8.8 opinions

[AussieRod]

Stick with 35s

35's look silly with 17" wheels and fiberglass fenders and bed sides!

Tell that to Rick and the Flying Bronco, with 35's and 15's it looks just fine.

[AussieRod]

I did a complete rebuild and extendo 8.8 with a upper brace for about ~1200.

I understand the need for ground clearance etc, but putting a 'upper brace' on a 8.8 is like putting an ashtray on a motorbike, its pointless. Unless you want to attach links to the top of the 8.8 casing, a tension brace underneath the housing is what the 8.8 really needs. The cast iron centre section and the axle sockets are really weak compared to a 9". An upper brace only gives leverage to stress trying to pull out the tubes from the centre housing. I have converted several tradesman's F trucks to 9" because the 8.8 housings smile and leak real easy with overloading (common here). I WAS going to sleeve mine and fit 9" ends, but the cost outweighs the 9" replacement several times over. Besides, we have quite an industry focused around the Ford 9" and virtually nothing for the 8.8. My opinion doesnt mean much, but just saying.

[mesquito_creek]

I am hoping the way that upper brace that the jeep guys have developed pretty much stops the tubes from spinning and thats about it. I am not suggesting it stacks up to the way many different 9 inch housings have been built to hold up to the abuse. I do have alot of miles running alot of 8.8 getto fabulous rear ends, but I am not selling it as equal. But properly done on a "pre-runner" as the OP qualified his truck as, he can try it knowing others are running it and providing an opinion on it, who will report success or failure. My original stock rear end housing never failed with over a couple 1000 miles of baja prerunning. I sheared off all the studs on one wheel and destroy other wheels, broke U-joints and the what not. I dont jump my truck on purpose either. I run this truck purpose built for Baja and there is one thing I know that there is ample supply of and that is ford 8.8 rear ends in salvage yards up and down the penisula... So for me retaining a bolt in solution is part of the give and take of the equation.

[Andy Jones]

mesquito_creek do you have some pics you could post?

I've also been looking at axle housings all weekend online. the Bronco's rear suspension "phase 1"! will consist of.. national leafs, threat shackles, threat shock mount, 12" 2.5 Bypass. So i'd like too get the rear housing done up once/right the first time. These are the rears I've been checking out.. "Phase 2" which will be way down the road! will have Threat Links, in like 2014+!!
schreiner
http://www.9inchfloater.com/CompleteRrE ... _28_31.htm
giant
http://giantmotorsports.com/index.php?o ... &Itemid=54

http://giantmotorsports.com/index.php?o ... &Itemid=55
B.M.S
http://www.blitzkriegoffroad.com/produc ... usings_all

Currie
http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestor ... px?id=3549

Ruffstuff
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/cat ... D9HOS.html

Camburg
http://www.camburg.com/products/rear-en ... -rear-end/

[Nick]

I am hoping the way that upper brace that the jeep guys have developed pretty much stops the tubes from spinning and thats about it. I am not suggesting it stacks up to the way many different 9 inch housings have been built to hold up to the abuse. I do have alot of miles running alot of 8.8 getto fabulous rear ends, but I am not selling it as equal. But properly done on a "pre-runner" as the OP qualified his truck as, he can try it knowing others are running it and providing an opinion on it, who will report success or failure. My original stock rear end housing never failed with over a couple 1000 miles of baja prerunning. I sheared off all the studs on one wheel and destroy other wheels, broke U-joints and the what not. I dont jump my truck on purpose either. I run this truck purpose built for Baja and there is one thing I know that there is ample supply of and that is ford 8.8 rear ends in salvage yards up and down the penisula... So for me retaining a bolt in solution is part of the give and take of the equation.

Amen Brother!

[mesquito_creek]

I don't want to turn it into a free ad for the brace manufacturer, but I thought it was a pretty good piece for 99 bucks and saved me a ton of time trying to out think it. You have to retain the offset becuase its built into the aftermarket brace. I am not sure if the leaf spacing is the same on a Bronco vs f150, but my guess is that it is the same where the 40 inch brace will work... And here is a pic of an 8.8 on a spool with 4:88's for what its worth, (C Clip Eliminated) with the 9 inch axles/ends/retainers...

