Ok I have some question about the mustang 8.8 rearend I have never really got into diff and gears until now.
As of right now I have the cobra irs in my mustang and i am looking to trade for a sra. I found this one guy that want to trade me for his sra and not really sure what i am getting into.
He says its a 2002 gt axle 31 spline auburn diif now with the research i did on the auburn i found that its a limited slip with a locker. What i want to know is can i put a spool on this diff.
Also what is the best diff for drag racing i know a spool is good. but is a posi better than the auburn diff or is a auburn diff better. Which is best to put the spool in or what can i put the spool in?
Let me know what you guys think help much needed thanks.
Well its ur old car. The only reason i want a spool its only 100 bucks and im goin to be drag racing a lot and I dont like the auburn setup I think its stupid. I would like a 10 bolt posi but i cant find one yet. I was jw so i know what I am getting into.
With auburn differentials you cannot rebuild them,when you start getting one wheel peel its done,time for a replacement.That is why I always went with the Eaton posi units,they can be rebuilt and have more longevity,I had a spool in my old car and replaced it with an Eaton because the spool was terrible on the street,car felt like it was going to tip over when I rounded a corner and the wheels would drag while cornering.Basically I’d use the auburn unitl it fails to spin both wheels,then I’d replace it with a Eaton or maybe a Detroit Locker.
Spools are not a good thing for cars that are used on the street. There are some people who do use a spool on the street and all I have to say about that is just because you can do something doesn’t make it a good idea. A spool offers no differential action under any circumstances. The axles engage the carrier, which in a spool, is just a solid chunk of metal. It has no pinion gears or side gears. Spools are a drag strip only proposition. In fact, when you’re looking at spools in your catalogs, it usually is written in bold letters - sometimes bold and italic that these are “for race use only.” Heed the warning. You’re not being cheated out of anything or deceived. For a car to corner safely, the outer wheel needs to turn faster than the inner wheel. This is because it has to travel a farther distance. This is the action that a differential allows…one wheel to rotate at a different speed than the other wheel. If there were no differential, both wheels are forced to rotate at the same speed. This causes one tire to skid or hop along the pavement and if the traction won’t allow the wheel to skid, the axle will twist and untwist just like a torsion bar. This is very stressful on the axles and can ultimately lead to failure of the axle…as in snap! And since you have no differential action with a spool, even following bends in the road can pitch the rearend into side-slip. Have you ever been to the strip and watched a car with big slicks and a spool turn sharp into the water? The inside slick is usually skipping and bouncing along.
Personally I would go with a Detroit Tru Track for the drag racing and street use. Maybe a Detroit Locker for serious track use. There is not use for a spool. You must run slicks on a sloop IMO bec I have see ppl eat up a set of brand new drag radials on the street with a spool in 350 miles with no burnouts.
The Ford 8.8 is one hell of a strong rear end. Factory is 28 spline axels which will hold a lot and 31 splines is what 90% of the mustang community upgrades too since ppl with 700+hp car are running them no problem.
Eatons and Ford Racing 31 spline clutch based units are nice becauase you can rebuild clutchs when they wear out. If you want a unit that is street driveable, has posi on demand, and will never wear out, get the Ford Racing Torsen T2 Diff. It is a gear based diff that ppl with 800hp can’t blow up. It will be the last diff you ever have to buy.
You dont have enough power to warrant a spool and its shit on the street.
The IRS is a far better suspension for a street car if set up properly… hence the reason it is in there.
Guys that swap a live axle in on a street car don’t know that they are putting a shittier setup in.
The 8.8 solid axle stock suspension setup is a HUGE pile of shit. HUGE.
You still need to spend $1000 on it to get it decent.
The huge pile of shit is the GM 10bolt, a Ford 8.8 is a strong and awesome rear end. Ppl that think live axles cannot be comfy or set up good for the street don’t know what they are doing.
Compared to WHAT? another live axle? LOL #1 IRS is a better suspension by design #2 Fords suspension on the 8.8 is a absolute fucking abortion.
It is downright DANGEROUS to drive on the street.
It does nothing well. It needs a Maximum Motorsports Panhard bar or
WATTS link in the least to get the sponge bushings partly under control.
The 8.8 CENTER section is what is better then the GM 10bolt. The rest is GARBAGE.
I spent 2 years researching the shit out of that suspension and driving the shit out of it so I really do know what I am talking about.
I also did alot of research a live axle is way better for drag. beside the point ford has spent lots of money make the live axle handle like the irs. The irs is obvisouly a little better but this car is goin to be braket racing a lot and racing in general at the track it is also not my daily driver, I am jus looking for the best straight line performance.