Rear end switch ?????

The stock 7.5 rear in my 85 TC is starting to make a nasty rumbling sound. Perfect time to think about a swap. What options do I have with the 87-88 TC rears? Can I keep my current drum rears if need be and swap them to the 8.8? If I switch to the disk rear, are the front rotors a simple swap? I'm looking for a low buck solution. Thanks!

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85TC, 5spd
69 Mustang Mach 1, 351W, 4 spd

Originally posted by Doug B:
The stock 7.5 rear in my 85 TC is starting to make a nasty rumbling sound. Perfect time to think about a swap. What options do I have with the 87-88 TC rears?

The manual 87/88 8.8 had a 3.55 rear, and the more coveted automatic had a 3.73

Can I keep my current drum rears if need be and swap them to the 8.8?

You can keep them as drum brakes, but you will need the raised hat rear drums from an '83, about $10 at the junkyard. Keeping the disks is a harder swap; I think you will need the brake lines, a new master cylinder and proportioning valve, but I am not sure. I kept the drums, since the donor rear brakes needed a lot of help.

If I switch to the disk rear, are the front rotors a simple swap? I'm looking for a low buck solution. Thanks!

The low-bucks solution is to find the raised drums in a junkyard, and keep the drums in the swap. I kind of wish I had converted to non-abs disks; you may want to keep the donor set-up if it isn't in bad shape in case you find the other accessories at a later date.



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Mike Walsted - NATO member
1986 5-speed TurboCoupe .

I replaced the 7.5 rear in my 86 with an 8.8 from an 87. Once I had the correct parts it was simple R&R. I kept the drum brakes on mine because of time/money restraints. If you do this you have to check for a couple things. only place where you could have a problem is getting the correct brake drums and axles. Apparently there were a couple different 7.5 rears in these things. Of course I had the one with the incorrect parts for the 8.8. there are 2 types of drums, those with a "raised hat" and those with a flat face. The ones with the raised hat are the ones you need. If you lay the drum on the ground the center of the drum should stick out about 1/2" above the outer portion of the drum face. If your 7.5 rear has the raised hat drums then you should also have the correct axles. If not, you can use the axles from the 8.8 if you knock the exciter rings off of them which can be done. It can be difficult, but it can be done. I used a propane torch and a 3 pound hammer. The only difference I could tell between the 2 axles was the length of the area that rides on the bearing. If you have the wrong axles this area will be too short and will only ride on about 1/4 of the bearing.....bad news. To get the drum brakes on the 8.8 you will also have to cut off the caliper mounting brackets. No hard task there, but you won't be able to swap to disk brakes later. Everything else, like I said, is just R&R. Brake lines will fit, all the bolt holes will line up fine, etc. Um, I think that's it. Good luck.

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Brian Leavitt, a.k.a. B
86 TC
[email protected]
AOL IM screen name - chargedtc

[This message has been edited by B (edited 01-24-2002).]

WOW!...this is getting confusing!
I'm having the same dilema with this rear-end swap question.
Is it cheaper to just rebuild the 7.5 if you're just going to cruise it?

The local axle shop was talking high three figures for a rebuilt, it was way cheaper and not that hard to do a swap with a junkyard axles and drums.

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Mike Walsted - NATO member
1986 5-speed TurboCoupe .