Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 September 10, 2006, 03:17:25 AM Was wondering what axle came standard, I have been told two diff. stories about my car, one that the axle was a replaced with a smaller size, and that is was replaced with a bigger size.Anyway's just wonderDaniel Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #1 – September 10, 2006, 03:20:16 AM I think the legend goes that SOME of the 87 XR7s got an 8.8" but most got a 7.5". However, it's well dospoogeented that the '88's got 8.8"s. Enough numbers for ya? Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #2 – September 10, 2006, 09:02:48 AM Don't listen to what people told you.Investigate it for yourself...:beatyoass: Look on your inner door tag on the driver's side. It will tell you a code revealing what size rear and gear came in your car. That will be under the 'ax' part.Then slide under the rear of the car and shine a flashlight on the rear cover. There should be a tag with another series of codes. That will tell you what rear is in the car as well as gearing. They both will give you the gearing that it 'should' have.If you happen to have a 7.5 rear, the tags will tell you if its traction lok... Or you could just mash the gas to see if both tires spin :hick: axle info Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #3 – September 10, 2006, 12:46:20 PM The reason I ask, is the people that owned the car before me had to replace the axle, and I got two different stories on what was the replacement.This is what I got of the axle tag, 3SJ08A887j16 445cWas just courious because I have to replace the breaks soon, and need to know what size drums I have etc.Daniel Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #4 – September 10, 2006, 12:56:29 PM The brakes the same between the 7.5 and the 8.8 they are 9 x 2. I belive that is right. The trucks came with larger rear brakes. Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #5 – September 10, 2006, 02:15:06 PM You have an 8.8 rear with 3.08 gears. 8.8 rears had 10" drums. Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #6 – September 10, 2006, 03:41:14 PM Not true. Not all 8.8's had 10" drums. You can look at the drums and see the difference. Generally, 9" drums are finned, and 10" are smooth. Not to mention, theyre different sized (duh) Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #7 – September 10, 2006, 05:56:32 PM You can tell them apart. As far as I have seen, all 7.5" 's had 9inchers unless there was a towing package or the quad shocks. But my 86 had neither and has 10's on a 7.5. Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #8 – September 10, 2006, 09:44:55 PM My '88 with the 7.5 has 10" and no quads or towing package (but it does have a pencil thin sway bar). Shawn's way is generally the easiest to tell them apart because you can do so without even pulling a wheel: Fins on 9", smooth on 10" Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #9 – September 10, 2006, 10:23:02 PM my 88 had a 7.5 3.27 t loc quadshocked 10" drum rear. and a bigger Tc bar... but that had a ford factory replacement tag on it.. Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #10 – September 10, 2006, 11:22:49 PM My 88 Bird has 10" drums on a 7.5 rear with a pencil thin rear sway bar. No tow package or quad shocks. From what I have seen by looking at T-birds and Cats in the junk yard it seems that 5.0 cars had 10" drums and 3.8 cars had 9" drums. Then again it seems that there is no ryme or reason as to which car got what type of rear drum set up. Quote Selected
Standard Rear Axle in 87 xr7 Reply #11 – September 11, 2006, 06:15:14 AM What would my bird have. It's AX code Y I think and what rear does it have ( open, locker..) I know it's a 7.5 though Quote Selected