I was eyeing up some 3.31s but scored a set of FoMoCo 3.27 for $75. Found a local guy with a good reputation to talk to about the converter so I'll see what he thinks. I'll pull it and let him check it out before I swap gears but I think I'd like to get some more in there in any case. Sounds like I'm going to be close to the limiter at the finish line as is, let alone if I turn it up any more.

 

Your turbo will like the additional load.

 

Got the carrier out of the rear to swap gears and check bearings and all. Everything looks OK, but the pass side inner bearing has some potential heat marks and the axle splines are worse for wear. They've been in the car for about 5 years of abusive street driving so I can't say I'm surprised. Just wondering if I should put more into the 8.8 to go to a bigger axle and 9" ends or just bite the bullet and do a 9" axle. I have stock 1.6" bearing ends that came on it from the explorer. Splines in the carrier look fine from what I can see. #ad

This is a Moser "Street" axle cut to length for the 54" housing length.

 

8.8's are plenty strong. They usually don't fail until wicked fast 60-foot times .. at which point the ring gear usually implodes. I like the idea of 9" ends on 8.8's - better overall option than c-clip eliminators and should help the bearing issues.

 

Do a good write up if you do the nine inch ends. I need to narrow a 8.8 and seeing somebody else do it is nice.

 

Sn95 brakes work with the 9" ends? I have explorer ends and disk brakes now, still have c clips. I hate to change everything but this would be a good time to do it.

 

Cool bit of info, 9" ends are the same bolt pattern as the later explorer ends. I found these:

https://www.currieenterprises.com/late-model-large-bearing-axle-retainer-plates-explorer-brake

These let you run the explorer brakes with a standard 9" end and bearing without much fuss, theoretically. I think I'm going to go ahead and get some ends, those retainers, and get to work. Obviously I'll need new axles but I'm OK with that.

 

Nice little treat I found from the guy that narrowed this rear when I first put the car together. I guess he didnt cut the tube square and needed a filler. #ad

 

DAM!

 

Yeah....

Part of me says fuck it, the other 80% says I need to redo it if I'm putting new ends on anyway. Found a local guy that said he'd let me use his alignment bar so I guess I'll give it a go. Can't turn out any worse than a bolt as filler material!

 

That's unbelievable. I guess whoever did that failed welding 101.

 

How did that look from the OUTSIDE? I'm fairly impressed if they managed to make it seamlessly fill the other side. Its redneck as hell though

 

Lots of grinding I guess. You'd never know it looking at the tube!

 

Grinder is my best friend!
I have to narrow one also, need the pucks and a bar and better welding skills.

 

I have seen some miss aligned tubes before. Not sure how they effect strength. Someone told me an axle shop they went to would not bend 8.8 axle tubes?

It could have been cut square to the tube but if there is a bend in the tube it would create a gap. If you re-cut it to get the angle perfect you might end up with a short axle?

I am not a welder but I know a backer is sometimes used. I guess what I am saying is time is money how much do you want to pay? I don't know that I would want to pay for perfect when a bolt backer will do as long as the weld is solid and has good penetration.

I would not worry about running it as is. But my standards are pretty low.

 

I trust my welding and measuring, just need the bar. I've tossed around the idea of buying one and doing a few jobs to pay for it. Then if I ever need another one done I have the tools.

I'm 50/50. It's outside where the leaf springs mount so it's really not in the stressed area of the tubes. You can heat and quench the tubes to "straighten" them if the ends don't line up on the bar. A little towards the center section goes a long way to moving the end of the tube. I guess I'd rather see this as a filler than just a bunch of bird shit weld filling a gap.

 

Got the alignment bar! This thing is NOT straight lol. I need to pulled the bearings out of the ends or just cut them off so I can see what needs to move. I have a feeling the passenger side is bent since that's the side that the inner bearing didn't look super happy on. I don't have a torch here now so I'll try some hot welds on the tubes to see if they move. If not I'll grab a torch and try that. Doesn't look like it needs to move much but the bar is almost the diameter of the axles so there isn't much wiggle room.

 

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Driver side top, pass side bottom. It's a good 1/2" off on passenger side. That would most likely explain the bearing and axle wear on that side. If I can get that side moved over enough I'll try to be gentle when I weld the new perches on and recheck after the fact.

 

So are you thinking it bent from use or that's how it came to you from the last guy?

 

Honestly, it's hard to say. I haven't been nice to it but it has not been launched hard on a sticky track or anything so either I moved it when I welded on the perch and the tubes (the other side got the same treatment so I find that hard to believe), or it was never straight to begin with. After seeing the bolt welded in the tube I'm not confident it was straight after the narrow job. He did have a jig, so I'd assume it wasn't this far out when he was done but who knows.