Aerostar 8.8 swap

[MikeWild]

Well I mounted my fender flares the other day and came to the realization that the current 8.8 isn't wide enough to make the tires and flares look good... (mounted are 34x10.5 LTB's, I wanted fairly skinny tires for better performance under varrying conditions)

I didn't want to use wheel spacers or rims with greater offset to bring them out more because I don't think that's a wise route to go, more stress and possible breakage on the axles shafts.

I went to the wrecker yesterday with my trusty tape measure and decided that I'm going to throw in an 8.8 out of an aerostar. The exploder diff measured roughly 51 inches from backing plate to backing plate, the aerostar was 54 inches. Mind you the aerostar diff has a bunch of extra do-dads that I'll be cutting off with the plasma torch. I'm also going to be moving the rear shocks and relocating them outside the rear frame rails and welding in some shock towers. I don't like the current configuration where the shock tabs hang under the axle and are a potential point of hang up. I'll takes some pics as I progress along.

Has anybody done a swap of this nature before? I've search several threads but didn't see any.

 

[CopyKat]

You could also try a Lincoln MarkVIII axle. Most if not all have disc brakes. Unfortunatly it will be wider than the front. The explorer 8.8 works out to the same as the D35 for WMS-WMS.

 

[engdept]

You should keep the coil springs in the rear and go to a 3 link setup with coils!

 

[MikeWild]

You could also try a Lincoln MarkVIII axle. Most if not all have disc brakes. Unfortunatly it will be wider than the front. The explorer 8.8 works out to the same as the D35 for WMS-WMS.

It's got an exploder 8.8 in it and is still a few inches shorter in the rear. I considered going disc's, but again, it means more work than I'm prepared to do right now. I've yet to take it out for a shake down run, so I'm kinda itching to finally enjoy the fruits of my labor!

You should keep the coil springs in the rear and go to a 3 link setup with coils!

I thought about that, but that would mean a lot more fab work which I'm not in the mood to do right now. It would be pretty interesting to do. Maybe later on down the road, I just wanted a simple 'quick' fix to my problem.

 

[engdept]

I don't think it would take a lot of fab work to do a 3 link rear. Since a 3 link is the same as the radius arm setup on the front, you could take design off that.

I am looking at it for my Bronco II.

 

[MikeWild]

Good luck, take lots of pics and work out all the bugs first, then send me the blueprints!

 

[engdept]

Will do.

 

[engdept]

Here is the base design I have for the spring perches and the link mounts. I still have some design work for the track bar mount, upper spring perches, and some more on the lower spring perches.

I am thinking about going with these spring perches. These will give me less fab work.

Lower:
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Axle-link-coil-mount-brackets-2_p_32-1444.html#

Upper:
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Coil-spring-Frame-mounts-with-retainers_p_32-1478.html

Considering leaving the shocks in the same position they are in now, but I don't know yet.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It's got an exploder 8.8 in it and is still a few inches shorter in the rear. I considered going disc's, but again, it means more work than I'm prepared to do right now. I've yet to take it out for a shake down run, so I'm kinda itching to finally enjoy the fruits of my labor!

Is it narrowed or something? Stock it should be tad wider than what came in your truck from the factory. Yours looks quite a bit narrower than your front...

 

[engdept]

Is it narrowed or something? Stock it should be tad wider than what came in your truck from the factory. Yours looks quite a bit narrower than your front...

I think it is the angle of the picture.

 

[MikeWild]

No, it really is narrower than the front. At least by an inch. I bought the axles already set up, and was told it was an exploder 8.8. Now I'm thinking that it might be a ranger 8.8. Are they narrower than an exploder?

 

[engdept]

Yes the Ranger 8.8 is about 1.5" narrower. The best way to make sure it is an Explorer 8.8 is to check the diameter of the axle tubes; they should be 3.5" in diameter if it is off an Explorer.

 

[97BlackBetty]

Yes, about an inch.

 

[MikeWild]

Yes the Ranger 8.8 is about 1.5" narrower. The best way to make sure it is an Explorer 8.8 is to check the diameter of the axle tubes; they should be 3.5" in diameter if it is off an Explorer.

well that explains it then! Wish I knew that before throwing it into the truck, I would have done the upgrade right away. Oh well...

 

[canyoncritter]

whats the spline count on aerostar?