As I start to restore the 8.8 axle I removed from a 2001 4x4 Explorer, I noticed that the pinion offset is quite large at around 3.75". Do you fellas that are using an Explorer axle have the same offset? If so, does it cause any issues or did you do something else to fix this? I watched a new episode of "Hot Rod Garage" on Motortrend yesterday where they put an Explorer 8.8 into a old Plymouth Duster and they shortened the longer drivers side axle tube a few inches to center the pinion better and used another passenger side axle on the new shortened drivers side so no custom axle is needed. Is this something I should be looking to do or should I just move the motor over a few inches (it's not setup yet) to compensate? Or both?? I am not sure yet how much room I have to move the engine but a little extra space on the drivers side for the headers and steering shaft would be helpful as long as the passenger side still has room for the header on that side. Let me know your thoughts.

 

There is no need to do anything unless you want some extra room on your drivers side . Universals need to be run at some angle or they will prematurely wear and they really don't care if it is vertical or horizontal . As far as the tv show , it's the cheapest easiest way to get a narrowed rear end . You need to operate on one axle tube and no axles .

 

I am assuming I will have some vertical offset but from what I have been reading you really don't want both being offset. Typically the pinion is only offset horizontally to compensate for engine position from what I read. This is something I would rather do right the first time so I don't have any vibration or premature universal joint wear. I did read that you want some vertical offset to allow for the needle bearings in the universal to rotate and not wear on one side only. I don't have any original rear axles left sitting around here (I just scrapped two of them) to measure flange to flange length or pinion horizontal offset. I also don't know at this point if shortening the one axle tube is even feasible and still have it so weird offset wheels are not required. I am installing a TCI parabolic spring rear suspension which is already causing me to replace the Explorer spring pads to move them inboard since the TCI spring mounts sit closer to the frame than the original mounts. I would really like to avoid shortening an axle tube but if that is the best way to approach the issue I guess I will do it or have it done if I don't feel comfortable doing it. I just can't remember reading about anyone else doing this or discussing this issue here in the forum even though I got the idea that quite a few people here are using the Explorer rear end.

 

As ebear said, there is no need to change the offset unless you want to narrow the rear. I have the stock 8.8 in my truck, and have no vibration issues. They put the rears in thousands if not millions of explorers, and never had vibration issues. The ujoint just needs an angle, it doesn't care what direction its in.

 

More than likely it will have an angle in both directions but from my readings its not a problem as long as the engine centerline and the pinion centerline are parallel and the driveshaft angle is less than about 3 degrees much like the vertical alignment. I also understand that Ford shifted their motors towards the passenger side by about 1 1/2" to make room for the drivers side controls. Other manufacturers did the same. I guess I'll leave it alone at this point and measure all my angles before making final welds to engine and trans mounts as well as rear axle spring pads. If all angles look good I'll be set to go. Thanks for the info.

 

If you were to shorten the longer side to even it up you would have a very narrow truck axle. 59.5 inch is already a bit too narrow and has to be compensated for in the wheel offset.

 

Thank you for that info. I was concerned that length would be an issue. From what I have researched, I think I should be OK with the offset. Thanks again for helping me out!