I can use some help with winter axle build.

Reply #15 – December 27, 2017, 09:53:50 PM

So looking at your parts list the caliper rotor buy has a 60 day hassle free warranty you just pay shipping back to them and then you have a 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty and again you pay shipping to them. Buying parts from an parts store will net you a lifetime warranty on the calipers and pads and typically a two year warranty on the rotors all with unlimited mileage and no shipping and 99% of the time in stock or next day. So just checking OReilly online and going with their list price for the rotors (brake best), calipers (reman brake best), and pads (wagner thermo quiet) it will run $428.91 so my guess is they will come down to 80% of list which puts you at $343.13 and if you know someone that gets a deal at a local parts store then you may do better than that. If you go with Rock Auto on replacement parts rotors (centric premium), calipers (centric), and pads (wagner thermo quiet) it will run $304.94 but the Centric parts have a 90 day/3,000 mile warranty and the Wagner pads have a 24 month/24,000 mile warranty. Save about $40 and get a lot less warranty. Me I would go local and get the lifetime warranty on my calipers and pads as all I have to do is find an Oreilly's and I am in business.

Ball Joints, about the only brand I would run are the low friction units like these:

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/Ford-OEM-Low-Friction-ball-Joint-1979-2004-Mustang-P1465.aspx

Wheel Hub Assembly...Timken, nothing else nothing less.

Ring and Pinion - Rear end already has 3.73's or worst case 3.55's in it with a trac-lok so why change it? If they are shot is get it but gears typically go a couple hundred thousand miles. Get a bearing kit and a trac-lok rebuild kit and move on. I will say that the only way to set the pinion depth is with one of these:

http://www.ratechmfg.com/fordspbs.htm

5 Lug Axles and Differential Kit - get on http://www.car-parts.com and source the complete rear end out of a 94-98 Mustang V6 car. Should be able to find one for $200 or less. From this you will use the axles, axle brackets (caliper brackets bolt to these), and the calipers for cores (cores are running around $45 each). The rest of the rear end is s.

Use your TC housing, gears, and trac-lok. Install the new bearings and pinion seal with the stock gears, rebuild the trac-lok, and shim the side to side and pinion gear. Install the axle brackets on you TC housing, install new axle bearings and seals, slide the SN95 axles in the axle tubes, install the c-clips, and install the gear pan. 8.8 is pretty much complete. Pop on your rotors, caliper brackets, pads, and calipers. Bolt into car, step back and pat yourself on the back. All that is left is the caliper soft lines, hard lines, rear end fluid (don't forget the clutch additive), and bleed the brakes. So now you are in for about $800 for the rear. You way you will be looking at $1000+ and still do not have the axle brackets and possibly other parts.

Again, all just my opinion. Either way will net you a solid five lug rear.