Whats my Axle?

Topic: Whats my Axle? (Read 2704 times) previous topic - next topic

Whats my Axle?

February 24, 2005, 12:39:47 AM

I was looking at the rear axle on my car when I had my wheels off the other day. Two things are weird about it, but of course I havn't read to much about it yet. The axle has the brackets for the quad shocks but I have no quad shocks.. The other thing is I have 10 inch rear drums. The diff cover is also silver, not like someone has painted it but it is shiny. I havn't looked at it hard enough to tell what it is but I have read this car should only have came with a 7.5. My car is a special edition, but I only thought it was for looks.

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #1 – February 24, 2005, 12:42:49 AM

The 10" brakes were offered with the towing pakage (my Sport had em) but I dunno about special editions. As for the diff cover, maybe aftermarket replacement?
As for the quads, they could have been removed and not replaced by previous owner.

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #2 – February 24, 2005, 02:28:28 AM

first is http://www.coolcats.net/tech/general/images/75rear.gif 7.5"
second is http://www.coolcats.net/tech/general/images/88rear.gif 8.8"

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #3 – February 24, 2005, 12:15:06 PM

I believe all the 87-88's had the quad shock brackets.

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #4 – February 24, 2005, 12:24:06 PM

I've never seen any Fox Cougar/T-Bird with empty quad shock brackets on the rear end. They were there for a purpose...the towing package probably netted quads. One thing to check is if the holes in the framerails for the other brackets have ever been used. That's one way to narrow this down. Otherwise it sounds like somebody swapped in a rear end to this car. We need to know if it's 7.5" or 8.8" though. Does it still have the axle tag bolted to the cover?

I'm also finding that a lot of 1988 non-XR7 cars (mostly 5.0 but also some 3.

had the 10" drums from the factory. Ford must have been trying to get rid of them before the MN12 changeover.

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #5 – February 24, 2005, 02:47:26 PM

Hmm I'll check that axle code today.

Also I dont have a hitch, but I'll look to see if I had one.

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #6 – February 24, 2005, 04:12:16 PM

I think that both my 86's have 10's and neither have the towing package.

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #7 – February 24, 2005, 05:04:50 PM

My 88 LS 5.0 and 87 Sport had the 10's as does my '88 base 5.0 'Bird. The only Fox car I've ever had without 'em was my old 85 V6. The Sprt had quad shocks, but I've never even noticed if any of the other cars had the brackets. I'll have to stick my head in the wheelwell as soon as the snow melts away from the 'Bird...

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #8 – February 24, 2005, 06:58:22 PM

Ok, I have my axle tag..
and never mind the shinny diff cover, its not, i dont know why i thought it did

v492b
3l27 75 8a14

3.27 locking rear?

No wonder I can do posi burnouts!!

It looks like a 7.5 to me. and the holes for the quad shock brackets looked to be virgin, or the brackets were removed a looong time ago.

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #9 – February 24, 2005, 08:03:41 PM

Anyway, i've seen it. It doesn't matter if it's POSI... but it does help. Now you just need to go to the junkyard with a can of DEEP CREEP and get you the mounting brackets for the quad shocks and maybe even the shocks off that car if there decent.

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #10 – February 24, 2005, 09:27:27 PM

how about oh a 5.0 HO!!

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #11 – February 25, 2005, 07:00:28 AM

Tag decodes as 3.27 Traction Lock ... 7.5"... Built Jan 14 1988

The V492B is a model number that would be referenced in the shop manual..

Re: Whats my Axle?

Reply #12 – February 25, 2005, 09:36:02 AM

Is it worn out or something? When I jack the car up and spin one wheel with it in neutral the other spins the other way. My ranger with a traction lock spins both tires the same way. The car never fails to spin both tires though.