MG Sports Cars

engine swaps and other performance upgrades, plus "factory" and Costello V8s

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Johntownsend47
Jack Townsend

(6 posts)

Registered:
07/10/2021 04:40PM

Main British Car:


Shortening a Ford 8.8 rear end
Posted by: Johntownsend47
Date: July 10, 2021 06:09PM

I apologize in advance if this question has been asked before but I tried looking for any previous threads with no luck. I recently got a Ford 8.8 rear end for my V8 MGB and am curious to know how much it should be shortened. I understand that there is not a “one size fits all” but I imagine I can get close enough. I’m just trying to get some general numbers before I start cutting or welding anything. TIA!

Jack


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Shortening a Ford 8.8 rear end
Posted by: mgb260
Date: July 10, 2021 07:00PM

Do a search on mgexperience site for shortening a 7.5 Ford Ranger rear axle if 28 splines. There is a thread on here for narrowing the Explorer 8.8 31 spline. Stock rear axle is about 52" wide flange to flange. Wirewheel axle is about 50.5".

[forum.britishv8.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2021 07:03PM by mgb260.


ex-tyke
Graham Creswick
Chatham, Ontario, Canada
(1165 posts)

Registered:
10/25/2007 11:17AM

Main British Car:
1976 MGB Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: Shortening a Ford 8.8 rear end
Posted by: ex-tyke
Date: July 11, 2021 08:20AM

When I had my 8.8 narrowed by Moser, the plan was to duplicate the width of the std MG axle - here's the final paperwork for it.
Ford 8.8 axle spec 2.jpg


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Shortening a Ford 8.8 rear end
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: July 11, 2021 09:57AM

Thought you were on the metric system Graham. :)

Your OEM measured 51" flange to flange without brake drums? I have always considered it to be a just a bit under 52". I have seen it listed as 51", 51.5", & 51.75". Someday, I will measure mine.

[www.mgexp.com]


mstemp
Mike Stemp
Calgary, Canada
(222 posts)

Registered:
11/25/2009 07:18AM

Main British Car:
1980 MGB Rover 4.6L

Re: Shortening a Ford 8.8 rear end
Posted by: mstemp
Date: July 11, 2021 11:00AM

Graham,

Your brake space is 3.3”? Thought Ford 8.8 was only 2.5”.


ex-tyke
Graham Creswick
Chatham, Ontario, Canada
(1165 posts)

Registered:
10/25/2007 11:17AM

Main British Car:
1976 MGB Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: Shortening a Ford 8.8 rear end
Posted by: ex-tyke
Date: July 11, 2021 01:20PM

Mike, maybe some confusion here,....the 51" dimension is over the axle shaft flanges - the 44.4" dim'n is across the housing. The E & F dim'ns show a 1/4" diff offset to the lhs.


kstevusa
kelly stevenson
Southern Middle Tennessee
(985 posts)

Registered:
10/25/2007 09:37AM

Main British Car:
2003 Jaguar XK8 Coupe 4.2L DOHC/ VVT / 6sp. AT

authors avatar
Re: Shortening a Ford 8.8 rear end
Posted by: kstevusa
Date: July 11, 2021 05:19PM

Been a LONG Time since we did my Mustang 8.8 at Moser Eng, , but we took a MGB steel wheel dif. with hubs & w/o the drums; they measured it and suggested we center the dif. and have equal length axles that we could interchange. If doing over ,we would off set the dif. 1" to left to get the driveshaft near the center of tunnel.. Had to be creative to clear the drive shaft since it was nearer right side of tunnel. Since these were custom axles, there would be no cost saving or additional cost for off set. Using the Ford Focus 16" wheel required a 1" spacer on all 4 wheels. Long time since 2003. :-). Probably 51 3/4" + or -.



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