I haven't been able to find the answer, doesn't mean it isn't already out there. :embarrassed:
Putting a Mustang II 8 inch rear in the 79 Pinto. Using the Mustang II lower shock brackets that come with the II rear end. Uppers are still Pinto.
So do I need Mustang II shocks, Pinto shocks, or ?? shocks for this.
Thanks,
Russ
Russ,
You'll need MII rear shocks if you use MII spring U Bolt plates. That's what I have on my '72 with the 8" M2 and rear Sway for M2. The MII uses an Eye in the lower end of the shock, where the Pinto uses a Threaded Post/ cushion mount on both end of the Shock.
Pintosopher
Thanks.
I knew the bottom was different between the two, but wasn't sure about the top.
Russ
You don't have the stock Pinto shock mounts ??? They work fine with the 8" Mustang II.
Mike
Huh?
I do have the stock lower ones. But I have been told here that those won't work with the II 8 inch rear end. Or any 8 inch rear for that matter. At least without modifying, and why go to that trouble when I have the correct ones?
Or am I missing something here?
Russ
Dunno?? I unbolted the 6.75" and removed it. Set an 8" down on the springs (3.55:1 so almost undoubtedly from a MII), then used all of the hardware from the 4-cylinder Pinto to bolt it in. No modifications necessary.
Why would a MII 8" be different from a Pinto 8"???
But then again, I may be wrong. :afro:
Mike
An MII eight isn't different than a Pinto eight. but the 6and3/4 is different from the eight.
I know somewhere along the line someone or more has said that you have to use the eight inch shock plates and ubolts with the eight. Maybe they were wrong. ???
I have both, so once I get the old rear end off the car I can compare them.
Russ
I used the MII shock plates and MII shocks for the 8 inch in mine. It's also a 3:55 from an early Mustang II. I'm pretty sure the later models were 3:00 rears. Also make sure to check the pinion angle as you can get a vibration if it's too high or low. It will also wear out u-joints. My 8 inch came with factory spring wedges to angle the pinion up. I had to drop the angle of my T-5 to get the pinion angle pretty close.
I realize that this thread has been quiet for a year and a half, but I am dealing with this very issue right now. The axle housing for the 6-3/4" rear found on most Pintos has a diameter of 2-3/8", while the 8" rear that I have (from either a Maverick or Comet) has an axle tube diameter of 2-3/4". My Pinto U-bolts will not fit over the 8" rear... and it stands to reason that the leaf spring plates will not work either (without modification)...
What is interesting is the dimension of the Pinto U-bolt is slightly over 2-1/2", as measured between the "legs" of the bolt...why not 2-3/8"? If I am to get new U-bolts for the 8", should I get something slightly larger than 2-3/4"??? :-\
Hope someone can help...
Mavericks have bigger axle tubes than Pinto & MII's have. The bearings and axle diameters are different as well.
Since my last post on this thread, I put my old Pinto lower plates back on in order to use some new KYB shocks that weren't listed for the Mustang II. I still used the MII top plates. Another thing I wanted to mention is that the top part of the spring mount that wraps around the top of the spring where the axle rests is different from 73 to 74. The 73 has a small hole to locate the rear end on the spring and my 74 has an oblong hole which the MII rear also had to locate the rear. So I'm thinking 74 and later should be easier to bolt in a MII 8 inch rear as mine was.
Joe
I just ordered new U-bolts from ESPO Springs N Things. I had already purchased KYB rear shocks for a Pinto, so I will be modifying the Pinto spring plates to carry the wider U-bolt. Fun stuff...