[300]

I did a complete rebuild and extendo 8.8 with a upper brace for about ~1200.

I understand the need for ground clearance etc, but putting a 'upper brace' on a 8.8 is like putting an ashtray on a motorbike, its pointless.

We used to think the same thing, but found that if you hit a rock or big center berm with the center of the axle, it puts the top of the housing in tension and you can break it that way. Of course if the rock was big enough, the housing shatters anyway. And many of those top braces look like they would have limited usefulness. We found out about the need for top bracing as well as bottom bracing with the D44 straight front axles.

[mesquito_creek]

Pretty much most of my "upgrades" are a result of breaking some other less effective component. In the case of this 8.8/9 hybrid, the stock 8.8 snapped all 5 lugs off the passenger side and it was after dark around 9 pm in baja 3-4 miles west of the hwy 5 out in the laguna salada and I had no extra wheel studs. I wasn't particularly interested in trying to steal studs off other wheels either. So instead of making a big production out of it to try and salavage my 100 dollar stock rear end, I engaged the front differential and drove it out on 3 wheels pulling it with the front diff (TTB 4x4 rules!) . It ground the brake backing plate and end of the housing down to a nice nub of sorts. At that point it seemed perfectly natural to cut the ends off and make a big bearing end 9 inch hybrid out of the exact same stock housing. I didn't even bother with a donor axle, I built the original stock housing and put the 100 bucks toward the spool... I personally haven't experienced catestrophic housing failure in any rear end yet, they generally give you some warning when they start smiling at you and then the seals/berrings give out and spray gear oil all over the back of the cab, but they mostly can return you to camp under those conditions...

[AussieRod]

Guys, dont get me wrong, I am not saying the 8.8 is a POS, nor am I saying that my ideas are any better. I am sure others have flogged their 8.8's and had no problems and others break/bend/crush the tubes easily. With a good long travel rear suspension, damage can be greatly reduced as the axle tubes would rarely hit the bump stops (one of the main causes of 8.8 tube and housing failure). In a stock height setup, the higher likelyhood of hitting the bumpstops too hard too many times can cause big problems for the thin tubes and the centre section/tube joint. Ideally a top and bottom brace would be the ideal, as 300 suggests with their front D44 housing. With thicker tubes, 9" ends and those braces, the only weak point might be the R&P. Personally, I would prefer the 8.8 over the 9" for my F100, but as I stated before, here the cost of the upgrades far exceeds my wallet, so a 9" it is. In the end, its your money, spend as you think is best.

[SuperSixAxis]

Andy, any decisions made yet?

The Van Nuys 4wheel parts has a new Dana 60 centered 9" custom built for a guys 86 Bronco that is loaded with 4.56 and a detroit for $1500(Retail was 2300+) Built by Currie Drum to Drum complete!

[mesquito_creek]

Guys, dont get me wrong, I am not saying the 8.8 is a POS, nor am I saying that my ideas are any better. I am sure others have flogged their 8.8's and had no problems and others break/bend/crush the tubes easily. With a good long travel rear suspension, damage can be greatly reduced as the axle tubes would rarely hit the bump stops (one of the main causes of 8.8 tube and housing failure). In a stock height setup, the higher likelyhood of hitting the bumpstops too hard too many times can cause big problems for the thin tubes and the centre section/tube joint. Ideally a top and bottom brace would be the ideal, as 300 suggests with their front D44 housing. With thicker tubes, 9" ends and those braces, the only weak point might be the R&P. Personally, I would prefer the 8.8 over the 9" for my F100, but as I stated before, here the cost of the upgrades far exceeds my wallet, so a 9" it is. In the end, its your money, spend as you think is best.

