the same thing for my coupe build. The 8.8 explorer posi rear I bought for my F1 was only about $250, and with a wide range of choices of factory gearing it seems like a nice low-budget option for a hot rod even if you have some horsepower?
The 8.8 is used in Shelby GT500s and those have been modified to close to 1000HP with no rear end failures on the track. Best rear end out there for the money. Where you going to find traction on the street anyhow?
I put a 8.8 out of an explorer in my 55 chevy. 31 spline axles, disk brakes, 3.73 gears, Posi, sway bar. (If you can adapt it) For $120!!!!!!!! its like a sore d*ck. CANT BEAT IT.
the one in my stock 98 mustang gt popped while going 70 mph on the freeway, but then again it had 198,000 miles on it when it happened
Surprisingly, no. It was tired when the car was "retired", but it still worked. I also powershifted the hell out of the poor thing.
Good info to know, I was looking to put one in the back of the Binder as I've heard one out of an Explorer is the perfect width for my truck. The only question I had was durability, but after reading above I'm sold on it.
I punished an 8.8 rear in an 89 Mustang running a done up 306 on nitrous, a Tremec TKO manual transmission, and slicks or huge drag radials for years, never had an issue with it. They definitely take a beating...gotta watch those pesky T5's though... I did grenade a 7.5 in a friend's 82 Mustang after putting an engine in it on a test drive.. it was a fun test drive until that point!
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