Removing 8.8 complete axle

Mustang5L5 · Sep 7, 2008

I want to remove my 8.8 before winter sets in. I want to change the gears (3.73 to 3.55), replace the stainless brake lines with new lines to replace the bent and rusty lines from my 5-lug conversion and overall clean it up. I also want to install ABS exciter rings on my Sn95 axles.

What should I do about the brake line from the body? Is there a way i can block it up? I don't want all my brake fluid to flow out. Can i put a bolt and nut with two copper washers in it and tighten it up?

What do you guys do to plug that line up?

Also what's the safest procedure for removing the axle? What would you remove first? I ave the car on jackstands on the body so i need to do this on my back and don't want an axle falling on my face

1991vert · Sep 8, 2008

just the axles? or the whole housing?

first remove rear wheels/brakes

just axles
-remove rear cover, push axle in, hear c-clip fall, pull axle out. be careful when removing/insert axles as you do not want to damage the seal.

whole 8.8 housing
-with the body on jackstands, put a jack under the pumpkin and load up the suspension.

-unbolt the quad shocks

-unbolt the rear shocks from inside the trunk and the axle housing

-slowly lower the jack

-remove springs/isolators

-jack the housing up again

-unbolt the upper control arms from the upper torque boxes

-lower the housing again. this way the housing should rotate forward toward the lower control arms, but not off the jack and onto your face.

-unbolt the lower control arms

-remove 800lb behemoth from under the car

RYC CUKR · Sep 8, 2008

You should be able to find a flare nut cap at the local hardware store that would fit the bill.

Mustang5L5 · Sep 8, 2008

1991vert said:
whole 8.8 housing
-with the body on jackstands, put a jack under the pumpkin and load up the suspension.

-unbolt the quad shocks

-unbolt the rear shocks from inside the trunk and the axle housing

-slowly lower the jack

-remove springs/isolators

-jack the housing up again

-unbolt the upper control arms from the upper torque boxes

-lower the housing again. this way the housing should rotate forward toward the lower control arms, but not off the jack and onto your face.

-unbolt the lower control arms

-remove 800lb behemoth from under the car

Thanks

I meant to say the entire axle unit as 1 peice.

Is it really 800 lb? Guess i'll have to eat my wheaties that morning before i go benchpress it

lang williams · Sep 8, 2008

more like 150

LiquidGT · Sep 8, 2008

They sell brake hose plugs at Autozone for a couple of bucks. I cant remember what the rear hose looks like anymore, if it looks like the part where the banjo bolt goes on the fronts then the plugs should work.

BTW theyre beind the counter at AZ so you'll have to get a manager or someone experiened to find them.

1991vert · Sep 9, 2008

Mustang5L5 said:
Thanks

I meant to say the entire axle unit as 1 peice.

Is it really 800 lb? Guess i'll have to eat my wheaties that morning before i go benchpress it

haha no not really 800, more like 125-150'ish. sure feels like 800 by yourself trying to muscle it around underneath a car!

keep it on the floor jack and try to wheel it around. that's what i did

93 LX · Sep 9, 2008

When I installed my Turbo T-Bird Rear end in my Capri I was by myself. The floor jack makes moving it easy. What I did was get it high enough to bolt in the lower control arms then I was able to jack it up straight enough to get the uppers in. As for plugging the brake lines I just used a rubber hose with a bolt in the off end slipped over the the hard line on the chassis. I had to change the stock rubber line on the rear end anyway to accommodate the T-Bird's stock hard lines in the axle.

Have fun, in my case after making the hard lines connect to the stock chassis lines it was great. 3.73s give you a huge kick start however it does make launching a bit harder. My Capri now spins the tires hard but i get great 2nd and 3rd gear chirps! LOL

Mustang5L5 · Sep 15, 2008

Anyone know the size wrenches i'll need?

Just want to make sure i have everything. They metric or standard?

Also,, how difficult is this gonna be if they haven't moved in 20 years?

