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8.8 score


hdmm

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
80
City
Flagler County, FL.
Vehicle Year
1997
Transmission
Automatic
I've been looking to swap out my 7.5 to 8.8 in my '97, I finally found one today for a good price out of a 2003, it's 8.8, 4.10 ratio with limited slip diff.

What limited slip does Ford use in these? Not really familiar with them, is it the same as the 5.0 Mustang? (I had a 93 LX for awhile)
 
The 2003 limited slip should be a Torsen(sp) locker and the 93 was a clutch pack type.
 
OK, I was a little familiar with the Trac Loc because I rebuilt mine in the Mustang when I went to 3:73 gears.

I know nothing about the Torsen so I'm kinda hoping it's just a Trac Loc.

I got the rear cheap so I'm happy wither way, I get better gearing than I had and some kind of LS
 
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OK, I was a little familiar with the Trac Loc because I rebuilt mine in the Mustang when I went to 3:73 gears.

I know nothing about the Torsen so I'm kinda hoping it's just a Trac Loc.

I got the rear cheap so I'm happy wither way, I get better gearing than I had and some kind of LS

If its out of a Fx4 lvl II then it is a 31 spline 8.8 with a Torsen LS. The Torsen unit is superior to the TracLok. It doesn't have clutches to wear out.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 
If it's not from a '03 FX4-Level II truck, it'll be the standard Ford Traction-Lok differential (and 28-spline shafts).

They can be made pretty good by adding an extra clutch plate to each side when you rebuild them, and use less friction modifier (or none at all as long as it doesn't chatter).
Should be some info on this in the Tech Library.
 
If it sees any road time and it isn't an off-road only truck I do not recommend no friction modifier. I have seen/felt what dry clutches do, it is not pleasant.
 
i got a 8.8 from a 93 ranger and it had traction lok. but can you just swap in 4.10 if you had 3.73 before? dont you need to change front gear ratio with rear?
 
i got a 8.8 from a 93 ranger and it had traction lok. but can you just swap in 4.10 if you had 3.73 before? dont you need to change front gear ratio with rear?

My truck is 2wd.....



Got the rear, it's a 28 spline, needed axle seals and pinion seal, along with all new brakes and drums.

I took replaced all the seals, cleaned out the inside a bit, sealed it back up and filled up with new gear lube and FRP friction modifier and threw a little paint on it.

Got the old one out and the new one installed under the truck today, just gotta do the brakes tomorrow or Wed, bleed the wheel cylinders and it's done.

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Had to pick up new wheels cylinders as well to fix the brakes on the 8.8, while doing this I found out that somewhere along the line Ford changed the brake line from std to metric. The wheel cylinder for 2003 wouldnt work with my '97 brake lines, so I had to go back to the store and get wheel cylinders for a '97. My parking brake cables on the 97 worked perfectly on the 03 rear end.

So far on this 8.8 I had to replace the pinion seal, both axle seals, new gear lube, FRP friction modifier, brake shoes, all the shoe hardware, the adjusters and all the hardware for them, wheel cylinders and new drums. Good thing I basically got the rear axle for free or else I would have been into it for too much money for what it is.

Got it all installed yesterday and the brakes bled and adjusted, then I took it for a test ride. Very noticable difference right out of the driveway! The truck definately has more "pep" now with the 4.10 gears and the trak-loc has no problem spinning both tires and I notice improved braking now that I have 10x2-1/2" brakes. :headbang:

IMAGE_093_zps6cc4a954.jpg


IMAGE_095_zpsb1e1f189.jpg


IMG_0871_zps00793171.jpg
 
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