Looking to swap gear ratios out again

I totally agree and was exactly my point in my previous post. You can get away with much more power and have the rearend live behind an automatic than a stick shift.

Correct!

 

Tell that to my '88 Turbo Coupe, 3.73, traction lock, 8.8" from factory...

 

Yeah, and no Maverick/Comet ever came with a 8.8".
Perhaps I should have said "C-clip rearend" ratio rather than GM ratio. Now that I think about it, early '80s Ford trucks with Dana floating rear axle rearends had 3.73s. 'Really doesn't apply here though.

 

Contact this guy, he seems to have stuff for sale all the time at decent prices.

http://elko.craigslist.org/pts/4682699663.html

Make a generalized statement like that and it all applies.

 

with the t5 (the 3.35 1st gear version) i would not go any taller than a 3.55. the 3.55s will cruise nicely. especially with a carb. any taller gear any you will be constantly down shifting to 4th gear on the freeway.
as for the 351 t5 8" combo, the t5 will be the first thing to blow up. even a z spec one will be easily to brake with the torque of a 351. you are saying every thing that tells me you will be hammering on this car, using slicks and traction bars. you will want to either upgrade to a aftermarket gear set for the t5 like the g force or astro gears, or goto one of the newer tremic offerings.
i see the 8" diffs brake the 28 spline axles at about 400 hp on cars that hook up and launch hard. you can up grade an 8" to 31 spline axles. that will allow them to take closer to 500 hp. then the 31 spline axles can be transferred to a 9" if you ever out grow the 8" ring and pinion.

 

This is from a friend of mine who owns American Shifty in Arkansas, they mostly do heavy truck but will do cars for friends and he told me that the 8 inch is very durable when built right, the 1 inch gear size doesn't make much diff, and with a set of strange axles and a good locker it should handle 750-800 hp easily.....downside is cost, a locker for for 8 inch is $500, 8.8 is half that

 

'Sorry, but your friend is incorrect.

I love the Ford 8-inch, and that is what I have in my Maverick, but no 8-inch will handle "750-800 hp". Not gonna happen - period. It takes more than a set of strong axles. The carrier itself is not as strong as a 9-inch, and the main bearing caps cannot handle the excessive torque. The well-built 8-inch is good for up to 400hp if there's an automatic and street tires used.

 

the weak points of the 8" are the 28 spline axle (can be upgraded to 31), the smaller main cap bolts than the 9" and 8.8. and the small input shaft. i would rate the 31 spline 8" good till about 500 hp and the 28 spline at about 350 to 400 hp.

 

I'll run it by him and let him tell what he's replacing and why he feels it will take that much

 

If a 8" can handle 750Hp why wasn't the larger, more expensive 9" dropped? (the 9" was introduced in '57, no 8" till early '60s)...

Unless it's a N case(nodular iron), even a stock 9" carrier can't handle that kind of HP...

 

Please don`t waste your time w/ a 8.8 or an 8,over the long haul they are going to break & you will be kicking yourself in the but for not going to a 9.Even 9s break but they last much longer & as others have said you have more gear choices.A 3.89 is a great gear & at hwy speeds w/ a 26in tall tire you should be around 2000 to 2200rpm,liveable.

 

I'm with Dan on this one, minimal power with the 8 inch equals ticking time bomb then boom the caps let loose. Been there done that.

 

I need to figure out what I want to go with so i can build the ole maverick or just keep this 8 inch and go with some higher gear ratios to just have a good cruiser even though I want to race it ;/

 

the 8.8 is not even in the same class as a 8". a 31 spline 8.8 in a maverick will be strong enough for around 700 hp. the 8.8 replaced the 9". it can be up graded with billet main caps, and 9" housing ends to get rid of the c clips. the ring gear is 0.2"s smaller than the 9".

with all that being said, it should be cheaper to put a 9" in than an 8.8. you could get lucky and find a 9" housing and axles that fit the maverick and you can find good used 3rd members all over the internet. if you cant find direct fit 9" housing and axles used, you can get them made by at least 5 big advertised companys.

if you want to race it, build it to race. you wont be completely happy with the car till you have it how you want it.

 

That is exactly what I want. I'm gonna be running it hard and where I need to build it up at for right now is the rear end next would be the transmission since the t5 won't last at all with my sticky tires.... I'm gonna be searching for a 9 inch to get this project going and I will post back to let everyone know how it goes