Hot Rods 8.8 rears with 5x5.5

Clearly the early explorer rears are a great option but thin on the ground here. Im having to think a little more laterally.

What vehicles had 8.8 rears and 5 x 5.5 PCD? I understand they will be too wide and likely need custom axles but thats a little easier to organise from here than a complete appropriate width 9" etc.

So far have come across 1994 era Broncos.

 

No idea on the ratios but Suzuki Vitara and Samurai are 5 x 5.5.

 

If you’re planning on new axles, buy them with 5.5 pattern. I’m ***uming there’s room in the drums to have them redrilled to match.

 

Funny you mention that as thats where Im sourcing my rims from. 1st gen Jimny (Samurai). Not sure the rear end will be strong enough though.

 

F150s

 

F150 and Bronco both had the larger 5.5" spacing.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the 8.8" Ford axles:
https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/ford-8-8-inch-rear-axle-history-and-specs/#gsc.tab=0

 

• Toyota Tacoma have 5x5.5

 

All the F150 from the first 8.8 until they went to metric. The 8.8 in have in my 1956 Ford Victoria has F150 drum brakes and the drums have 3 sets of wheel stud holes!

 

Ford switched to a 6 on 5.5” in 2004 F150s so from mid eighties to 2004 will have what you want. Ford had two different body’s in 04 if I remember correctly, early and late, the early one is the one you’re looking for.

 

Ford Broncos used the 5-on-5.5 bolt pattern from '66 to '96 except for the Bronco II. Ford F100/F150 were the same from '53 to '96, although Ford did sneak a few oddballs in here and there so you do need to pay attention. There was a one-year-only 5-on-4.5 on (the last?) the F100, and there were some 5-on-5.25 mixed in there I believe in the early 90s for a year or two. I actually bought a set of those, ***uming they were 5-on-5.5 but wouldn't fit when I got them home. Don't know if those appeared on the Bronco.

Ford also had an odd-ball rear axle used in the '70s in lieu of the 9" on some full-size cars and trucks. It was an integral-style with a rear cover similar to Dana 44 but wasn't. I personally ran into two of them. One under a '71 LTD, the other in my '75 F150. Information on these is scarce; I never did identify them, although I didn't try very hard either...

Ford also offered as an option an upgrade the Dana 60 axle on the F100 in the late '60s/early '70s, but those are extremely rare.

 

Thanks so much everyone, some great info there!

 

I kept the 5.5 bolt pattern also . No matter which you choose anything with and strength to it will have to be cut down . 8.8 is tough . 9 in is the look

 

9" is what many do for the look, but no 9" Ford axle in stock form is as strong as a stock 8.8" is. The stock 9" have lower spline count, smaller OD axles, and just aren't as strong. And building up a 9" to just make it equal to an 8.8" Ford is a huge expense.

 

never heard this before!-learn something new .....

 

Well, I wouldn't go so far to say that Ford never built a 9" as strong as an 8.8, but those weren't ones you'd stumble over in wrecking yards. By the late '60s Ford was building some that were as tough as the 8.8 as the racers had found their limits and Ford responded with better units featuring nodular cases, 'Daytona' bearing supports and 31 spline axles. But as far as OEM use, these were only used on the top performance offerings, not your mother's LTD, so 'back in the day' were rare and expensive when found. Ford sold these by the truckloads to the racers however.

It's ironic that the 9"s greatest strength became the flaw that killed it for OEM use. Ford designed it to get the driveshaft lower so that the floor 'hump' in the new lower '57 cars would be smaller. But this also increased the load on the pinion bearings, so Ford added a third bearing, supporting the pinion at both ends, the only rear axle to do so AFAIK. Pinion deflection was a major cause of axle failure under racing use, and this drastically reduced it. But the lower pinion angle also reduced efficiency by several percent, so when the OEMs started chasing fuel economy, it had to go. Its other big attraction was the fact that it was a removable third member, making gear changes far easier that the rear-loading axles like the Danas and GM 12 bolts... and 8.8. And easier to replace if you did have a failure.

But if you're shopping for an axle, the 8.8 is the best 'bang for your buck' out there these days in terms of strength without excessive weight/size.

 

That’s incorrect, Ford went to a metric pattern in 97, only up to 96 was the 5.5 bolt circle.

 

Ford started giving the metric dimensions to the 5 on 5.5 pattern they did the same thing with the Ranger but they didn’t change the bolt pattern. I know this how? Because I had a 96 and put aftermarket wheels on it and a 98 Ranger that I put aftermarket wheels on. Both sets of wheels showed up marked with metric and standard bolt pattern dimensions.

