Page 6 of 17
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:24 pm
by Coops
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-Emp ... ccessories
yup defo two different lengths,
and after reading this:
http://www.badshoeproductions.com/rear.html
8.8-Inch Rear Axle
1. With a few exceptions the 8.8” rear ends generally have 31 spline axles with unequal lengths on full size trucks and vans (short axle on right side). Car models normally use 28 spline axles with equal lengths.
so i either go with odd length shafts,
get the longer side shortened,
or look out for a mussie 8.8 set up

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:28 pm
by Coops
thev8kid wrote:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-Emp ... ccessories
yup defo two different lengths,
and after reading this:
http://www.badshoeproductions.com/rear.html
8.8-Inch Rear Axle
1. With a few exceptions the 8.8” rear ends generally have 31 spline axles with unequal lengths on full size trucks and vans (short axle on right side). Car models normally use 28 spline axles with equal lengths.
so i either go with odd length shafts,
get the longer side shortened,
or look out for a mussie 8.8 set up

drivers side is 31 spline for 97 & up Mountaineer, 95 & up Explorer, 30-1/2 inch length - 5 X 4.5 inch lug pattern.
passenger side is 31 spline for 97 & up Mountaineer, 95 & up Explorer, 27-5/8 inch length - 5 X 4.5 inch lug pattern
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:35 pm
by ian.stewart
Still recon you should have gone 8", That one on the NSRa has gone now,It was the right width, You would not break one with a RV8, they are strong a fook, and Rally design were selling them as their super strong aftermarket axle, until the secret got out, all it was was a Curries 8" given a hefty price increase, Think Kev Jenkins uses one under hjs escort to run 9s
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:57 pm
by Coops
i was going to have that one on nsra but he text me this morning saying sold,
parts seem to be twice as expensive for the 8" compared to the 8.8 though.
lsd units, $400-$500 for the 8"
$200-$400 for the 8.8
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:09 pm
by stevieturbo
replacement parts shouldnt be an issue if you can buy one complete and ready to go. Hopefully you'll never need any replacement parts !!
If you can get a complete housing at a keen price, I really wouldnt care what length each side is. Just adapt it to suit what you need and make them the same length, or whatever length. Its no big deal.
the most important bit is a housing !! the internals simply wont work without one lol
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:32 am
by Coops
I'm currently talking to a guy on the oldskool ford forum who has just fitted an explorer 8.8 to a capri,
You shorten the long side by about 3" and get asecond short explorer shaft. One 8.8 for the capri
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 6:32 pm
by stevieturbo
sounds like a plan
Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 9:39 am
by Coops
right fingers crossed it looks like im going to be the owner ofa mussie 8.8 axle with LSD and 28 spline shafts,
its in the states though so fingers crossed with allans help we should be getting it shipped up to allans container he has coming back (see allans post regarding anyone want anything)
a couple of things, im going to run c clip elims, i know you have to shorten the tubes back to the back plate brackets for them to fit,
would this work for an easy cheap fix? the mussie axle is 59.5" wide which maybe too much for the cappa, if we remove the back plate brackets and move them in an inch either side and trim tubes back, will that work?
as the bearings locate in the elimhousing yeah and not the axle tubes, or am i barking up the wrong tree and it wont work???
Stevie may need your 3.27 gears mate if the offers still there, as the axle has 3.08 gears.
Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 11:57 am
by ian.stewart
depends if you intend narrowing the axle, if you are, its new shaft time
Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:53 pm
by Coops
Been informed I can get away loosing an inch of the shafts as will be enough engagement,
Not sure how true that is till I can get the axlle here and do some measuring
Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 5:03 pm
by stevieturbo
thev8kid wrote:right fingers crossed it looks like im going to be the owner ofa mussie 8.8 axle with LSD and 28 spline shafts,
its in the states though so fingers crossed with allans help we should be getting it shipped up to allans container he has coming back (see allans post regarding anyone want anything)
a couple of things, im going to run c clip elims, i know you have to shorten the tubes back to the back plate brackets for them to fit,
would this work for an easy cheap fix? the mussie axle is 59.5" wide which maybe too much for the cappa, if we remove the back plate brackets and move them in an inch either side and trim tubes back, will that work?
as the bearings locate in the elimhousing yeah and not the axle tubes, or am i barking up the wrong tree and it wont work???
Stevie may need your 3.27 gears mate if the offers still there, as the axle has 3.08 gears.
Fitting the c-clip elims and trimming the ends of the axle have no impact on overall flange-flange width.
If you want to shorten the axle tubes themselves by 25mm each side, then that should be feasible using existing parts and then fitting the c-clip elims. There probably will be enough splines on the shafts to allow that
But until you have it all here, its all speculation.
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:41 pm
by Coops
right,
rear coil overs,
do i keep the staggered layout as per capri, one on front one on back of the axle tubes?
also anyone got any 8.8 diff shims kicking about spare

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:58 pm
by stevieturbo
Coops wrote:right,
rear coil overs,
do i keep the staggered layout as per capri, one on front one on back of the axle tubes?
also anyone got any 8.8 diff shims kicking about spare

they dont mount them in the same place ? weird. Keep it simple.
Shims for what ?
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 11:12 pm
by Coops
capri mounts one shock on the front of the axle tube one side and the other one is on the rear of the axle tube,
the body is set up for this with the shock mounts,
you saying mount them both the same side stevie?
regarding shims,
when the axle comes i will need to get that 3.27 cwp off you, so every thing will need shimming again when we refitt the diff.
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 5:36 am
by kiwicar
Hi Tony
the arrangment of one shock in front of the axel and one behind damp the axel when it rotates when the axel loads and unloads, net result it reduces axel tramp when using leaf springs. if you are going to coil springs then put them both on the same side.
Best regards
Mike
(where did the V8 kig go by the way??)