I'm boning out a '85 mustang that has a disc brake 4 lug rear posi rear that is nice and narrow but 4 lug. Are there any factory 5 lug axles that would fit? How about rotors? Has anyone ever redrilled these axles? Any drawbacks to this 8.8 rear?
I think the Thunderbird turbo coupes had 5-lug, maybe not. Almost certain the mid-late 1980's Lincoln Mk VII had a 5 lug 8.8" that is physically the same dimension. Disc brakes, too.
Ford Ranger and Aerostar van driver's side axles (installed on both sides of your axle) will convert it to 5-lug. Not sure about rotors. A quick Google search netted this: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=mustang+4+to+5+lug+conversion&aq=0&oq=mustang+4+to+ Tons of info on the interweb about this conversion... Malcolm
That is not the stock rear for a 85 Mustang. The SVO had 5 lug and would have had disc in the 1985. What you probably have is a Turbo Coupe rear end in that car. They are all 4 lug. Could be a 1993 Cobra rear as well. 1994 mustang was the first full production year for 5 lug, the SVO had it but those were limited numbers. All the Lincoln marks had 5 lug, most of them had disc. The disc brake rears from the lincoln, turbo coupes, cobra and SVO all were wider than the drum rears. Pick up a 1994 or newer mustang rear end and it is bolt in. you may be able to use the lincoln axles in the rear end you have, maybe the newer mustang axles too, but I am not sure. easiest is to just sell it and buy another rear.
This car had been a serious street racer till the metal mice got to it. i pulled the engine;yes,it was a 347, the 5 speed this rear and lots of neat small parts. it will be far cheaper to buy axles/rotors at the U-pull-it than a rear. I just needed to know more of what fits. Thanks for the help and welcome any more.
Go to a salvage yard, and get the left-side axles from 1983-1992 Ranger's, or Bronco II's. The left side axle shafts are the same length as the axle shafts in the "Fox" 1979-1993 Mustangs EXCEPT that Ranger-Bronco II shafts are five-lug. If you don't want to re-drill your brake drums you can use Ranger-Bronco II brake drums provided your 8.8 has 9" dia brake drums.
This may be true for drum axles, but I don't think it works with disc axles???? The disc axle he has is wider than the drum axle. Not sure if it is just the disc rotor that makes it wider, but it is wider.
Remember, the '85 will also have the weak 7.5" axle. Swapping in an 8.8" from a Mark VII or '94-newer Mustang will solve the problem, and the Lincoln axle will have discs too!
Use the Ranger left side axles. You may have to grind off the splined end of the axle where the axle retainer keys go, because some hit the pin in the carrier. But you only have to remove a little, and it has no effect on the strength.
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