turboexplorer
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- August 23, 2008
- Messages
- 1,949
- Reaction score
- 37
- City, State
- Eagle Mountain, UT
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 98' XLT 5.0L 4X4
- Callsign
- Turbo
So I am starting my SAS in Febuary and have most of my list done. My thoughts on a rear axle involves narrowing a full width 8.8. I have access to a complete axle shortening/setup jig. My thoughts are to take a full width 97+ full width because they run disc brakes and shorten the axle a few inches make pumkin offset same as current Explorers approx 2" to the right. Then order custom shafts for the width and with a 5X5.5 bolt pattern (have to order custom shafts anyways for it being narrow anyways) not the metric pattern to match my Dana 44 Ford HP full wiidth (76'-77') also being narrowed and then have new rotors drilled for the 5X5.5 pattern.
I would have to buy wheel spacers if I stayed with explorer 8.8, blah, anyways so why not put it towards some custom shafts. I dislike wheel spacers, dont trust them and puts extra leverage stress on the shaft from holding it farther away from the bearings.
Things I gain will be a axle to width with no wheel spacers as well as keep same vss setup etc. Also I will be gaining much bigger brakes to. That way I dont have the headache of trying to make explorer brakes work on a 96' or earlier drum braked axle. I'll be running a 17" rim so clearing the bigger 13" ish rotors isnt a problem.
Any thoughts or things I havent thought of? I figure if I have access to a jig to do it right and dead true why not?
I would have to buy wheel spacers if I stayed with explorer 8.8, blah, anyways so why not put it towards some custom shafts. I dislike wheel spacers, dont trust them and puts extra leverage stress on the shaft from holding it farther away from the bearings.
Things I gain will be a axle to width with no wheel spacers as well as keep same vss setup etc. Also I will be gaining much bigger brakes to. That way I dont have the headache of trying to make explorer brakes work on a 96' or earlier drum braked axle. I'll be running a 17" rim so clearing the bigger 13" ish rotors isnt a problem.
Any thoughts or things I havent thought of? I figure if I have access to a jig to do it right and dead true why not?