When my dad swapped an 8.8 posi in what's now my Maverick, he didn't realize how low the gearing would be. Neither of us knows where the rear end came from (I wasn't alive yet and my dad doesn't remember) or what ratio they are, but my car is crap for any highway driving, it runs at really high RPMs. It's crap for snow and rain because I have so much freaking torque with only a 2bbl stock 302 and C4 (but the cool thing is I towed a Suburban up a driveway without breaking a sweat, and it does third gear burnouts with the linelock). What does changing them entail and what ratio should I shoot for?
your car should have an 8" not an 8.8". you really have 3 options. 1 put an overdrive trans in like an aod or a t5 2 swap the third member in you 8" with one that has a taller gear ratio like 3.00 3 have the gears in your third member swapped with a taller ratio. the first option is the most expensive but the best for performance the second is the cheapest be cause you should be able to get a good used third member for really cheap but it wont have a limited slip the third will cost a bit more than the second but allot less than the first option
if you do the math, DC12VOLT says that the lsd was put in before he was born. so if hes just driving now, then there is a chance that a mid 90s or older 8.8 was used, but i doubt it. i suspect that he is making the common mistake of saying 8.8 instead of 8".
Im doing the AOD swap with 4:11 yukon 4 spider limited slip in 8". An AOD swap may sound expensive and complicated, but pays off with Hiway drivability, gas milage and reduces engine wear with lower RPMs. Good Luck.
I said some I didn't say "half" or "every single one", I really don't know why people take words out of context. I missed that part
Could be that you only mentioned the rarest ratio option and left the rest out ? Giving the impression that he had 4.11's ?
I was exaggerating when I said it was put in before I was born, sorry. But the gears are pretty short and it's 5-lug (which is why my dad got it, because he did it when he swapped the V8 into it). How do I tell whether it's an 8 or an 8.8?
8" rear has a removeable center section (from the front), 8.8 has a ten bolt rear cover and an "integral carrier" that removes from the rear. Guessing ratio based on just what it "sounds like" going down the freeway is extremely deceptive, especially if you're used to listening to an overdrive car. A 1 to 1 direct transmission with a 2.79 gear sounds like it's going a million rpms too, if you're used to OD cars. All that aside, if it's an 8" rear, you'll be able to get a socket on the two bottom center section nuts. If you cannot and only an end wrench will fit the bottom nuts, then you've got a 9" rear.
I have a 1973 maverick that i want to put a posi traction rear end in will any of the explorer rear ends fit or what about the 1987 thru 1990 mustang gt? Any information would be great thanks.
