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Lots of speculation in your statement Billy. Peter has been tracking his FD at a very fast pace for 20+ years.
I respect that you are knowledgeable but you sometimes come off as a know it all trying to justify that your way is the only way.
Lots of speculation in your statement Billy. Peter has been tracking his FD at a very fast pace for 20+ years.
I respect that you are knowledgeable but you sometimes come off as a know it all trying to justify that your way is the only way.
Thanks for the feedback, I don't intend to come off like that and my way is definitely not the only way or the best for everyone. I also don't like the confirmation bias that many people tend to seek by pushing for others to follow suit and do what they did. I just try to have 2-way conversations that bring new information on both sides to the community.
People can make the decision that best fits their budget and use. The speculations are based on sharing the research and findings that I compiled in the MotoIQ articles that I wrote, and spreading awareness of the low financial commitment of the Ford 8.8" conversion (after selling the stock parts), the ease of the conversion, and the need for it at a power level known to break various stock drivetrain components (400whp).
It's awesome to see someone with a long history of tracking the FD. Peter sharing his experience of how long he's tracked his car at over 400whp and how much over 400whp greatly helps the community to have more insight, information, and confidence in running at 400whp on the track and 500whp on the street, or maybe less confidence if he's only tracked his current setup a few times. I'm not doubting or questioning him by any means, but rather having an open discussion and asking questions for Peter to expand on and share his experience to benefit the community.
The 8.8" conversion is pretty straightforward. After dropping the exhaust and PPF, disconnecting the brake lines and damper lower bolts, the entire subframe, diff, and suspension drops out with 6 bolts. I did this in an hour on jackstands in a parking lot. Then welding the 8.8" support braces/mount was pretty easy.
I'm sharing my experience of going through the 8.8 conversion to those who might be intimidated by how difficult it is to do. I know I wasn't super excited about what it would take to do the conversion since there is not a lot of reviews from people who have done it, but I was motivated to do the upgrade and bit the bullet. Now that I've completed the install, it really was not that bad. I would bet anyone who has also done the conversion would agree.
I've seen a lot of people recommend waiting until the diff breaks before upgrading it. But this could be a $1,000-1,500 difference rather than proactively upgrading the diff where there is virtually no cost. Some people might not be able to afford this and be forced to buy another $500-750 stock diff to just break it again. The time, effort, and labor adds up. Having been there and learned that lesson, I guess my point is to spread the awareness of the costs of the 8.8" upgrade being pretty much break-even, and it's actually not that scary or difficult to do.
0.02
Last edited by Billj747; May 18, 2024 at 10:09 AM.
That diffs been in there, unbraced (other than PPF), for at least a decade. Since going single turbo in 2016, cars always made 400+ on track boost (its varied with other mods, motors), and I run 285 hoosiers. Last few years ive run 75/140 Amsoil fluid. Im sure it runs hot (it would weep fluid from the drain plug when it was 75/90, but it lives.
It's almost as if horsepower isn't what breaks drivetrain components...
Back on this train again
So an old Dyno from 2017 (before his transmission broke and kept the car down for 5 years) showed 439whp and 393lb-ft of torque. This is right in the torque and power range that breaks transmissions and diffs.
Peter - about how many track events have you run at over 400whp from 2016 until the car breaking in 2018? It was impressive to see 2:02s at VIR and 2:03s at Watkins Glen. How many track events have you done since the car has been back up and running for the past 7 months?
Last edited by Billj747; May 19, 2024 at 12:02 AM.
So an old Dyno from 2017 (before his transmission broke and kept the car down for 5 years) showed 439whp and 393lb-ft of torque. This is right in the torque and power range that breaks transmissions and diffs.
Peter - about how many track events have you run at over 400whp from 2016 until the car breaking in 2018? It was impressive to see 2:02s at VIR and 2:03s at Watkins Glen. How many track events have you done since the car has been back up and running for the past 7 months?
I gently point you to this prior message:
Originally Posted by gracer7-rx7
Lots of speculation in your statement Billy. Peter has been tracking his FD at a very fast pace for 20+ years.
I respect that you are knowledgeable but you sometimes come off as a know it all trying to justify that your way is the only way.
So what does it say about you for seeking any opportunity to beat a dead horse regarding something we already discussed on another thread, where I agreed with you?
While I love a good debate, I think everyone is focusing too much on break even cost. Why not go big with this and a 9” . No need to resell your old subframe, use it as JDM lawn art.
I've done two events since getting the car back. WGI, and Summit Point. Big thing is, I don't launch the car. I'll bet i've done that maybe twice in two decades. And with the 75/140 oil, it doesn't weep anymore. I have provision in the new setup for diff temp, so I'll get that setup soon and see what's what, but I don't see it catastrophically breaking. Even the original just started whining at one point, so I replaced it preemptively. This ones totally quiet.
The trans broke on a high rpm shift coming out of the last corner at WGI, and I was admittedly rough on it.
Did anyone ever publish the actual dimensions for length, inside diameter and outside diameter of the requisite sleeve to allow adaptation of the B26000 ring and pinion?
I, for one, would like to check into sourcing one on my own.
I also have now become hyper obsessed finding a solution.
Broke my built* liberty OEM trans at the track running low boost. I have just had enough. CD009 is tempting pending some sort of light in the tunnel to swap the rp to anything below 3.9 in the future.
I also have now become hyper obsessed finding a solution.
Broke my built* liberty OEM trans at the track running low boost. I have just had enough. CD009 is tempting pending some sort of light in the tunnel to swap the rp to anything below 3.9 in the future.
Thank you TeamRx8 for all you are doing.
@ArmenMAxx Ferd swap ala Rodin + Fisch for the CD009? Or do the trans, get a 3.9 and send it for a while?
I will settle for CD009 trans and 3.9. I just rebuilt my rear end, OS geiken LSD etc and I rather enjoy how it feels therefore I am not looking to switch to anything else.
I am currently on a 4.3 r&p, I am sure I will get annoyed quickly. It also puts me in awkward gears for most of my local tracks.
. No need to resell your old subframe, use it as JDM lawn art. 
