Giant 8.8 Trussed Diff Cover

[ChaseTruck754]

oh and to be clear when I say "stock for stock" - I'm thinking a 9" pulled from a 80-87ish bronco.

[VintageIronFab]

So what is the cost to install this truss buy someone? I would still say that if you have that much in your rear end you could sell it for some decent money to fun the 9" build. When you all are talking built 9" I am figuring about $2200 and thats $1000 for the center section- is the $3k you all are talking about spending a decent amount on the housing -- truss, perches, etc??

[SteveG]

I've thought about doing something similar with the 8.8 on all the Explorers I've had. They have perches on the back of the axle-tubes for the sway bar to mount to. I'd thought to build a brace that bolted to the cover and to those perches but I had no desire to build a cover strong enough to attach to... maybe I'll see if Geoff will sell just the cover portion so I can build off it.

I do wonder what it would do to the sealing surface... does it become rigid enough to keep the cover from shifting on the diff?

[Jbfab]

There is room on my rig for a top truss, its only about 1" above the center section. A 9" would be awesome but theres also the vss relocation kit. Thats anouther $300 and will be in the same space as my tcase ebrake. I also have alot of money laying around for my 8.8 that i wont get back trying to sell. I have the truss -$150, the cromo axles-$150, the disk brakes-$150, perches and tabs-$50, locker$350. That a good chunk of change beefing an 8.8 that i will never get back.

[ChaseTruck754]

maybe I'll see if Geoff will sell just the cover portion so I can build off it.

If not, Ruff Stuff makes fabricated covers like that. Not sure if they do for the 8.8, but they might. Typically they are a 3/8" think flange & 3/16 - 1/4" thing plate if I remember correctly. I have a Ruff Stuff one on my d60 front.

[Jbfab]

Ruff stuff has them for the 8.8 and ballistic fab does to if your into the skulls like i am. The ballistics are thick iirc.

[Jbfab]

Just looked ballistics is 3/8 threwout with grade 8 hardware included.

[Dezurfer]

I do like the truss WAY better than Artec & other top trusses. I'm gonna build mine this way now.
31 spline 8.8 vs 9" I think as long as you weld the tubes & truss it. Its as good as the 9" & you have a higher ground clearance on the driveshaft. I rock race so that clearance counts.

[birch]

I bought a ruff cover and made the templates for the Giant truss but could not convince myself a bolted together truss would be worth all the extra weight and welding. You need to make sure it does not tweak when you weld it. Shops have a jig that goes inside. I was thinking a bottom simple truss between the lower shock mounts that would tie in.