8.8 rear questions

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87National

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2009
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eastern SD
I just bought an 8.8 rear from a 99 mustang gt and I have a few questions around swapping it into my 86 monte SS:

I plan to use the trick chassis kit, the upper control arm mount has multiple sets of holes, is there an optimal location to bolt the upper control arms? I see a lot of discussion around intstant center of the rear.....but no practical advice on how to calculate/optimize IC.....can anyone shed some light on this for me?

To those that have used the trick chassis kit, do the factory lower control arms work well? Or does pretty much everyone use the trick chassis lower control arms. I'd like to save a few bucks here if I can.

Do factory length shocks (attached to the 8.8 shock mount) work well?

How is everyone running brake lines? Stock mustang lines along the axle.....or gbody?

The front of the mustang housing has a some type of bracket/brace. What is its purpose? And is it necessary on a g body?
 
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kornball426

Royal Smart Person
May 29, 2009
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Philadelphia, PA.
Can't help, but I'm interested in the replies you get because 8.8 rears with disc brakes are a dime a dozen compared to old 8.5 inch GN and 442 ten bolts. Or expensive exotica like the custom fabricated 9 inch from Strange with wilwoods that I gave up in trade for my car.
 
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ostrich

Master Mechanic
Aug 27, 2012
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Ontario, Canada
87 National, I put one in my 85SS using the kit. Used the stock G-body shock, going to upgrade to Bilstiens. As for the brake lines I'm using Mustang Cobra R brakes because they are a little bigger, but required a new set of backing plates. For the brake lines I got Mustang flex hoses for the calipers, then got adapter fitting to convert them over to the G-body ones, then connected them to the original Gbody 'T' (bent new lines). As for the control arms stock will fit, but your sway bar won't. On a Gbody the sway bar bolts to the control arms. I found the geometry was off and I couldn't get it to bolt on. I ended up using one from a 3rd Gen Camaro , bent the ends out and bolted it to the lip. (followed GP403's post for that one). The big bracket on the front of the 8.8 usually has a big block weight on it. Used for vibration, mine is in the scrap yard now. Still haven't figured out the 'Instant Center' stuff yet. Car's not on the road.
 

Turbolq4

Royal Smart Person
Sep 25, 2017
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Nampa Idaho
I used the brake lines on the mustang axle, the Gbody line bolts into the T-block on the axle. The issue is it's a bit of a distance so some modification is in order. Spherical upper joints, double adjustable mustang upper arms, body side upper relocation brackets (the ones with a bunch of holes) i used stock lowers for awhile but couldn't get that instant center even close after I put the relocation brackets in as I had to shorten the uppers to make them fit. Probably wouldn't have to do that if I had the adjustable lowers in place at the time. Works good now 👍.
 

454GrandPrix

Master Mechanic
Jul 27, 2016
429
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Lehi, Utah
I just bought an 8.8 rear from a 99 mustang gt and I have a few questions around swapping it into my 86 monte SS

I put an 8.8 out of an '88 Mustang (ie, an axle which is narrower than yours) into my Grand Prix.

To those that have used the trick chassis kit, do the factory lower control arms work well?

In my case, I did what you're planning: I bought the Trick Chassis kit and intended to retain my stock lower arms. In my case, that didn't quite work as well as desired--the stock arms were a bit too long and they pushed the axle rearward, causing the rear tires to not center up in the wheel well:

xccDvPE.jpg


As soon as I saw this, I ordered a set of Trick Chassis adjustable control arms. Once they were installed and adjusted, everything lined up perfectly. Will your '99 axle have the same issue? I am not certain. But be prepared to buy lower arms, just in case. ;)

Do factory length shocks (attached to the 8.8 shock mount) work well?

For me, they did.
 
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87National

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2009
661
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eastern SD
In my case, I did what you're planning: I bought the Trick Chassis kit and intended to retain my stock lower arms. In my case, that didn't quite work as well as desired--the stock arms were a bit too long and they pushed the axle rearward, causing the rear tires to not center up in the wheel well:

As soon as I saw this, I ordered a set of Trick Chassis adjustable control arms. Once they were installed and adjusted, everything lined up perfectly. Will your '99 axle have the same issue? I am not certain. But be prepared to buy lower arms, just in case. ;)

For me, they did.



i used stock lowers for awhile but couldn't get that instant center even close after I put the relocation brackets in as I had to shorten the uppers to make them fit. Probably wouldn't have to do that if I had the adjustable lowers in place at the time.


I will save myself the aggravation and get the adjustable lowers from the start.
 
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