I a considering runing a ford 8.8 behind my built up 302 if I can not find a ford 9" with disc breaks but can find a ford 8.8 with disc off of a ranger or explorer, mustang ect. How strong is the 8.8? I plan to push 396 ft/lbs of torque and 300 hp

thanks

 

The 8.8 is a pretty strong unit, can't say how strong, as I've never taxed one to it's limit. I'm an offroader, and I've swapped them into a couple of jeeps, also run them in my 4x4 rangers. I have abused the 8.8 on a regular bases without somuch as a whimper. But with that said, I've never put 400 hp in front of one either, but thier used in mustangs. The best 8.8 would be out of an explorer, they have the big bearings, and 31 spline axles, also rear dics. The next best, but harder to find, would be an 8.8 out of a ranger fx4 level2, same as explorer, but with the torsen lsd.

 

In what vehicle? your EB?

what size of tire? if your not 4 wheeling or running larger than 35s, go with the 8.8. make sure you weld the tubes to the pig so they won't spin.

anything more than that, run a big bearing 9" with a strange nodular center w/ 35 spline axles.

or go dana 70 and narrow it.. (pita).

9" is nicer b/c it is modular. if you break the center, you can just replace it.

 

8.8 will hold up to 400 hp without much problems. The problems arise with how you drive it. If your gonna be rough with it then upgrade to 31spline and weld it. It'll hold if your tires aren't too big and you aren't too rough. If your gonna be that rough you need to go dana 60 anyway.

I run a 28 spline 8.8 in my mustang with 500 lbs of torque. But i'm not hard on it. Alot of mustangs run the 31spline with slicks all day long.

What are you putting this in and what kinda driving are we talking about?

 

8.8 = chevy 10 bolt with a ford logo and either one is considered the weakest axle ever put in a V8 powered vehicle. Don't beleive me it's the same as a 10 bolt then go start looking up part numbers for the bearings like the axle bearings they are the same. Speaking of axle bearings there should be the first clue the inner race on the axle bearing is the AXLE, thus if you have on go bad guess what you just toasted an axle and have to replace it also, next since they are a C clip axle (just like the chevy 10 bolt) if you ever break an axle your entire wheel falls off your truck, yep thats a good idea. Next due the **** poor design the front pinion bearing doesn't get enough oil so are very prone to going out. And when I worked for Chev dealership one of the biggest things we got to fix on axles was leaking axle seals they were so common about going out that it was almost a once or twice a week job coming into the shop, this worked so well at keeping the brakes lubed up with gear oil that ford decided that the axle seals used in teh Chev 10 bolt were a great idea to use in the 8.8, yep once again exact same part setup exactly the same way with exactly the same results.
I personally wouldn't run a 8.8 behind a 12hp briggs in my garden tractor.

 

Well, technically, it wasent ford who coppied cause salbury makes both the 10bolt and 8.8
I would always go with a spicer 9" I mean a company who builds axles for tractor trailers won't build crap like a 10bolt or 8.8

 

I'd rather have a 9" with drums over the 8.8 even though it has discs. You could always swap in disc if you want.
I haven't personally had a 8.8, but I've heard of people breaking them left and right off road with 35"-38" tires, and put a full floater kit in it, and it helped the issue, but later swapped to a 9", and never had the problem again.
Just what I've heard, but from people that know.

 

no comparison 9" all the way, especially with the aftermarket backing and not having that c clip crap

 

Superior has taken care of that problem. They just put out an axle kit for the 8.8 the eliminates the clip and widens the axle some (cant remember the actual value). Here are some shots:

 

now how much does that stuff run???

 

more than if you went from j-yard to j-yard until you found a sterling, D70, or 14-bolt

-cutts-

 

eh eh eh eh eh

 

Yep, it isnt cheap....~$590 (which is why you dont find one in my 8.8). This just came out last month.

The axles listed above, for the most part, arent suited for jeeps unless they have 38's or bigger. The big diffs (and large lip on the 14B) would drag all over the place. The 8.8 is a nice upgrade that is similar in size, weight and clearance to stock.

 

lets see, you can spend $590 to upgrade one part of the problem with an 8.8 that brings it up to almost half as strong as a junkyard 9" that you paid $100 for. Yep thats a good deal.

 

I'd just look for a Sterling 10.25 But that's just me...

The 8.8 will hold up though. Just dont dump the cluth everyday...