Technical V8 4 lug maverick 8" rear end for 63 falcon . YES I want to keep it four lug

Ok so ive been trying to do some research and I have not found a solid answer. I am trying to find out if the 8" rear end with a 4x4.5 can handle a mild 302. Were these rearends in early grabbers ? I Want to keep the car 4 lug. What year mavericks had the 4 lug 8" and not a 7.5 , I know some of the 250 I6 had them as well. How can I identify these rearends on the tags thanks a bunch !

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Ford never put a 4 lug behind a v8.
The 8" carrier is the same and the 28 spline count is the same but the entire housing is smaller, lighter with smaller bearings and you'll probably blow it up in short order.

 

Yes they did ! Mustang II with a V8 . Cobra , I have one only switched axles from 4 to 5 lug and used it hard for years in a Falcon . Direct swap in a Falcon or Comet


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I do not think Mavericks or Comets ever had 8" rears in any form!The Mustang 2 8" four lug is a metric bolt pattern[found out the hard way],the pumpkin is the same though as a V-8 8",used it in my 65 Wagon!

 

I know for sure,...1988 Mustang 5.0 has 4 lug wheels. Stu

 

Stu I was looking into those but the lug pattern is not 4x4.5 I thought they were. A mustang II rear looks like an option just about 57" wide. Damn falcons

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Sure they did; I've pulled 5 lug 8" rears out of several Mavericks.

 

Yes, Virginia, they did. I have two 8" Maverick 5 bolt rear ends on the rack in my shop. Also have a Mustang II, 8", 4 lug version. I will confess on the latter though, I never checked, just assumed it was 4 x 4.5. So, I learned something too. Thanks!

Ray

 

Why not get a 5 lug and redrill to to 4 lug using one of rotten Leonard's drill jigs that he sells here in the classifieds...

 

The
1977-1981Granada's are 58" and I think they can be found with the same 4 lug bolt pattern. HRP

 

Arrrrgghhh! YES, '69-'72 Mavericks had four lug 8" Ford rear ends. Tes they were fairly common. They have been a popular Falcon swap for years. They have the same 4 on 4 1/2" bolt pattern as Falcons and early four lug Mustangs. I don't believe they ever put them behind V8s in Mavericks, but look for the 200 and 250 inch sixes and you'll find them. They are at a bout 56 1/2" wide, so they are that 1/2" wider than the stock 7 1/4" rear, and you know how tight Falcon wheel wells are. Look for the early narrow bumper Mavericks and you'll be half way there.

Also, lets quickly dispel the rumor that the Mustang II/Pinto and later Mustangs had a "metric" bolt pattern, They shifted four lug stuff to 4 on 4 1/4" with the Pinto and other four luggers that came after.

 

if ya can get a 4 lug 8 inch i would use it my dad and his brother used to swap in v8s and leave the 7.5 six rear with no problems

 

A couple of things to add. et the u-bolts from the Maverick, as they are a slightly larger diameter to go with the housing. The spring plates you have can have one end unfolded, and the u-bolt pattern elongated to make them work, or just cut new spring plates and make it nice. You won't find anything else in Ford's stock of stuff that is the same as the Falcon's shock layout, so you end up working a bit for them.

The reason you don't get a five lug and drill it down to four is that the five lug 8" axles use an access hole for the backing late bolts that intrudes into a 4 on 4 1/2" pattern's foot print. Now, you can fill this of course, but just getting the right rear end is simpler. There is enough room to drill a 4 on 4 1/2" pattern in the later Pinto and MustangII axles if you would like, but the extra inch of width makes stuff awfully tight back there.

 

I wont be using any leaf springs just welding on bag brackets and the 4 link tabs for my TCP 4 link. I have 4" backspace wheels 16x7 so they are tight! Im not opposed to doing a small wide body where the wheel wells are. Ive seen it done. Just beadroll a new panel. Just a subtle pull,not overly done

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Im assuming that they are fairly durable just because people do nt view 4 lug as "strong". The small bearings are the weakness, maybe I.can get mosier to make some axels but I doubt I will have an issue

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Me too.

 

Sadly they only makes these in 4 lug, and I already have them. But it sure will make people do a double take

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If you are really careful, and a bit lucky, most rear axles can be narrowed 1/2" to an 1" just on extra length on the splines. Stick the axles into the center section until it bottoms out with a bit of clay wrapped around the outside of the last inch of the splines. Pull it back out, and it will have left an impression of the outermost edge of the end gear. Carefully peel the clay back and see how much more spline is left on the axle, than repeat for the other side. That extra amount is what's safe to take out of the housing and grind off the end of the axle. On some Fords I have seen enough to take about 1 1/2" between the two sides, and that is significant in a situation as tight as our cars.

 

IF you really get stuck you could alway narrow an 8.8 to what width you want, they are everywhere, cheap and strong

 

You can't. There are backing plate bolt access holes in the axle flange that prevent this.

 

I have an 8.8 in my '60, and Konig Rewinds, too!

 

the 8.8 will take a beating and the parts are cheap and availible

 

Had a book some years back. Called the complete book of engine swapping. Lent it out and it never came back. In it, of all things, they put a Y-block Ford in an early Falcon. They used an 8in. rear. 5-lug. Plugged the flange holes and re-drilled them 4-lug. Just pictures, but it looked like it worked fine.

