[QUOTE=jojo_3838]8.8 is no stronger than the 9", its just easier to dissasemble. if you where worried about loosing axles, id just keep the 8.8 and install some Fordracing Axleretainer kit (somthin like 70$)[/QUOTE

the 9 inch is 10x stronger then the 8.8. the 9 inch can go up to a 35spline were as the 8.8 can not. sure the 8.8 is great in a strait line but you start running larger tires, high hp and some side load on them an thats were the breakdown occurs. the 8.8 also has a weaker housing then the 9. you would need to brace it considerably to even keep up with the 9".

As far as the abs , on my 88 is only for the rear and it never worked anyway. abs should be for all 4 wheels not just the rear kinda defeats the purpose. Now if yours also has the vss in the rear then i would agree that it wouldnt be worth the swap , but me the vss is located in the tcase so that wasnt a problem. ive read plenty of articles and spoke to many fsb owners and if they were to start again this would be the route to go. but to each his own.

good luck

 

[QUOTE=Kemicalburns]first off, who have you been talkin to? or better yet what are you smoking? no the 9" is not any stronger than the 8.8, yes the housing can spin, but thats easily fixed. and dont forget that the 9" has quite alot of flex in it as well, so you end up doing alot of welding to make it that much more durable anyways, yes there is a 35 spline kit, but for the same price, why stay half ton? for not much more than doing all this you could have Dynatrac send you a 5lug FF dana 60. its easiy to say that the 8.8 is crap and that the 9" is better, probably due to most just not having exspirience with them, people with 9"s will be blowing up third members if you start stressing it, JUST like the 8.8.

 

Chill out all, and take some chill pills
Not to take sides with any one but take a look at this site http://code4x4.com/projects/axle_88/axle_88.html
This is something I plan on doing with my spare 8.8 at some point. I may not cut the housing like he did, just in case if I keep the tone ring for the RABS. And since I have a welder at home and the fact that it's not that hard to build up, if one has the right tools.

 

thanks pete, I I must have crossed up replies. I totally thought he had 33 in tires. I thats why I asked about 31s.

 

As a note, they never put the speedo pickup in the diff, it has and so far been in the t-case(4wd) or tranny(2wd only) They only put the abs sensor in the 8.8.

Even in my dad's 2 2000 F-150s, only the abs sensor is found on the diff, and the speedo pickup is in the tranny tailshaft.

I can vouch, for the 9" being stronger, that why the mustang guys that race the 1/4 mile in comps. they swap 9"s for the 8.8's
And, I have seen 8.8's split from abuse that a 9" can take dayly.

 

No you are incorrect, the tone ring has lots to do with the speedo and the computer. Check this link out for more information, and how to work around it http://members.aol.com/jzettel73/Mil...le_Swap_5.html

 

I have to but in on this.
I have a 1990 Bronco with th RABS and an 8.8 rear. That tone ring is only used for the RABS system. IT DOES NOT have anything to do with my speedo and cruise control. At the end of my speedometer cable there is a speed sensor and then a plastic gear. Then this gear at end of the sensor slides into a housing on the output shaft of transfer case, where there is another plastic gear to match. I know this because when both those gears in my rig melted My speedo read 0 when I was cruisen at about 80mph and my cruise control didn't work. And to top it off my E4OD, which is electronically controled and relies on this speed sensor, was shifting very very strangely.

That post may work on some of the newer rigs that do not have the mechanicle gear and sensor like the older rigs do. Even the '95 and '96, and maybe '94, Bronco's may fall into that catigory. hence why there is a programing code to program the speedo recalibration, when one changes tire size and/or gear ratio.

 

nope, vehicles newer than 92 rely on the VSS in the diff for both the ABS and Speedo/tranny. look around, all T-cases from 92- have no more gear driven hookups but instead run it completely off of the rear axle.

as for 9" strength, they are the same!!! while stock 8.8s split pumkins, the 9" blows up thrid members! both the 8.8 and 9 are built to the same specs. ones held with c-clips and the other has axle flanges, but both can fail under different conditions, while the 8.8 looses the tire when it snaps an axle, the 9 looses axles when it decides it didnt have enough lube on the freeway thus eating through the flange. some poepe argue that the 9 has a bigger ring gear. have you compared? both have quite thick gears to compare. the 8.8s have quite strong pinon barings, and with a simple axle truss and aftermarket carrier, it will hold up to most you can give it, the 9 will cost you the same to upgrade notorious spiders with another stronger carrier and getting an aftermarket thridmember case so it wont split under your drag car.
as far as i have seen, mustang users have been quite happy with the 8.8, i know of alot of people running the 8.8 along with as has been said 9 second laps. i have to say that the real thing the 9 inch has going for it is the ease in swapping third members, but still have not found a good reason to swap between the two.

 

i should correct myself, your dads F150 might have what yor talking about, i have not herd anyone reffering to 98- trucks. but for any bronco and F series built from 92- the above aplies

 

well the shop told me $650 to rebuild the rear end and a gear swap. The front is $600 just for the gear swap so it looks like the rear I will have done in a couple of weeks and I will do the front in the summer.

 

You should remove the front driveshaft until you get the front gearset replaced. It will prevent you from inadvertantly destroying your drivetrain.

 

DOn't get me wrong, that is a good idea but I never use my 4x4 but maybe once every 6 months and I have manual hubs so I don't think I will have a mess up.

 

Have to agree with jojo, the VSS controls both the ABS and speedometer. I have a 94 F150 and had a 95 Bronco, both of these vehicles had the speedometer controlled by the VSS in the diff!