TRWXXA · Sep 16, 2008

IIRC, you'll need both metric and standard. I was able to take off my rear axle with the basic tools I have, so I imagine just about anyone with a decent set of tools and a little mechanical ability will have no problem.

The rear end is REALLY heavy, but you can help yourself out by removing as much weight from it as you can before dropping it -- axles (they weigh about 30# each), brakes and their backing plates, differential assembly (since you'll be swapping it out anyway)

Special tools you'll need:

Jack stands for the body.

Jack stands for the rear end housing (I got a set from Sears that have a U-shaped saddle that holds the axle tubes perfectly).
View attachment 303764

Floor jack with a wide lifting saddle.

An impact gun (I didn't use one, but it would have been nice to have) and/or breaker bar.

A torch to heat the driveshaft bolts (the red Locktite can be a ******).

A helper (at the very least, they'll have extra tools, and can call 9-1-1 if the rear end housing falls on you ).

Check out the condition of your control arm bushings. If they look dried out and cracked, you may want to replace them. Best way to remove the old ones is to attack the rubber with a drill until you've removed enough to be able to push them out. I've also heard a torch can make quick work of them.

SVT32VDOHC · Sep 16, 2008

Take the quads and the regular shocks off first, to let the rear end drop as much as possible so it takes as much tension off the springs. That way it will be easier to get the damn springs out.

Mustang5L5 · Sep 16, 2008

I'm taking the control arms out with it. Ideally i would like to take it down in one peice since i need to load it into a pick-up truck to drive it to where i can work on it.

So i kinda want to unbolt the control arms from the body and drop it all together.

When it goes back in, it's going with new Control arms, quad shocks and bushings anyway. Just haven't decided what.

Also...3.55;s or 3.27's? I'm not really that into drag racing. I like having some ooompth on the highway. I've driven 5-spds with 3.73;s and really don't like it, so when i convert my car to 5-spd, i'd really like to have 3.55's or 3.27's.

I have a set of 3.27's...but wondering if i should try to trade them for 3.55's.

Mustang5L5 · Sep 16, 2008

Hmm...on second though. I may hold off. I REALLY want to put an IRS in, so maybe i'll look around a bit this winter for one.

I'm still going to have to pull the rear out anyway, but i may just clean it up and sell it instead. It's got 3.73's and Cobra disk brakes. I'd think that would sell pretty easy.

(don't PM me about it...i have no IRS yet so it's still mine)

Mustang5L5 · Sep 20, 2008

LiquidGT said:
They sell brake hose plugs at Autozone for a couple of bucks. I cant remember what the rear hose looks like anymore, if it looks like the part where the banjo bolt goes on the fronts then the plugs should work.

BTW theyre beind the counter at AZ so you'll have to get a manager or someone experiened to find them.

Is that what they are called? "Brake Hose Plugs"?

I just tried one AZ, but i guess the green crew was in and they had no idea what i was talking about or probably even what a rear axle was.

They were too busy talking about "tite" civics.

Guess i'll try another one that i know has a few guys that know about stuff

Mustang5L5 · Oct 13, 2008

Ok just an update. I have most of it done.

Shocks, sway bar, springs, quads are removed, and i've loosened the bolts holding the control arms to the rear. I didn't finish because I was alone and wanted help.

As far as wrench sizes

Quad to body = 18mm
Quad to axle = 15mm
Shock to axle = 18mm front, 19mm inside
axle to control arms = 18mm
Driveshaft = 12mm 12point.

I was planning on leaving the driveshaft on, dropping the rear and taking it off when i slide it out. I figured leaving it attached would hel control the rear from tiling forward.

The D/S is coming out for good anyway. I have an A/L ds going in.

AOD will also come out at some point. I'm dropping the exhaust too all the wya to the headers since nothing is in the way. That way i can paint it up with some high temp exhaust paint.

Removing 8.8 complete axle

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