Independent Rear end

[Nantucket427]

I am one of the earlier cars #1325 that came with the thunderbird independent 8.8 rear end. I am still running the 3.73 stock setup.
As I continue to upgrade the performance of my FE, traction is becoming a issue, an big issue.
I am sure someone has been down this road before, what do I need to change to get the car to hookup? Tires, ratio, axles, transmission, etc.

[carmine]

Try 20 lbs of tire pressure. if you look in your owners manual they sugest 18lbs for street and 25lbs for track. Improves ride quality as well as traction. This may sound like not enough air but you have to take into consideration that your car only weighs 2400 lbs. and these pressures will give your tire the proper contact patch with the road.

[Nantucket427]

I am running the pressure at twenty and have gone lower as an experiment. I read in one of the old Shelby History Books that they tuned the suspension with tire pressure. Running Goodyear Eagle GTII

[dont]

I have the same ratio rearend with a 460. Change tires to Nitto drag radials and my traction issues went away.

[Kenm4187]

Another thing you need to look at is the car setup. Do you have adjustable shocks? Take some bump out of the back and some rebound out of the front to get more weight transfer. You may want to play with the ride height too.

Kenm2560

[1985 CCX]

Get softer tires John......
Avon
Billboards etc.....
Try your slicks to see if they help, it will at least answer the rubber hardness question.
They will bite better.....

[wtm442]

Talk with Dennis Olthoff, a rep in NC. He is an SPF guru.
704-647-9924
www.olthoff-racing.com

Also, post the question on the SCOF site.

[r67cat]

Changes made to my car #1231 to improve performance and drivability when the car was upgraded from a 351 stroker to a 1966 428 FE. Change rear end to a 3.27. Got rid of the Tremec 3550 as 1st gear is worthless and changed to a Tremec TKO II. with .62 od. Tremec 600 would be the choice today. Makes the first 4 gears great for around town and gives 75 mph @ 2000 rpm on the highway for comfortable cruising. 15 inch wheels with BFG tires. Be sure the OD gear will give you a comfortable rpm for the FE engine, cam, tire and rear end gear you have. My 428 lopes along at 2000 rpm very nicely. Never overheats. Rick

[scootter]

335/35 17 rear tires!
Scott

[Silverback51]

I was in the same boat, and the Goodyear BillBoards cured my problems. I can actually flat foot it in 3rd now without the tires breaking loose.

[mickmate]

So that's what an independent rear end is huh, it just does what it wants!!
Hey John should I plug up those big noisy things, that'll help with traction...........

[Nantucket427]

I can go sideways pretty much at will but I don't want to change things to improve traction and create other problems( brake something in the drive train like u joints, crutch plates, axels, etc.)

[Three Peaks]

The Goodyear GTII's have a reputation of being fairly hard and spin easily. Not much better than the Goodrich TA's.
Get a stickier tire and you'll have much less problem. As far as the rear, I've not heard much about problems with them, but if you plan to drag race or hammer it off the line a lot, you might want to consider upgrading the rear with a Torsen and some custom CV's rated at higher horsepower or going to a live axle arrangement.

www.dutchmanaxles offers some very tough axles.

Bob

[dont]

Originally Posted by Nantucket427

I can go sideways pretty much at will but I don't want to change things to improve traction and create other problems( brake something in the drive train like u joints, crutch plates, axels, etc.)

I have seen a lot worst damage done to the cars from people getting sideways on the street with curbs and all than I have to the drivetrain when getting good traction. Just don't launch it off the line.

[Excaliber]

With that very low gear ratio your gonna need slicks, end of story!

[greg schroeder]

Originally Posted by Nantucket427

I am one of the earlier cars #1325 that came with the thunderbird independent 8.8 rear end. I am still running the 3.73 stock setup.
As I continue to upgrade the performance of my FE, traction is becoming a issue, an big issue.
I am sure someone has been down this road before, what do I need to change to get the car to hookup? Tires, ratio, axles, transmission, etc.

I have the same rear gear as you. Get a set of Mickey Thompson ET Street Drag radials in the 275/50 15 and run about 20 to 22 psi. It will hook pretty good.

Your 3.73 rear gear is about perfect with 1:1 4th gear and the 28" tall tire for the drag strip too if you're in the 400 to 500 wheel HP range with an FE.

[ERA Chas]

All of the above and:

Go to www.fordmuscle.com.
-or www.corral.net.

Ask the Fox Mustang crazies how they hook with cars that use the 8.8.