How much abuse can an 8.8 take?

[5.0]

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Suppose somebody had a mildly built 460 and an 8.8 geared 3.73 with 36's on it in a Ranger, how much abuse could the 8.8 handle?

The 8.8 would be from a late 90's Explorer, so it would have the bigger 31 spline axles. The Mustang guys put a lot of power through the 8.8... but that's with a light 26" tire.


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[flareside_thunder]

I've seen the axleshafts snap on a 300-6 5 spd truck with 33's while trying to do a powerbrake.....I've put mine through hell and it's holding up fine so far....

 

[rjphillips]

A Ranger is pretty light compared to full size, should hold up alright with some abuse.

 

[5.0]

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Something else I wonder, how much more abuse could it take with an aftermarket locker and axle shafts?

I can put some coin into it and still be cheaper than narrowing a 14 bolt axle.


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[flareside_thunder]

If you're hellbent on an 8.8 I'd damn sure look at the c-clip eliminators, at least then if you break somethin you can limp it somewhere safe.....or just go for a 9 inch.

 

[5.0]

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I'm open to suggestions and not set on an 8.8, was just thinking of it as an option. What the plan is... drop a 460/C6/205 in my '93 2wd Ranger and put a narrowed D44 up front and something in the rear to match, but it would have to be stock width.


I have a D60 rear, but it's nearly impossible to narrow.

I could buy a 14 bolt cheap. It can be narrowed by taking 6" out of the long side tube, then run a factory shaft from the short side in the narrowed side. Lincoln locker rear differential. Fairly cheap and still uses factory shafts, but then the differential is offset way to the side and the 14 bolt has horrible ground clearance. I have a set of 8 lug outters for the front D44 to match the 14 bolt lug pattern, which will gain me some stopping power. The 14 bolt will not break.

A 9" cost more to buy than an Explorer 8.8, but would likely need regeared to 3.73 and will prolly need narrowed, but will have the 5.5x5 lug pattern. The pinion of a 9" sits too low.

Explorer 8.8 is cheap, factory disc brakes, and won't need narrowed. It would need the rotors and axle shafts drilled to a 5.5x5 pattern. May need a new carrier and axle shafts if they break too easy.


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