It's a little-known fact that you can mix and match goodies in theself-serve wrecking yard before you pay and get a better deal. Theflat-rate price structure makes this possible, and in my extensiveboneyard travels, the yard operators don't really care as long as theyget the dollar amount posted on the price board and you don't wreckstuff in the process. Here's how to upgrade any '86-'93 Fox Mustang 8.8Traction-Lok axle to five lugs in the field before you pay. The trickalso applies to non-limited-slip 8.8s as well as all Fox-body 7.5 axles.
 We were shocked when Traction-Lok...  We were shocked when Traction-Lok 8.8 axles started showing up a fewyears ago. But now they're about as common as dirt. This one has thesweet optional 3.27:1 ratio found only in automatic cars (except in1987). Check the door-sticker code before you dive: M denotes 2.73:1cogs, Z tattles on 3.08s, and E calls out the super-sexy 3.27:1. |
 Making sure to contain all...  Making sure to contain all fluids, pop the cover and pull the "deathpin," cross-shaft, C-clips, and brake drums. The stock four-lugaxleshafts will pull right out. Take care not to hurt the axle seals. |
 Now find any '83-'95 Aerostar,...  Now find any '83-'95 Aerostar, Ranger, or Bronco II (A-R-B) and followthe same steps to pull only the driver-side axleshaft. Don't freak ifthe truck has the wimpy 7.5 rear axle (rounded cover)--the 28-splineaxleshafts are 100 percent interchangeable with the burly 8.8 axle(square cover). If your yards are like ours, there will be literallydozens of A-R-B donor trucks to choose from. |
 The A-R-B passenger-side axleshaft...  The A-R-B passenger-side axleshaft (bottom) is 26.25 inches long, tooshort to fit the Mustang housing. This is why you'll need two of the29.16-inch driver-side axleshafts (top). When it comes to brakes, manyA-R-B light trucks came with 10-inch brake assemblies (left) that boltdirectly to the ends of the Mustang housing. Our donor Mustang's 9-inchdrum brakes were recently rebuilt, so we simply selected a good set offive-lug A-R-B drums (center) to match the axleshafts. On the right isone of the Mustang's original four-lug 9-inch drums. Good riddance. |
 Thanks to a bit of savvy,...  Thanks to a bit of savvy, we left our local El Monte, California,Pick-A-Part (800/668-8885) with a rugged Fox-body 8.8, 3.27:1, five-lugaxle assembly for under $150. |