I'm in the process of purchasing a posi third member for my 8". Question; do the axels have to be pulled when removing the old piece? Or is it just a simple unbolt, remove/replace?
I have decided to keep my 8" and install a locker I have read that this is a very strong axle and the 9" is a lot heavier.
Facts: 8.8" rear is heavier than 9" rear. C-clips are a weak point... 8"s and 9"s don't have them. 8.8" rear discs can be fitted to 8" and 9" rears with proper donor vehicle. 9" rears are dirt cheap to build, it's the entry price that is higher due to our cars needing such a narrow version. I have grenaded 3 8" rears with 302s in a Maverick Mini-spools are dangerous to yourself, your car, and most importantly... innocent bystanders/driving public. Bad for your tires and axles too. My opinions: 8" rear that fits, you own, and/or is going behind a mild V8 is better than buying, modding, and building a heavier and only slightly stronger 8.8" rear. It seems like you want an 8.8" because parts are cheaper... True, but the 8" parts are not so much more expensive that it will cover the expense of buying and fitting an 8.8". If your engine is going to be anything more than stock/very mild, then the entry fee to a 9" is worth the cost. After the aquisition of the rear, parts are cheapest, strongest, lightest... My .02 Dave
hmm now i have a question , how/what can i use for a locker, i was goin to use a mini spool , herd good and bad.... i have 8 inch , and as far as i know they dont make full spools for 8 inch, and ive herd a posi unit doesnt work well w/ slicks it will burn the clutchs really fast, not sure on that one. my car will be strictly strip car.
just to keep the debate going did you know 8'' 28 spline and 9'' 28 spline axles interchange,they are one in the same.BTW i have a 9'' in my car just because it was a cheaper way to go.Took a rear from a 1966 f100 parts truck i had,it had 3.89 gears,posi,$100 to narrow it,$150 posi clutch kit and bearings,$25 for spring perches,so for about $275 i had a 9'' in the car.Derek.
You only need to slide the axels out a few inches on each side. Complete removal is not neccessary for removing the carrier...
They have 8.8's in 8 second, 3000 lb mustangs.... They work. Just like any rear, it needs mods to make it work. But they work.
http://www.andale.com/store?view=CAT_HOME&catId=1248831&sid=172860&mode=1 Try this site for fair prices on 8 inch stuff.
Nephew had an 8" in his Must II, ran high 7's 1/8, would break the gears about every two years. I didn't want a 9", due to they use more HP since the pinion is lower, and everthing is bigger, but it's no prob to narrow the housing to size, and use my stock axles. I narrowed one years ago, shortend the axles some and moved the springs in and had 10.5" slicks and the car sat very low. I forgot about the c-clip crap, I may just find some sort of posi for the 8".
Two words...Detroit Locker. Maybe a little more expensive, but you don't have to worry about clutches. You also can't get a decent two wheel burnout with some posi units. But I believe a locker will do the trick. Just my .02 And yes, you can get Detroit Lockers for the 8"...check out this site: http://www.justrearends.com/
the mini spools are the same, but you can get them with different spline numbers. Just make sure you get the one that matches your axle splines. All it is is a sleeved axle extender that fits over the ends of both axles in effect making them one long axle. I have used one on the street for a few years, and really cannot tell except very rarely on very tight turns, or in gravel drives (you can hear more gravel crunching on one side than the other). If yours is a strip only car, this is the best for a real locking differential (always locked) and has no parts to wear out. Oh yeah... I can also tell when I take off. Both tires squeal, not just one Burnouts too...two big puffs of black smoke, not just one...
