Note: This kit is no longer available – Superior Axle is out of business.
About the only real complaint you can make about the Ford 8.8 axle is that it uses c-clips. If you ever break a c-clip or snap an axle, you have to deal with the problem right where the vehicle stands because there’s nothing to hold the wheel to the axle housing. Superior Axle’s Super 88 kit addresses this problem, as well as a couple of others that especially affect people who swap these axles into Jeeps. And of course, their Super 88 kit also includes 4340 chrome moly shafts which greatly improve the strength and reliability over the stock shafts.
The Super 88™ Axle System features a 35% Increase in strength over stock applications. The system fits 1996 and newer Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer housings with disc brakes.
The kit comes complete with the following:
Two USA-made 4340 chrome moly axles. The axles feature a thicker flange and increased radius to the body for a real strength increase for those side hill moments. This design provides more strength than some aftermarket designs that only increase the thickness of the flange.
Two heavy-duty machined axle retainers with spacer rings.
Complete set of 3/4 ton Timken Roller Bearings™ and Seals.
Two C-Clip eliminators.
Ten 1/2-20 threaded studs.
Two axle badges to show your Superior pride.
The Super 88™ Axle System requires some cutting but no welding. On average it can be installed in under 2 hours.
About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of The Ranger Station, one of the longest-running Ford Ranger enthusiast communities on the web. He has spent over three decades owning, modifying, repairing, and driving Ford Rangers on the street, trail, and cross-country routes.
Since launching TheRangerStation.com in 1999, Jim has documented thousands of real-world Ranger builds, technical repairs, drivetrain swaps, suspension modifications, and off-road tests contributed by owners worldwide. His work has been referenced by enthusiasts, mechanics, and off-road builders looking for practical, experience-based information rather than theoretical advice.
Jim’s hands-on experience includes long-distance overland travel, trail use, drivetrain and axle upgrades, suspension tuning, and platform comparisons across multiple Ranger generations. The content published on The Ranger Station is grounded in first-hand experience and community-verified data, not marketing claims or generic specifications.