 

5 x 5.5 = 5 x 139.7mm

 

Here's some Ford F100 axle data from DUTCHMAN.
OEM APPLICATION GUIDE.xlsx
Ford Stock Replacement Rear Axles, Bolt in Type, Pair | Dutchman Axles
Bolt in press on bearing Axles Shafts | www.dutchmanaxles.com | Dutchman Axles
I bought their axles for a 57" wide 31 spline 9" rear end ...... custom made, good product and good pricing.
Early JEEP and IH Scout were 5.5" PCD too ..... BTW; what is the diameter and width of those Suzuki wheels please.

 

1997-2003 is 135 mm (4.92”)

 

Wei I must have had a one off 96 because it had a 5/5.5 bolt pattern, I used the wheels on the truck for a few years then on a full size Ford van after that.

 

I have a bit of a plan. If someone sees a flaw in it please let me know.

Buy a Bronco rear as I can find one more easily and shorten both sides so they are equal length with an overall width of 56.5". Then use 2 p***enger side explorer axles which are available new from Dutchman and others, ordered with the 5x5.5 PCD. The only issue at this stage is shipping the 80lb+ the axles weigh to here. :{

 

My off topic '99 E150 has the 5.5 pattern... running the OJ simpson bronco wheels. They might call the pattern 139.7mm now.

 

Here's my suggestion Pete.
Early Bronco rear ends are like rocking horse **** these days so why not just get a more readily available (wider) 1973-1984 F150 or 1978-1986 BRONCO or 1981-1987 E100/150 versions with the bigger brakes, 31 spline centre, good Set20 axle bearings and typically 3.50 gears, +++. Unfortunately, those housings don't have the traditional styling ..... but neither does an 8.8" rear.
Then buy custom Dutchman axles to suit the above components with a width that best suits your build.
E/F100 & E/F150 rears have equal length axles and the pinion is off centre ~2". The custom axle option would allow you to have 9" p***enger car like different length axles and a centred pinion ..... then narrow the housing to suit that package.
I'd also suggest that you do the housing installation fabrication before doing the narrowing work to avoid possible heat affected distortion.
Re the shipping ..... do you know of anyone that ships cars out of the USA to Japan and could accommodate ***orted parts in their container ..... that's typically how I get my BIG parts down here.
Whatever approach you take it's going to be PITA because of where you're located ..... ask me how I know.
Good luck.

 

I’m wondering if the 5 - 5.5 bolt pattern you guys are mentioning use 15” wheels as I’m looking for some for my ‘32.

Sorry to distract from the main point of this thread!

 

F1, F100 and early Mercury wheels are usually 15" x 5" or 5-1/2".
The F1 and Mercury wheels should have the innie hubcap knubs.
Here's some HAMB search results.
Pair of 1942-48 Mercury wheels - 15x5" | The H.A.M.B.
F1 ford Truck wheels set of 4 | The H.A.M.B.
Ford wheels | The H.A.M.B.

 

1997 through 2004, Ford swapped the F150 from 5x5.5 to metric 5x135, so no later than 96 on the 8.8 with 5x5.5

 

If a stock width Explorer rear is the correct width for your application just use one and get custom axle shafts. Moser and others make drop in axle shafts for Explorer 8.8's with various bolt patterns.

 

Good luck finding a factory race ready 9" Ford, and then prepare to dig deep to pay for it! The 8.8" axles I get from Pick N Pull are $250, and half that on half price holiday weekends! You can't even find a weak 9" for $250 and then spend another $1000 to make it stronger.

 

Thanks fellas for the help. Was able to get an 8.8 rear from a Bronco for the equivalent of $US250 delivered to a freight depot 1hr away. So jumped in my Kei truck this morning and went and picked it up. Its really wide and will need to be shortened on both sides and need custom axles which I have already priced, although the freight costs are about $500 plus axles so will come up with another plan to get them here.


The guy selling it on yahoo auctions, which is like a Japanese eBay, wouldnt respond to questions about the tag details as from what I read most bronco rears were open drive. Having looked online LSDs were about $200 so that was part of the budget going forward.



Sometimes you just get lucky.... Its a LSD with 3.55 is also right on the money for what I want too!

Got it unloaded with the help of a friend, man that ****er was heavy but Im no longer young

Thanks again for the help. This will get put away for a while until I can get the axles and brake replacement parts here although Im sure I wont be able to help myself and will clean it up a little in the interim.