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Topic: Turbo Coupe axle with drums? (Read 3902 times) previous topic - next topic

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

I know this subject gets beaten to death with TC axle swaps but I didn't see this question.

Has anyone done a turbo coupe axle swap but left their drums instead of converting to disc brakes?  I have factory 10" drums and after my 11" mark 7 caliper front brake swap I'm pretty satisfied with the ability and don't honestly feel like redoing all my brakes just for some small non vented rear discs.  And parts are getting hard to come by.  It should all be a straight bolt up considering all Fords pretty much share the same style  to bolt brakes to but I just wanted to know if anyone has done this.

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #1 –
It's not all just "that simple". The main issue is the width of your axle housing.  Since you didn't mention the year of your car, we have no info. There were 2 different width 7.5 housings, with the early being the same width as the TC housing and the later being wider.

You can find the dimensions in THIS POST in the stickied thread at the top of this very section.  If your housing is the same width as the TC one, then yeah, it'll all just swap over.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #2 –
I took a TC rear (1988 8.8 disc brake rearend, to be specific) and used '97 Stang axles, Thunderbird Sport 10" brake drum backing plates, and I also used 1988 Grand Marquis 10" drums. Fill the guts up using 10" Thunderbird brake components, and done deal.

Not sure if this what you had in mind, but here's my thread HERE.
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #3 –
Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;416729
I took a TC rear (1988 8.8 disc brake rearend, to be specific) and used '97 Stang axles, Thunderbird Sport 10" brake drum backing plates, and I also used 1988 Grand Marquis 10" drums. Fill the guts up using 10" Thunderbird brake components, and done deal.

Not sure if this what you had in mind, but here's my thread HERE.

Looks like he's staying 4-lug.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #4 –
In that case, TC axles with ABS rings knocked off, Sport backing plates and drums and brake guts. Of course, the OP'er would need to cut off the disc brake mounts on the rear, but other than that, it's painless.
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #5 –
Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;416750
In that case, TC axles with ABS rings knocked off, Sport backing plates and drums and brake guts. Of course, the OP'er would need to cut off the disc brake mounts on the rear, but other than that, it's painless.

This really only works if the housings are the same length. The late 7.5's had the wider housing, the TC 8.8 was the "std" narrow width. 83-early 85 stuff would work, but not the 85.5-88 stuff with the wider housing.

We're still guessing on the year of his car, though.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #6 –
It's an 88.  Base model with 5.0.  But 10" drums.  And yes I was thinking if staying 4 lug with some mustang turbine wheels but I've toyed with the idea of 5 lug.  I read the whole saga on tbirdsports and I think that was a lot of good info.  However I thought the TC had the same width axle as the 7.5.  Although I don't think the overall width will matter as long as the backing plates bolt up and the drums fit properly over everything.  I just wasn't sure if anyone had actually tried this yet.

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #7 –
Do you have the TC 8.8, or still have the stock 7.5?

It would take some studying of the chart and some measuring of drums and backing plates to figure out what would work on the 7.5 rear, and go to the bigger brakes.

I feel that if you were going to go through that much work, it may be better to swap in a TC rear and gain the better gearing as well as trac loc. Of course then too, everything I did in my thread would apply to you as well.
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #8 –
Quote from: snidet_bird;416761
It's an 88.  Base model with 5.0.  But 10" drums.  And yes I was thinking if staying 4 lug with some mustang turbine wheels but I've toyed with the idea of 5 lug.  I read the whole saga on tbirdsports and I think that was a lot of good info.  However I thought the TC had the same width axle as the 7.5.  Although I don't think the overall width will matter as long as the backing plates bolt up and the drums fit properly over everything.  I just wasn't sure if anyone had actually tried this yet.


People have tried this numerous times...it doesn't work.

I posted up a link in the second post of this thread that takes you to a chart showing the pertinent dimensions of the rear axles.  Looking at that and through the forum will show you the info that you need to learn that your assumptions are incorrect.

The 86-88 7.5 housing is NOT the same width as the 8.8 in the TC. It's wider. The overall width, axle  to axle  is the same, but the housings are not the same width.  That being the case, explain how your backing plates and drums will line up?  They'll be 3/4" too shallow, seeing as the axles on the TC poke out of the housing that much more than on your 88 7.5. Not going to work.

Also, my post just prior to your last one details what years of backing plates and drums would work on your TC 8.8.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #9 –
I was just asking a question, why the attitude.....

I get what you're saying, I just wanted to know if someone had done it because I didn't have all that info and while searching didn't see it at first.  I do appreciate the extra help you both have given me.

Anyways, I've actually already swapped a Fox Mustang axle, but want the right width for everything since I have staggered wheels. So, if there was 3/4" narrower each side for the housing  which the backing plate bolts to, which is what I meant with , then possibly a spacer could be fabbed up to make it work.  Less work than all the other conversions needed for rear disc.  I hate making brake lines.  I know I could always use wheel spacers, but just wanted to have it right.

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #10 –
If you've got a Mustang 8.8 rear, then you're good to go. That rear is as wide as the TC 8.8 rear.

The Stang's rear housing width (and the TC 8.8, too) measures in at 54.095 inches. The Tbird 7.5 (1986, '87 and '88) measure in at 55.596", so you see why Chuck states the 7.5 won't work for the brake swap I did in my post.
The TC axle length is 29.91", and the Fox Stang axle length is 29.18", whereas the SN95 Stang axle length is 29.97"

Therefore, you need the Sport's 10" backing plates, the SN95 axles (from either a 7.5 or 8.8 will work, the axles themselves are identical, save for the ABS ring on the V8 axles, you'll knock the ABS stuff off) to keep everything in it's proper place.

Hope this eliminates any confusion. Since you have the proper width 8.8 housing, you should be good to go, if you can locate a set of the Tbird/Cougar 10" drum backing plates. PM me if you have any more questions :)
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #11 –
The Sport 10" drum brakes will NOT bolt up to his Mustang housing.  He either need the early drum stuff (83-85) or fab up some sort of spacer for between the axle  and the backing plate, like he mentioned.

Staying 4 lug, you'll need the TC axles.  Going 5-lug, get some 94-98 axles (99-04 are longer).
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #12 –
Actually, it will bolt up.  As I stated in my last post, that is my current setup.  The problem I have is that it's like 1.5 inches narrower each side, so I'm using staggered wheels with an offset to compensate.  However I'm wanting to go with the same size for all 4 wheels.  If I stay 4 lug I may just use wheel spacers but if 5 lug I may do what tbirdsports did.

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #13 –
No. They bolt up, because the Fox Mustang axles are 3/4" shorter than the Tbird ones. The Sport 10" brakes (from an 86-88 7.5) WILL NOT bolt up to a narrow 8.8 with proper TBird-length axles, which is what it sounded like you wanted to do in the first place. Compare apples to apples, not apples to pears.

This particular topic is so ground into the dirt, I'm surprised you didn't trip over the dead horse on your way in.

Might save a lot of confusion on everyone's part if you just state your actual question from the start, instead of coming in later with all the facts about what you have and what you'd like to do.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Turbo Coupe axle with drums?

Reply #14 –
That is what I wanted to do, and now I have my question answered.  I had not see anyone try this before or mention it so this is why I asked, but we can put it to rest now, I have my question answered.  Thanks.