Bet-cha Never Seen This!
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New User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 17
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Bet-cha Never Seen This!
I HAD the street strip springs in my B&M shift improver kit with 35" tires and 3.55 gears, worked great. But when I switched to the 4.56 gears I have now the truck shifted so hard that a full throttle shift at about 4800-5000 RPM would result in the 35" tires making a intimadating 'BARK'. This was all cool until a recent outing in the snow left me with a rear pumpkin' pointed skyward. I have heard of axle tubes rotating in the diff. but not the diff. spinning on the tubes. My tubes and perches stayed put. Well anyway, a new rear housing ($107) and a new rear driveshaft ($150) later the tire barking does'nt seem quite so cool. 8.8 owners beware..... I have since switched to the RV/Towing springs.. much better.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,187
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From: CT
Bet-cha Never Seen This!
i've seen a twisted diff on a 97 F150, neutral drop. The pinion was pointing up to the sky, the kid was able to limp it back home The axles are only held to the center section with small spot welds, not very strong. Especially with the force applied by 4.56 gears and a hard shifting tranny.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Bet-cha Never Seen This!
The 8.8 is not even close to weak. Mustang guys use it all the time, it is as strong as the 9". It'll hold 37" tires nicely and it can be made even stronger w/ a few mods. That problem you describe is very rare.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 339
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Bet-cha Never Seen This!
The 8.8 isn't as strong as the 9in. The Mustang guy's who get real serious change over to the 9in. The 8.8 axle tube's can be strenghened by adding a rear axle brace, which is a weld on item.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 861
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From: Marysville Wa
Bet-cha Never Seen This!
yeah i haveto agree i have seen what your talking about happen. not only do 8.8 twist but they also easily break in the middle right on the pumkin case. all my other friends have swapped out to a d60,9in, or sterling 10.50. im still with mine becasue im cheep and would rather just wait for it to break to replace it.
