differential question

Topic: differential question (Read 964 times) previous topic - next topic

differential question

May 10, 2006, 09:44:00 PM

my buddys got a rear diff from a 88 mustang along with turbine rims and an aluminum drive shaft

i read that the mustang 8.8 rear will bolt into an 86 thunderbird but would need different offset rims. will the turbine rims make up the difference? also will the aluminum driveshaft work on my thunderbird since the car had a AOD trans and this rear? i dont know much about fords:D

the rear is a 8.8 posi rear with 3.73 gears in it and it was all installed not too long ago- i can pick up the rear, rims, and drive shaft for 400$

differential question

Reply #1 – May 10, 2006, 10:03:09 PM

no, but you can still use them. measure your rear from to . if it is the same as the mustang then take the axles/drums from your bird housing and swap them over. if not then you can still use the rear, but your wheels will be set in some... i didn't like it at first but i got over it.

secondly, no the driveshaft won't work. way too short.

differential question

Reply #2 – May 10, 2006, 10:08:02 PM

thanks!

why do i need to swap my axles and drums over?

differential question

Reply #3 – May 10, 2006, 10:17:24 PM

oh wait? you said 86... . i think it was 85.5 for the last year of the mustang width rears... nevermind then. it's late, i'm sleepy.

anyhoos, from 83-85.5 birds used mustang width housings but the axles were longer. the drums were deeper to accommodate this. had you had a bird with said years you could use the axles/drums to push your wheels back out. you still can... you just need to go to the boneyards. but it's not nessecary. i'm done. bed time.

differential question

Reply #4 – May 10, 2006, 11:46:49 PM

I believe the difference is about 3/4" on each side shorter for the narrower '85.5-Earlier axles. My car's an '85 but I'm not sure which half of the year it's from. Hopefully it's early, seeing as how I have a mustang rear getting ready to go in. If it's too narrow, I'll make do with it. I'm sure the stock-width, even stang GT rims won't be too wide that they'd rub on the inside.