Easiest 8.8 swap for '79

My 79 5.0 badged 302 LX (or GLX?) had no such traction contraptions. I put in the limited slip diff in the 7.5 case. I never worried about it because I knew the SROD or street tires would break first.
I would get an 8.8 if I was doing it today. They are much less expensive now.

90sickfox said:

I think the brake line has to be moved when swapping in the 8.8 from a fox mustang. If I recall the 8.8 line comes down on the drivers side and the 7.5 comes down on the passenger side. It is a direct bolt on though. Upper control arms, lower control arms, and shocks bolt up the same. I don't think your car has a provision for quad shocks. If you use aftermarket lower control arms you wont have an issue without them. I think your year came factory with traction bars that would catch the lower arms when accelerating. That's how my wife's 82 was.

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Almost any Mustang 8.8 will bolt in. I have had both 7,5 and 8.8 axles in my 82. The same axles, four or five lug fit both rears, as long as they are 27 spline. I pull the cover, pull the cross pin bolt, cross pin and c clips, and remove the axles. Then the brakes including the backing plates can be unbolted and hung by coat hangers ,with the brake lines and such attached. The ebrake stuff can also stay attached. Then pull the housing and put in the new one. Then reinstall the brakes, axles, cover, and fill. Lately, traction lock 7.5 units are hard to find, so an 8.8 may be easier to find and use.

Notes Check the location of the axle vent/brake line bracket relative to the brake lines to ensure the one in the car fits the new rear housing and locates the same way.

I have added a 5/8 spacer to the original and the Ford FRPP alum driveshaft to get good yoke engagement in my C4. You may not have this problem.

That said, my 82 has run 1.7 sixty foots on drag radials with is 4.10 7.5 axle.....