I know zip about rear ands (besides the soft to the touch kind! :hypno: hehe), and I have mine out, and have to do some work on it since it's leaking fluid. Just have a few questions.
I'm going to be mostly racing this car. What's the deal with the mini spool? What kind of job is it to install in an 8"? How dependable are they?
This one is on $27! is it total junk or is it worth buying? Is there anything else I need besides the mini spool?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD-9-Inch-Mini-Spool-w-Moly-Pin-28-Spline-Axles_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33731QQihZ020QQitemZ300079146277
Also how can I tell the gear ratio in my 8"?
If your axle or meatball is out you can bring it to a place that can istall the spool for you. They are not hard, but if you are not comfortable doing it....
8" rears are very durable in light cars, even with spools.
Spools are not expensive.
If the meatball is out, then just count the gears, if it is installed, rotate BOTH hubs at the same time/direction and count how many times the pinoin revolves to one rev. of the hubs.
Bill
It's a pretty simple deal really. Remove the center section from the housing and set a dial indicator on the housing to check the backlash in the ring gear. Remove the locks on the adjusters,then remove the caps holding the carrier and ring gear and remove the carrier and ring gear assembly. It is advisable to mark the caps and shims,because they need to go back exactly as they came apart .Remove the pin and spider gears and replace them with the mini spool. Replace the shims,bearing races,adjusters and caps in the position they came from. Set the dial indicator on the housing again and adjust the backlash to the same as it was by adjusting it side to side with the adjusters . Torque the caps and replace the adjuster locks and you are through. While it is apart count the teeth on the ring gear and the pinion and devide the pinion into the ring gear and you will have the ratio. The 8" rear is under rated and can take a lot of abuse. It has been argued that the 9" mini spool will fit the 8" carrier,but I don't have personal knowledge of that as I have never tried to interchange them.The 8" mini is available on ebay and is inexpensive.I would get one with the hard cross shaft.Hope this helps.
Thanks for all the help. I think I will get someone else to install the mini spool for me, just in case! :P
I have determined that the gear ratio is 3.00:1. I am having a hard time finding a gear set for the 8 inch. TONS for the 9" and the 8.8 though! >:( I'd like to get a set of 3.73 or something close, maybe even 4.10.
Summit has them from Strange, Motive, and Richmond. Not to mention their own in house brand. This is where I will be getting my 3.25:1 set for my 76 M2 from.
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntt=ring+pinion&N=700+4294918962+115+4294895172&Ntk=KeywordSearch