Swapping rear axle? Difficulty level?

[sgfreak96]

Hey guys, I was dumb and bought a pretty beat mustang from some guy who really neglected this thing. My rear diff and ring/pinion are basically destroyed. My right rear wheel bearing is also shot currently. I was quoted 2k by a few mechanics to put in a stock ford 3.55 that was refurbished. I'd buy a diff and R&P myself, however that seems extremely difficult to install and setting everything correctly would be hard to do. I can go buy an entire rear out of a mustang for 600$. Is swapping out just the whole axle hard to do? I'd love to do that and just put a new complete rear axle and diff out of a crashed car.

 

[Gabe]

Not hard to do, just awkward cuz weight.
Having a buddy to help definitely a plus.

 

[sgfreak96]

Not hard to do, just awkward cuz weight.
Having a buddy to help definitely a plus.

Good to know! Are there any tutorials you could point me towards? Didn't see much on youtube. Also about how heavy is it? Could I transport one in my mustang or a large sedan? Going to have to give this a shot during my thanksgiving break!

 

[Gabe]

Never weighed one, the info I'm finding says 150-200 lbs, depending on whether brakes are attached or not

http://forums.corral.net/forums/road-racing-auto-x/816341-8-8-vs-9-inch-weight-comparison.html

For tutorials, I'd say look up upper control arm replacement (it will show where the thing mounts to the top of the axle), rear spring-replacement, rear shock-replacement, and rear lower control arm replacement.
Other things connected to it, the panhard bar and stabilizer bar

This is my rear axle when the car was a few months old:

 

[sgfreak96]

Never weighed one, the info I'm finding says 150-200 lbs, depending on whether brakes are attached or not

http://forums.corral.net/forums/road-racing-auto-x/816341-8-8-vs-9-inch-weight-comparison.html

For tutorials, I'd say look up upper control arm replacement (it will show where the thing mounts to the top of the axle), rear spring-replacement, rear shock-replacement, and rear lower control arm replacement.
Other things connected to it, the panhard bar and stabilizer bar

This is my rear axle when the car was a few months old:

Thanks for the info Gabe! Much appreciated. My rear sway bar is already out, so for now I'll be hunting around for a removal tutorial or at least some information on it. Thanks again!

 

[skwerl]

Swapping it out is pretty straight forward, just nuts and bolts. Brake lines will be the most complicated part. Fresh fluid in the differential is a given.

 

[ksack]

Like Skwerl said, it will be pretty easy. The axle itself will weigh around 200lbs. I just pulled an explorer 8.8 and that was right around 200 with the brakes. I'd recommend a truck or SUV to move it. You could probably do it in a stang with the seats folded down but it'd be a pain to get in and out

 

[skwerl]

Use leverage. A floor jack (or two), jack stands and I found a ratchet strap handy in pulling everything into position to get the bolts started. Weight is only a problem if you don't understand leverage.

 

[slow06stang]

I have swapped the same rear end into 2 mustangs by myself. I put the car up on heavy duty jack stands. I used a jack under the differential. Jack it up till it gets a slight load. Take all of the nuts/bolts out removed the driveshaft and the brake lines and e-brake cables and lowered it down and rolled from right under the car. The pita for me is the upper control arm. Good luck

 

[Towelie]

I just swapped mine out last weekend. Just hang the brakes from the car and it's just nits and bolts. I used a tranny jack and it was a breeze. It took me an evening moving slow

 

[fdjizm]

I had mine at one point just hanging out with only the UCA connected, that's when I realized I fucked up.

 

[Department Of Boost]

Swapping it out is pretty straight forward, just nuts and bolts. Brake lines will be the most complicated part. Fresh fluid in the differential is a given.

I'm not sure if you're suggesting that the brake lines need to be cracked open?

They don't. Simply unbolt the calipers, hang them, swap axle, put calipers back on.

 

[07 Boss]

Used a tranny/motorcycle jack and strapped it down to keep it from rotating as I moved it around.




Loaded it in a truck by myself using leverage. I'm a 51 year little old man so if I can do it by myself, I'm pretty sure you can handle it.



Pretty easy peasy.

Caliper bolts (4)
Driveshaft bolts (6)
LCA bolts (2)
UCA bolt (1)
Shock bolts (2)
Panhard bar bolts (2)
Lower it out of the car

Should take you an hour and a half with hand tools. Less than an hour with a gun.

 

[TexasBlownV8]

I recently posted a little how-to in someone else's thread.

Replacing the unit as a whole is the easiest way to go!

It is heavy, so be careful lifting it and moving it around.

 

[Sky Render]

If the gears are a different ratio in the new axle, don't forget to compensate for it in the tune.

 

[Scott]

Piece of cake, if I can do it with an old arthritis riddled body you should have no problem.

Remove drive shaft, shocks, sway bar, panhard bar, lower, upper control arms, brake calipers and lower away.



Used a floor jack and some axle stands to position. Bolt everything back up and you are done. There is a full description and more pictures of the diff build in my build thread.

 

[pass1over]

I've found it easier to line up the mount to the body for the upper arm rather than lining up the arm to the mount.

Wrestled with trying to get the bolt through for awhile but couldn't get it all the way through. Unbolted the mount, put the bolt through and it was much easier to maneuver the mount into place to complete the install. ymmv

 

[redfirepearlgt]

Hey Scott!! Does the FRPP differential housing cover on your rear axle clear the pan hard bar without a relocation bracket? I just made the mistake of buying a Moser to put on mine after we pulled the rear axle yesterday and welded up the axle tubes and relocation brackets. It won't fit. I thought it would since BMR sells only that cover and has no mention of needing the panhard relo bracket though it is required as well as spherical bearings in the pan hard to minimize binding. Otherwise I am going to buy a DRAKE cover when I send this one back to Moser. Thanks.

 

[Scott]

Hey Scott!! Does the FRPP differential housing cover on your rear axle clear the pan hard bar without a relocation bracket? I just made the mistake of buying a Moser to put on mine after we pulled the rear axle yesterday and welded up the axle tubes and relocation brackets. It won't fit. I thought it would since BMR sells only that cover and has no mention of needing the panhard relo bracket though it is required as well as spherical bearings in the pan hard to minimize binding. Otherwise I am going to buy a DRAKE cover when I send this one back to Moser. Thanks.

With the FRPP Cover I had no issues and did not need a Panhard Relocation Bracket. I have since dumped the Panhard Bar for a BMR Watts Link. My Steeda Sway Bar was not compatible with the Watts Link so I replaced it with a BMR Sway Bar.



Not the best angle but here is the FRPP cover and Panhard Bar.

 

[TGR96]

Dang Scott, that's a clean rear end you got there! No homo.