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Topic: Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find?? (Read 2037 times) previous topic - next topic

Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Hey guys,  I'm looking for information on which 8.8 5 lug rear I need.. 94-98? or 99-04? I'm looking for 3.55/3.73 and the best disc brakes available.
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Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Reply #1 –
94-98 are close to same width. 99-04 are closer to a mark 7 width.

Personally, find a junk yard that has a turbo coupe and swap brakes/axles, or the mark 7 brakes were larger then even turbo coupes, 5 lug and vented, but 3/4" or so wider per side.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Reply #2 –
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Explorer8_8.shtml

mid 90's explorer ring and pinion for 3.55-3.73 gears. you can take the whole center section if you want 31 spline axles, but then you need custom axles.

Toss it in a cougar/mustang 8.8, the match brakes with axles to give you proper width. I'm not sure if you can easily adapt the mark7 brakes without going with the wider mark 7 or 99-04 axles.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Haystack;431265
94-98 are close to same width. 99-04 are closer to a mark 7 width.

Personally, find a junk yard that has a turbo coupe and swap brakes/axles, or the mark 7 brakes were larger then even turbo coupes, 5 lug and vented, but 3/4" or so wider per side.

Make sure it's a 94-98 Mustang GT. V6 cars had a 7.5" rear.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Reply #4 –
what differences are there in brakes from 94-99 and 99-04?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Reply #5 –
None I know of except cobra fronts.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Reply #6 –
The brakes themselves? Nothing. Just the axles are longer. I *think* the brackets are attached via clamps (like a ler clamp) so they can be moved as needed if swapped. I may be wrong, as I've never messed with rear brakes on anything newer than a '97.

Thunderjet is correct, avoid the 7.5 unless you're just getting axles, as the axles are the only thing that is the same dimensionally between the 7.5 and 8.8..

The Mark 7 rear is doable, but you'll need to play with wheel backspacing to avoid a protrusion if using wide wheels, not sure how stock wheels (such as a 17x9) would fit with a 315 tire...probably have fender clearance issues there..
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Reply #7 –
Mark 7 rear brake pads are an organic material not semi metallic.  I can't remember exactly what they were called but I know it wasn't semi metallic or ceramic.  They may not be the best for your high performance application.
84 TurboCoupe with 302 .010 over - 9.8 : 1 Forged Pistons - Edlebrock Goodies:  Aluminum Heads #6037, Intake #3821, 65mm TBI/EGR #3824/3827, Camshaft #3722 -  Interactive System & Technologies Mass Air with 24# Injectors - A9L - 3g Alternator - BBK shorties, Cat Converter H-pipe, Magniflow lers - World Class T5 1352-169 (1986, V8, WC, 3.15 3.35 1.93 1.29 1.00 0.68) OEM Clutch Cable - 7.5 Trac Lock with 3.08 and slapper bars from 82 Mustang.

Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Reply #8 –
I'm leaning toward the 5lug and the big boy brakes.. I seen a couple of 99-04's at the pull it yard last time I was there.. I should have snagged a rear it was complete and would have been $65.00.  I dropped the ball I think, gonna go Saturday and see if it's still there
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Which donor car for a 8.8 5 lug Disc Rear do I need to find??

Reply #9 –
Swap the gear while your there. plenty of explorers are generally lying around
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com