 

I have a 4 lug 8 in out of something. It is slightly wider than a Maverick. I was going to put the extra Maverick axles I have in it. You probably could put these axles in a Maverick housing and be fine. The axles are only a small fraction on an inch too long to be an exact swap . PM if interested.

 

Had to look on an old lap top to find this ancient word document, I hope it works:


8 inch ID Tag Codes
ID tag
Ratio
Ring Gear
WCZ-E
2.80:1
8"
WCZ-F
3.00:1
8"
WCZ-F1
2.80:1
8"
WCZ-G
3.50:1
8"
WCZ-V1
2.79:1
8"
WCZ-W
3.25:1
8"
WDW-Z
3.00:1
8"
WDJ-B
2.80:1
8"
WDJ-C
3.00:1
8"
WDJ-C1
3.00:1
8"
WDJ-C2
3.00:1
8"
WDW-AB
2.79:1
8"
WDY-AA
3.00:1
8"
WDY-HH
3.40:1
8"
WFL-A
3.00:1
8"
WDY-S
3.40:1
8"
A stock 63 falcon V8 is 56 inches, the narrowest 8" ford made.
63 Falcon 8" rear 56" wide
Measurements 56" wheel to wheel
74 Maverick 8" 56.50” inches
90, 91, 92 Ranger 8.8 Rears 56”
Approximate rear end widths measured from backing plate to backing plate.
Add Width to compensate for drums as follows:
4" - 5" for small cars 5" - 6" for intermediate cars 6" - 8" for large cars
52" - 53"
67 Mustang Six
71-77 Mavericks
71 Comets
54" -55"
71-72 Pintos
66 Falcon
67 Mustang V-8
56" -57”
71 Torino
72 Cougar
STOCK CENTER TO CENTER SPRING PERCH DISTANCE
68 -71 Fairlane/Torino 42"
71 - 72 Pinto 42 1/2
67 Mustang 43"
70's Ford Grenada
71-77 Maverick 43 1/2"69 Ford Van 51"
74-79 Ford Mustang II/Pinto & Mercury Capri/Bobcat 55 ½" 55 ½"
Donor Vehicles Front and Rear Suspension Width (Flange to Flange)
71-77 Ford Maverick with 8" axle 56 ½"
75-80 Ford Granada with 8" axle 57 ½"
64-66 Mustangs 57"
67-71 Mustang 59"
72-73 Mustang 60"
75-78 Granada 9" (43" perch to perch) 52 ¼"
75-78 Maverick 9" (43" perch to perch) 56 ¼"
81-87 Olds Cutlass 58 ½"
REAR SUSPENSION:
The following is a general list of rear ends and their dimensions to help narrow the search for a possible candidate to replace the torque tube rear end or just get a better set of gears for highway driving.
Advance Design Trucks seem to be using rear ends with widths ranging from 58"- 62". I'm not sure of the Task Force width ranges at this time. Contributing information were Bob Welch, J Forbes and various locations throughout the Web and Automotive Magazines.
Rear Axle Measurements MEASURED ACROSS WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE
56 1/2"
71-77 Ford Mavericks 8",
57”
71-74 V-8 Mavericks 8" All
75-77 6CYL & V8 Maverick 5 Lug 8"
49-51 Ford, 57-59 Ford 9"
57 1/4"
64 1/2 - 65 Mustangs
58"
78-88 Midsized GM Car, Malibu/Monte Carlo (82 up Metric Studs), 80 Granada & Lincoln Versailles, 67-70 Mustang/Cougar/Fairlane, Regal with 10 bolt axle, S-10 P.U., 65-67 Nova
58 1/2"
Ford Grenada
60"
71-73 Mustang/Cougar

Well, it kind'a worked

 

Damn thats a nice list of info!

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Oh, and there's nothin' wrong with running a properly set up 8" behind a 302. Most after market 8" trac-loc carriers run the same size carrier bearings that a 9" carrier does. They all use 28 spline axles and they all use 1310 u-joints. It ain't a 9" but they work pretty well. Look for the later "webbed" housing like this:



I run a 3:55 or a 3:80 8" trac-loc center (depending on my mood) with Currie axles and Cal Trac bars behind a 347 stroker in a 63 sedan that I regularly beat the snot out of

Cal Track Bar test by BurntOutOldMechanic posted May 13, 2014 at 6:50 AM

 

^^^^^^,,,,,thanks for posting the info

 

An Explorer 8.8 can be narrowed to the reasonably correct width, by using two short-side axles.

I used a '91 Ranger 8.8, and just dealt with the offset pinion issues.

A narrowed Explorer rear will have just a slight offset.

The axle flanges have no holes in them to stop you from re-drilling them for 4-lug.

I did it. I have a drill guide that Rottenleonard made to my spec, just for this purpose. I even turned down the registers so stock wheels fit.

Oh, and Konig Rewinds, too!

Still a 6, and staying that way.

Still 4-lug, and staying that way.

 

Years ago I had a Mercury Zephyr with a 302 and it had 4 lug wheels. Here is another thought - a station wagon might have larger brakes to handle the extra weight of a loaded cargo area. Good luck with your search.