We are in complete agreement! top and bottom bracing, more better! If this deal of mine doesn't hold up I will transfer the currie 9 axles, remove the complete brakes set up, put the 8.8 gears/spool for sale and build a 9 inch housing / third member. Where I am at people think complete used junk 9 inches are gold plated.

For the original poster, this whole 8.8 redo took me just under 2 weeks to complete in my garage tinkering afterwork and the weekends. That included having the housing/9inch ends at a differential shop and put on a axle trueing bar and welding it all up....

[philofab]

A Dana 60 center would be a great way to go if it was built with 35 spline. Dana 60s came in E250/350 vans so there is a way to put a VSS on it.

I'm still building a Sterling.

Would anyone be interested in me building semi float Sterlings in a stock or +3 (1.5 per side) width with 35 spline axles and Explorer/F150 dsic brakes (working parking brake, F150 is 16" or larger wheel)? I've got to have bushings machined for my alignment jig anyways.

[Deleted Account]

sterlings are great... but super long if you have an e4od. i would really like to try a super 14.. still long but at least i can tab it for link mounts..

[philofab]

sterlings are great... but super long if you have an e4od. i would really like to try a super 14.. still long but at least i can tab it for link mounts..

Super 14 would be awesome.... but way farther up there in $$$ and the VSS still needs to be relocated with your kit or done a different way. I figure the Sterling or D60 would be a good "mild" budget rear end that would be very reliable and low on upkeep. Price should be about the same as a 9" with only about 20lb more weight. You wouldn't have to buy a gearset or bearings every year like I do with the 9". How long does a 9" ring and pinion last you Mark?

Brian runs a Sterling with an E4OD, I wonder what travel # he is limited at? If it's really an issue you could drop the rear of the trans an inch or two.

[ChaseTruck754]

I'm looking at using d70 snouts, hubs & axles on a 9" case. No clue what that's called other than "redneck injuneering".

That is if I get un-lazy and don't just do a basic 14b with a truss.


What is a super 14? 14 bolt based something I would assume...

[Polarcub]

I am going to go forward with my sterling as well, I have a FF with disc brakes. I am going to run a wheel adapter on the rear adds +2 in width to each side which will compliment the widening up front. Even with the new driveshaft,spacers, locker, and conversion to 8 lug upfront I think I will come out cheaper in the end. The other benefit is that the rear axles will remain stock length so availability remains simple.
IMO the conversion from the 8.8 ends up being pricey no matter which route you go and each method seems to bring about its own set of issues.

[philofab]

I'm looking at using d70 snouts, hubs & axles on a 9" case. No clue what that's called other than "redneck injuneering".

That is if I get un-lazy and don't just do a basic 14b with a truss.


What is a super 14? 14 bolt based something I would assume...

Aftermarket 14b dropout for fabricated housings.

http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/fab-shop/89714.htm

[tcm glx]

IMO the conversion from the 8.8 ends up being pricey no matter which route you go and each method seems to bring about its own set of issues.

THIS!

[ChaseTruck754]

I'm looking at using d70 snouts, hubs & axles on a 9" case. No clue what that's called other than "redneck injuneering".

That is if I get un-lazy and don't just do a basic 14b with a truss.


What is a super 14? 14 bolt based something I would assume...

Aftermarket 14b dropout for fabricated housings.

http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/fab-shop/89714.htm

SAWEET! I was thinking about one of these earlier but hadn't seen anyone making anything. Too bad I'm pretty busy at work today. I've got a bunch of reading to do...

[philofab]

I'm looking at using d70 snouts, hubs & axles on a 9" case. No clue what that's called other than "redneck injuneering".

That is if I get un-lazy and don't just do a basic 14b with a truss.


What is a super 14? 14 bolt based something I would assume...

Aftermarket 14b dropout for fabricated housings.

http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/fab-shop/89714.htm

SAWEET! I was thinking about one of these earlier but hadn't seen anyone making anything. Too bad I'm pretty busy at work today. I've got a bunch of reading to do...

They are being made again.