8.8 Casting Number

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How about a tag number. The casting number will only tell in what year it was cast, not necessarily in what year it was used in the assembly of the car. The "F0" would designate it was cast in 1990. I doubt that it sat on the shelf for 8 years before it was put into a car.
 
I was bummed out when I got it didn't have a tag on it. But I did some research and read that they changed from a tag to a sticker on the axle tube. Unfortunately most of the sticker is not legible. The only thing I can read is "209E". However the caliper brackets do say "cobra" on them
 
F0ZW-AAD = originally engineered for 1990 (F0) Mustang (Z), Axle and Driveshaft engineering department (W), release level AAD

There is a date code cast into the differential also and that will tell you when the housing was actually cast.
 
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Technically, of you took an 8.8 rear from a 1986, and put disk brakes from a 1998 cobra on it, it would be pretty difficult to tell it apart from a true 1998 cobra rear.

At that point you are looking at hardware to see if it was factory installed or looks like someone installed it after the fact.


F0zw would suggest a 1990 rear axle
 
F0ZW-AAD = originally engineered for 1990 (F0) Mustang (Z), Axle and Driveshaft engineering department (W), release level AAD

There is a date code cast into the differential also and that will tell you when the housing was actually cast.
Thanks! And where is the date code located? I found the first casting number on the front of the center on the opposite side the fill plug hole.
 
Technically, of you took an 8.8 rear from a 1986, and put disk brakes from a 1998 cobra on it, it would be pretty difficult to tell it apart from a true 1998 cobra rear.

At that point you are looking at hardware to see if it was factory installed or looks like someone installed it after the fact.


F0zw would suggest a 1990 rear axle
The hardware looks oem from what I can tell. And when you turn one axle by hand, the other turns the same way telling me that it also does have the trak-lok carrier.

The rear end came complete with calipers rotors pads brake lines, etc but for now I'm just gonna run my drums and 4 lug axles until I get sn95 front brakes/spindles/hubs to eventually swap to 5 lug and new master cyl. And proportioning valve. Still researching what is involved with that now.
 
Thanks guys! Worked on getting the 7.5 out today. That thing hasn't been touched since ford! Worst diff fluid I've ever seen, brown and chunky. Looks like the brake lines will bolt right onto the 8.8 perfect from what I can tell, to use the drums for now.