mustang 8.8 TA diff cover

[vroomzoomboom]

awhile back, i bought a 8.8 TA diff cover that was going to go on my 81 capri that has a diff from a 87-93 mustang GT. today when i was walking up my driveway, i noticed that because of my roll pan, you can realy see the diff in the truck and was thinking about using this cover on my 98 sport just for looks. are the housings the same or different? i know the mustangs have a steel cover, and the explorers have a plastic one, and i don't want to take it all apart to find out they are different. can anyone help?

 

[X6StringerX]

All 3 of my Explorers had metal covers.

 

[dreamr]

the diff cover is for an 8.8 rear axle - not much difference between a stock explorer 8.8 and a mustang 8.8 at least from the outside

 

[jlsparky7]

an 8.8 is an 8.8. What its on doesnt matter.

Both the diff covers on my explorer are metal.

This is the clear cover hes talking about.
http://www.cleargearz.com/

 

[vroomzoomboom]

thanks everyone. i figured that it would fit, but just wasn't 100% sure. jlsparky7, i like that cleargears cover. i think i just might look into seeing how much one of them are instead!

 

[DeRocha]

TA Performance makes 3 covers for the Ford 8.8 (all will work). The newer covers (left) have recessed stud girdle bolts that won't get damaged if you off-road. The original cover (with just the "A") has exposed stud girdle bolts that could get whacked damaged when off-roading.

TA-Performance Ford produts

Low profile (with recessed stud girdle bolts)...........................Original (exposed Stud girdle bolts)

 

[IZwack]

Since it was brought up:

I question the purpose of girdle bolts. The way the carrier cap is designed and its bolt holes as close to the carrier race as possible, I dont think the carrier's caps would deflect backwards enough to require girdle bolts. And off road Explorers with doublers push at least 200 times the torque of a normal Explorer and we on the forum have yet to hear of damage caused by a deflecting carrier. Nor have we heard of the ring and pinion skiping/eating teeth due to a deflecting carrier. Usually we see axle shafts snap from twisting instead of the carrier issues.

 

[DeRocha]

Since it was brought up:

I question the purpose of those girdle bolts. The way the carrier cap is designed and its bolt holes as close to the carrier race as possible, I dont think the carrier's caps would deflect backwards enough to require girdle bolts. And off road guys with doublers push at least 200 times the torque of a normal Explorer and we on the forum have yet to hear of damage caused by a deflecting carrier. Nor have we heard of the ring and pinion skiping/eating teeth due to a deflecting carrier. Usually we see axle shafts snap from twisting instead of the carrier deflecting.

I would agree the stud girdle is not needed by Explorers. I would assume the stud girdle was designed for Mustangs pushing serious HP at the drag strip.

 

[IZwack]

I would agree the stud girdle is not needed by Explorers. I would assume the stud girdle was designed for Mustangs pushing serious HP at the drag strip.

See, personally I dont think even those Mustangs can generate as much torque as off roaders because with a doubler, we can easily surpass 1,000 foot pounds of torque.

According to Wikipedia, the SOHC can generate 245 foot pounds of torque in stock form. With the tranfer case in LO range, we push that to 600 foot pounds (assuming the transfer case has about a 2.4 ratio). With a doubler, we push that to almost 1,500 foot pounds of torque. Granted off roaders never take the engine to the power band, so lets say the drivetrain is only generating half that number, 750 foot pounds -- with an Explorer climbing, pretty much all the torque is being used up by the rear 8.8 axle which means all the load and almost all of that 750 foot pounds is on the rear 8.8 axle.

 

[DeRocha]

See, personally I dont think even those Mustangs can generate as much torque as off roaders because with a doubler, we can easily surpass 1,000 foot pounds of torque.

Very true... but the combination of speed and torque is the culprit.