I have a 8.8 and 7.5 rearend, can someone tell me the difference's between them ? Are the axles the same ?:confused: Both came from a Ranger. Richard Miller
there's an article on rearends in this months(july) mustang and fords. they say the 7.5 is a light duty rearend and that the 8.8 is the next 9". the 8.8 is larger than the 7.5. it has the same 10 bolt cover, and some 8.8's had the same axelshafts as the 7.5, which makes them interchangeable. from 86-95, the 8.8 had 28 splines . from 96 and up it had 31.
they are very similar, but the 7.5 is a smaller rear. The cover is more oval shaped on a 8.8 than the 7.5 (which is more round). Also, truck 8.8's got 31 splines early on...my old '83 F100 had one in it--and it was the factory 2.47 rear (which was fun with a 500 HP 466--once you got one spinning, there was no stopping it). Personally, if I had to buy a rear end...I'd go with either an 8" or 9". 8.8's are plenty strong, but IMO the ol' faithful 8" and 9" are easier to work on and just as strong if not stronger. Also, 8" rears from the right vehicle will bolt directly into a Maverick/Comet. The 7.5 isn't a bad rear, in fact, mine is still kicking somehow in my little Mustang, after repeated launces at the strip dumping the clutch at 5000+. It's not in great shape, but it doesn't leak anything and doesn't make any weird noises (other than the usual wheel bearing roar). I also seem to think that it takes more $$$ to build a 8.8 than a 9" for the same strength.
The 7.5" is a weak piece of junk, which is one reason Ford stopped puting them in Mavericks early on. An engine with any real power combined with traction (not just spinning the rear wheels) will snap one like a twig...
