Today my friend went and pulled my 91 gt home I just bought the other day. Runs perfect but I work all the time and so he pulled it home with his trailer. Anyway he backs it off the trailer, revs it up and launches!.....Waabaam.....chuncks fly from the car everywhere! WTF! WTF! WTF! broke the u joint, axle hits the ground, and upon further inspection......THE REAR AXLE IS BROKE...the part where the wheel axle is exiting the gear housing about 6 inches out. IT is split as if someone sawed it perfectly in half without cutting the wheel axle. He promised to buy another this week and we could put it back together this weekend. How hard is it to replace a REAR AXLE!!!WTF...sorry guys I lost it just thinking about it. Oh yeah and it had 4.10's in the rear....w...t....f.
WTF!!!!!Broke my rear axle!
- Thread starter ddt4436
- Start date
It's not uncommon to break a stock axle with some sticky tires. Even with some street tires, it's still possible to break them, if they've suffered some abuse over the years. Be happy it happened in a situation where the car was already being trailered, versus driving it somewhere away from home. I had a buddy break one at the track, about 30 or 40 miles from home. He had to get a trailer and come back before they had it towed.
Shakerhood
20+ Year Stangneter 
Are you talking about just simply snapping an axle shaft or are we somehow talking about the housing breaking?
Maryland Stang
Active Member
I think he's talking about the driveshaft. It's hard to tell. Maybe he's talking about the rearend housing. ?????? Broken U Joints??????
If you broke the housing then you're going to need some serious tools. You'll need to swap the carrier and pinion out of your old housing if you want to maintain the 4.10 gears. You can't just take them out of one housing and put them into another. They must be setup using precision measuring tools. Torque wrenches and dial indicators..... Stuff like that.
If you broke the housing then you're going to need some serious tools. You'll need to swap the carrier and pinion out of your old housing if you want to maintain the 4.10 gears. You can't just take them out of one housing and put them into another. They must be setup using precision measuring tools. Torque wrenches and dial indicators..... Stuff like that.
bubba-dough
Active Member
Yeah we need some clarification here. Is it the driveshaft, u-joint, axle housing, or axle shafts themselves, your upset and a little all over the place. I kinda think you mean axle shaft by the way you mention its by the wheel. That would be a very easy fix. Also you will need to change the axle bearings & seals as well. Stock axles become worn over time and break, so don't be too upset or discouraged. I would not put stock ones back in though. You can get Moser or Superior axles, axle bearings & seals for around $300.
It sounds to me like he busted the housing.
I wouldn't suspect 1 hard launch would do that. It might have been broken or at least on it's way out before then. Your buddy just happened to be the one at the wheel when it decided to let go. That could have easily been you.
I gotta see pics of this though. What sort of mods does the car have to snap the housing?
I wouldn't suspect 1 hard launch would do that. It might have been broken or at least on it's way out before then. Your buddy just happened to be the one at the wheel when it decided to let go. That could have easily been you.
I gotta see pics of this though. What sort of mods does the car have to snap the housing?
bubba-dough
Active Member
Yeah I just re-read the original post and it does sound like its the housing. Swapping housings isn't a bad job at all, HOWEVER, you will have to have the gear set-up "reset-up" for the new housing like mention previously.
BTW WE NEED PICS
BTW WE NEED PICS
parrish5o
New Member
It's really one of those "crap how much is that going to cost sounds" when you break an axle. Sounds alot worse than it actualy is though. I snapped mine the first time I went to the track with slicks and nitrous.
Sorry for the confusion guys but yeah it's the actual rear end housing cracked about six inches from where the gears sit. You can actually see the wheel axle through the housing. I need a complete rear end. I will get pics as soon as I can to show it better. Will the ford explorer rear axles work. What's the best ford to get a rear from? How hard is it to do? Thanks for responding so fast. Thank you all......Now that I can think it was better to happen at home than on the road.
No explorer rear axles will not work.
The housing from any 86-98 Mustang will work. 94-98 have 5-lug and disk brakes
The housing from any 86-98 Mustang will work. 94-98 have 5-lug and disk brakes
bubba-dough
Active Member
You prolly know but make sure it is an 8.8 rear from a V8 not a 7.5 and iirc the 94-98 are a tad bit wider but will work fine. I also think that the turbocoupes have 8.8 as well (not sure though). Now would be the time for rear disc and 5-lug conversion.
Where do you live? I have my old rear still.
Where do you live? I have my old rear still.
parrish5o
New Member
+1 on the rear disc and 5 lug conversion. The stock drums are just not up to par with a moded Mustang and the 5 lug will give you alot more options for wheels.
Dont let it get you down man, look at is as a way to a) improve and b) learn. I learned everything I know from breaking stuff and most of my mods came from replacing worn or busted parts!
Matt
