I have a 95 F150 4x4 with a worn out 8.8 rear axle. I want to put a stronger rear axle in the truck. I am not sure what to go with something completely new and custom for the truck or an axle from the junk yard. I want something strong that I can put lots of power to and still use off road. Also, I would like to go to disk brakes in the rear. I don't have a shop so lots of custom building on the axle/truck is out of the picture. What do you suggest?

 

Find another 8.8 rear or rebuild your own. The 8.8 is plenty strong for anything the rest of the truck will do.

 

what gnr said, finding another 8.8 is cheapest option.

if you are blowing up 8.8's, you prob wont find something that will hold up that isn't 8 lug, and doesn't cost a pile of money.

disc brake conversions can be done cheaply with some homework, or just find a mustang axle or one out of a chevy

 

They put disc brakes on the 8.8 axles in newer trucks.. something like '99 or 2k onwords... something you might find in a junkyard. Strength wise this axle is fine unless you got 36"+ tires on it and you're abusing it in the mud.

 

How did you tear up your 8.8? Usually those things last unless you got huge tires and you dog your truck

 

i don't deal with enough 5 lug ford stuff to know that they didn't go metric with the 8 lugs.

noted.

 

If you don't mind changing bolt patterns to 8 lug, then your best choice would the Sterling 10.25 or 10.5, but that should come with a front axle swap to 8 lug too, using a TTB D44HD, TTB D50, or a D60 straight axle.

 

To give some insight in to why I want to upgrade to a tougher axle. I have 33" mud tires and I use the truck for off road primarily. I work this truck hard when I am in the mud. In the future I would like to put a big block in the truck and have 40" tires on the truck. I don't mind changing the lug pattern because I would like to do a solid front axle down the road but it is not needed right now.

When I have asked about what rear axle I should use in the past, I have been told anything from get a custom 9" to a D60 or pull a 10.5". All have a different cost and amount of custom work to make them fit. If someone knows a strong axle that would fit with out to much work. I don't have the tools to stat cutting/welding on an axle.

 

If you can't cut/weld then you're stuck with the 8.8, either that or an aftermarket 8.8, so beefing up yours would be the middle point, but all the options can be quite expensive. Personally I would get the Sterling, nothing but good comments of it.

 

10.25 sterling will bolt right in. You will just need a cross joint. Other than that will will be a DIRECT bolt in

 

That is great! When you say "cross joint" is that a special U-Joint or something else? Also, I know the 10.25 sterling came in the F250, do you know what years would work best?

 

I would go with the sterling as well. The stock shafts have been proven to be stronger then those in a factory 14 bolt, and its 100% bolt in. Keep in mind that in 93? they changed to the long pinion style gear set, which doesn't have the problem of the yoke retaining nut loosening itself.

 

I wondered about the Mustang rear brakes. You'd need discs with our bolt pattern but the rest looks like it would bolt up.

 

Does anyone know what I will need to do to put a 10.25 sterling in my 95 F150?

 

1979 ford 9'' rear and you want a good set of gears also. Like 4.56.