Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Drivetrain Tech => Topic started by: turbo86xr7 on March 07, 2007, 11:17:49 PM

Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: turbo86xr7 on March 07, 2007, 11:17:49 PM
I had planned on doing the five lug conversion on my 86 cougar with a 7.5 this weekend. I was poking around on another board asking questions about the swap when i got this replay

ou aren't going to use Ranger axles in your 86 7.5 rear housing because it's not the same width as the rest of them.

The 86-88 7.5 housings in the Tbirds and Cougars is wider than the Mustangs and the 83-85 TBird 7.5 by 3/4" per side. It is also wider than the 8.8 housings found in the Mustangs and 87-88TCs.

You "might" be able to use SN-95 Mustang axles (5-lug) if you pay attention to the bearing surface on the axles, but you're not going to find any drum brake options without some machine work

is this correct?????:punchballs:
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: TucanSam on March 07, 2007, 11:22:56 PM
Thats how I understand it, except I think you can use your current backing plates with a 9in Ranger rotor.
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 07, 2007, 11:23:01 PM
Quote
I had planned on doing the five lug conversion on my 86 cougar with a 7.5 this weekend. I was poking around on another board asking questions about the swap when i got this replay

ou aren't going to use Ranger axles in your 86 7.5 rear housing because it's not the same width as the rest of them.

The 86-88 7.5 housings in the Tbirds and Cougars is wider than the Mustangs and the 83-85 TBird 7.5 by 3/4" per side. It is also wider than the 8.8 housings found in the Mustangs and 87-88TCs.

You "might" be able to use SN-95 Mustang axles (5-lug) if you pay attention to the bearing surface on the axles, but you're not going to find any drum brake options without some machine work

is this correct?????


Uh...yeah...
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 07, 2007, 11:23:47 PM
Quote from: TucanSam;133155
Thats how I understand it, except I think you can use your current backing plates with a 9in Ranger rotor.

You mean Ranger "drum"?
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: TucanSam on March 07, 2007, 11:47:24 PM
So is that correct?  A Ranger drum will work on the 86 backing plates?
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 08, 2007, 07:13:16 AM
The issue isn't the drums, but the axles....
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: turbo86xr7 on March 08, 2007, 07:11:45 PM
i got a line on a complete 5 lug disc brake rear end out of a 92 or a 93 5.0 Will it fit??
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 08, 2007, 08:03:36 PM
92 or 93 5.0 what? Tbird?  No....totally different.
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: turbo86xr7 on March 08, 2007, 08:44:59 PM
Actually it is from a 95 5.0 mustang
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 08, 2007, 08:50:23 PM
Ok, well make up your mind :p

Unless you get the whole axle assy itself, no...it will not fit for the same reasons I mentioned previously.
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: turbo86xr7 on March 08, 2007, 08:56:49 PM
it is complete from rotor to rotor and calipers. It is non abs. Is it a bolt in deal. Am i going to need different brakes lines or anything ??:america:
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 08, 2007, 09:05:03 PM
The '95 "should" have the single center hose to the chassis like the Tbirds IIRC, or at least close (I think that changed in '96), so you shouldn't need to do too much.

You'll need to change things like the proportioning block and the master cylinder however most likely.
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: turbo86xr7 on March 08, 2007, 10:14:45 PM
well i bought the rear end for 150 bucks. hopefully i didnt wastethe money doing so:flame:
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 08, 2007, 10:17:03 PM
That's a pretty good deal.  Was it from a V6? (a 7.5)
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: turbo86xr7 on March 08, 2007, 10:20:26 PM
no a 95 5.0
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 08, 2007, 10:25:39 PM
Well then you got a pretty good deal for $150.

The gear ratio won't be "right" for a 2.3T though.
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: cougarman on March 08, 2007, 10:31:03 PM
the housings arent any wider just the axels also, the housings have been preety much the same from 79-98 fox cars,
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: turbo86xr7 on March 08, 2007, 10:31:18 PM
what are the common gear ratios for those years of stangs?
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 08, 2007, 10:34:41 PM
Quote from: cougarman;133342
the housings arent any wider just the axels also, the housings have been preety much the same from 79-98 fox cars,


He has an 86 with a 7.5, which IS different and wider than the others (the housings).  The overall width from axle  to axle  is the same however.  This has been discussed ALOT on here.
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: turbo86xr7 on March 08, 2007, 10:46:31 PM
i am going to change the bushings on the rear control arms. Are the bushings the same from a 86 to 95 ?
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: Chuck W on March 08, 2007, 10:55:50 PM
The SN-95 bushings are a bit stiffer.
Title: 5 lug rear conversion issues!!!
Post by: turbo86xr7 on March 10, 2007, 12:18:04 AM
will the stock drive shaft bolt up to the 8.8?