Yet Another Rear end thread... Mines Different ;)

[CyrusMainTea]

I was brainstorming today and i thought of three different options i could have.

Option #1:
• Ford 8.0 Posi / Trac Lock – With 3.80 gears

Option #2:
• Ford 8.8 Posi / Trac Lock – With 3.73 gears

Option #3:
• Stock 8.0 LSD – With 3.80 gears

Option #1 is my second choice because of the price and simplicity it might have over a 8.8 swap. Also would option 1 work or no?

Option #2 i would be least likely to do because of the complexity of it that i heard of.

Option #3 is my favorite option because i live in Michigan and snow is snow and also a pain in the ass. I like this option also because of the LSD and traction control is still feasible.

Also are the first and third options even possible? Because i've read that the stock lsd cant take new gears?

Also i might just do Option #1 Because now that i think of it TC will still work when needed.
FYI: I posted this thread because i could not find with searches and research, any info against theses options.

One more thing: What does it take to do the 8.8 swap, because i have a gen 1 LSE.

Thanks,
Warren Cyrus

 

[02LincLS]

Welcome,
There were two gear options (3.2x and 3.5x iirc) for our 8.0. Anything else besides those and you need to swap the carrier (you may also need to get your drive shaft shortened). You may as well go traction loc in any case because it fits both carriers. Just be sure to pick the right one... I forget the spline count. There is a detailed post by people that did the swap (ILLS), do a search.

 

[Kumba]

Welcome,
There were two gear options (3.2x and 3.5x iirc) for our 8.0. Anything else besides those and you need to swap the carrier (you may also need to get your drive shaft shortened). You may as well go traction loc in any case because it fits both carriers. Just be sure to pick the right one... I forget the spline count. There is a detailed post by people that did the swap (ILLS), do a search.

For a Gen1 8.8 swap you need:
1) 8.8" 28-spline IRS center section from a Mark-8 or Cobra, minus rear cover, built in whatever flavor you like
2) Your old 8.0" stock rear cover to bolt to the back of the new 8.8" carrier
3) Some fabricated pinion-snout mount brackets for the 8.8" IRS Carrier
4) Shortened drive shaft custom-fit to your car
5) $$$ + Time

For a Gen2 8.8 swap you also need:
1) CV Axles from a Gen1
2) A 8.0" stock rear cover from a Gen1, as the Gen2 cover does not fit/work on an 8.8" Center section

For the Gen1 Trac-Loc only, you need:
1) An 8.8" trac-loc, preferably rebuilt or new
2) Someone you can bribe with a case of beer to shim it up right
3) A day to spend doing the deed

 

[Missing Linc']

2) A 8.0" stock rear cover from a Gen1, as the Gen2 cover does not fit/work on an 8.8" Center section

I dont recall reading that anywhere. PMJJ is the only Gen2 thats been geared up, Im gonna send him a PM.

 

[Rich88LSC]

AFAIK there are no readily available gear sets that will fit the stock LS 8.0" rear besides the stock ratios. There are two different style 8.0" differencials from Ford. The style in the LS and the older version which has a removable carrier similar to the 9". They are not compatible with each other. The gear sets you are finding are almost certainly for the second style and can not be used.

 

[Kumba]

I dont recall reading that anywhere. PMJJ is the only Gen2 thats been geared up, Im gonna send him a PM.

The Gen2 center section is narrower then the Gen1. That's why you need the cover and the CV axles from a gen1, and it's also why you can't do a tracloc mod in the Gen2.

 

[pektel]

There were 3 stock gear ratios:

3.07 (manual transmission models IIRC)
3.31
3.58