could 5 lug 8.8 Mustang disc brakes be adapted to my 8.8? i know they have a 28 spline 8.8 in the rear just like my truck....what would be involved in the adaption to a truck 8.8? would the parking brake be able to hook up? the lug patterns are the same i assume since people put Mustang wheels on their Rangers...

 

save some hassle

http://www.stainlesssteelbrakes.com/...nger&year=1997

 

wouldnt it be cheaper to get a xploder?

 

yep

 

i can get the rotors, backing plates, calipers, caliper mounting brackets, and all the hardware for the Mustang 8.8 for $100 shipped.......

 

It has been done before, you have to weld up the backing plate and drill new holes or have the axle flange changed

 

other than that is it all pretty well bolt on?^^

 

i wonder if i could make a new backing plate and use the rest of the stuff?

 

That is true when adapting 31-spline Explorer discs to a 28-spline Ranger axle. As far as I have been able to find, a 28 spline Ranger axle housing pattern is exactly the same as a 28-spline Mustang.

I think there is some other difference that keeps the 28-spline Mustang discs from being a bolton. Maybe it's a different offset from the axle flange to the backing plate flange? I don't remember but I'll bet that D Jaye knows. I'm sure that if it was easy it would have been done 100 times by now.

8.8 28-spline Ranger/Mustang bolt pattern:


8.8 31-spline LII Ranger/Explorer/F-150 bolt pattern:

 

sweet....i wonder what other differences there are..........what if i used a mustang backing plate, explorer disc and the mustang calipers if that would work............

 

the caliper brakets should bolt up if you still have the ranger 8.8 and not the explorer or fxll 31 spline rear. I have all the parts except the adapters for the brake cable and the time to get it done. If you look at the ssbc kit everything looks like the mustang rear brakes minus the cable adapters and they show what looks like a spacer plate of some kind.

 

The Ford racing kit which fits the 8.8 31 spline is less than $400 -- a lot less than that SSBC kit. It's a peculiar kit in that it fits the trucks -- but only comes in the 5x4.5 lug pattern of the Ranger and Explorer. It has 11" rotors and the parking brake is in the caliper, not a drum like the Explorer. There's a tech article from RPS still floating around on it.

 

Bill posted a swap how to on the Ford Racing disc brake swap on here....

 

i have put eyes on a ranger that had mustang rear discs, but did not help with the install. heres what i saw:

1) the flange pattern is the same

2) the offset in the hat dictated that the backin plates must be mounted on the inboard side of the flange 3) this guy chose option "a," as would i

4) he hadnt hooked up any parkin brake, but i cant imagine that it would be too difficult to match up some cables, or mod the stockers to work with the mustang style lever on the caliper

for $100 id give it a shot. i kick myself in the *** twice a day for throwin out these parts(along with more than a few IRS ex diff covers) back in my dealership days.

 

Gumby....sounds like you either are going to have to make a trip down to help out....or i may have to make a trip up for the weekend to do it...........

so instead of the backing plates sitting on the outside most edge of the axle tube, they sit on the inside correct.......how would that effect my track width on the rear>? would it only be off 1/4"?

 

I'm not sure that I followed what you said, John, so I'll add my 2 cents.

The FRPP kit is made up entirely of production parts from the 2001-back 31-spline Explorer disc axle. That's why it has the Explorer's backing plate pattern and also takes the Explorer wheel pattern. We installed the kit on Bill's Level II and the parking brakes are under the hat, drum style, not in the caliper.

 

whoops. lost this thread.

it will have zero effect on track width. the axles stay in the same place. puttin the backin plates on the inside only moves the caliper inboard to allow it to sit centered over the rotor