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In the middle of an 8.8 swap on my 1985. Ready to start transplanting brackets onto the 8.8 housing and just now realized I didn’t take a ride height reference angle before pulling the factory diff.
I was planning on using the flat on top of the spring perch as my zero point but it turns out they’re 5° different from each other other.
I already had the 8.8 in the car and jacked up to ride height so I can figure my pinion angle so I know my zero point on the 8.8. I just need a reference angle off of the stock diff so I can get the brackets on the 8.8 housing in the same orientation.
Is there any possibility someone could get me the angle off of the flat area on the back of the diff housing at ride height??
I'll gladly mail you a bottle of the cheapest bourbon I can find!
Last edited by Dusty1985; Mar 21, 2026 at 09:38 PM.
That particular one is just sitting outside, flange down, I have another that’s under a car… but it’s been tri linked and pan har’d (that sounds like a pirate) if you are looking for an angle of the rear face to the spring perch on a stock setup, i can give you that offset; not sure if it makes a difference if it’s in the car or not. Let me know. Btw, there are others with stock setups, under a car, that would (most likely) give you this info too.
That particular one is just sitting outside, flange down, I have another that’s under a car… but it’s been tri linked and pan har’d (that sounds like a pirate) if you are looking for an angle of the rear face to the spring perch on a stock setup, i can give you that offset; not sure if it makes a difference if it’s in the car or not. Let me know. Btw, there are others with stock setups, under a car, that would give you this info too.
I really do appreciate the offer, The rear diff face to perch offset I can get from my stock diff. What I really need is the angle of the link mounts when under the car at ride height, but with many mounts and surfaces I thought it would be simpler to ask for the angle of the diff face as I could then orient my stock housing to that angle then measure the link mount angles for transplanting onto the 8.8
I have the 8.8 in a jig with the pinion angle right where it will need to be when at ride height so I need a ride height reference from a stock diff to transplant the mounts in the proper position.
The bourbon offer still stands, but could be converted to Rum if there are any other helpful pirates out there.
Don't u want the pinion angle to be level? At ride height?
The car is a V8 swap, I have the 8.8 set up so the operating angle will be 1.5 degrees at ride height, but none of that matters.
I just need just need a reference angle from a stock diff at ride height so I can get the link mounts transferred to the 8.8 housing in the same orientation.
Here's a stock bracket map I made in the early 90's, I built hundreds of RX-7 rears based on these measurements...
Here's some pics of what I used to locate the brackets on the rears I used to build with the pinion centered. If you are using an Explorer 8.8 housing cut down for equal length short side axles/tubes, adjust the numbers for your application...
For locating the lower link bracket holes front/back, first step was squaring up the rear face...
I used a plumb bob across the tube to locate the lower link hole...
Note that there are 3 different axle tube diameters used with the 8.8 housings.
2-3/4" dia tubes FOX Mustang 8.8
3" dia tubes Crown Vic 8.8
3-1/4" dia Explorer/F-150
With a 3" dia axle tube, the string went across the center of the hole.
If you are using an Explorer housing with 3-1/4" tubes, the bracket hole center will be 1/8" foreward of the string.
This is a 2-3/4" dia FOX housing, the bracket hole center will be 1/8" rearward of the string....
I rotated the spring pockets 5* forward.
Grant
Last edited by clutchtamer; Mar 23, 2026 at 09:41 AM.
Here's an edited version of the above map with bracket locations for an 8.8 housing that has equal length axles/tubes, such as an Explorer housing that has had the long tube shortened to use two short side axles.
Note that with equal length axles/tubes, the 8.8 pinion will be offset appx 1/2" to 9/16" to the right. Exact pinion offset will vary a bit due to variances in carrier bearing shim thickness.
Grant
Last edited by clutchtamer; Mar 26, 2026 at 03:22 PM.
Here's an edited version of the above map with bracket locations for an 8.8 housing that has equal length axles/tubes, such as an Explorer housing that has had the long tube shortened to use two short side axles.
Note that with equal length axles/tubes, the 8.8 pinion will be offset appx 1/2" to 9/16" to the right. Exact pinion offset will vary a bit due to variances in carrier bearing shim thickness.
Grant
You’re awesome Grant. Thank you again. This helps a great deal.
