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What model-year rear-axle housings fit in my '94 GT?

My mechanic tells me that I may have a bent rear-axle housing (probably a bent tube). I have a 1994 Mustang GT 5.0 liter high-output manual trans convertible.

I'm trying to acquire an axle housing (I've got all the appropriate parts for rear-diff gears, axles, brakes, etc) on the cheap, probably used. I'm trying to figure out what Mustang-model-year ranges will work for my '94. eg, I have a local supplier that has an empty, bare housing he can give to me for $50, and I think this was pulled from a '93 Mustang (although I'm trying to confirm that). Would that work?

In the meantime, I'm trying to get my mechanic to measure the length of the axle housing (which basically spans the width of the car) to see if that matches the part from my supplier. Is that a good enough indicator?

Meanwhile, I talked to a ford parts dealer, and he says that he says that years 94-98 have one axle-housing part number, while years 93 and below have another. That doesn't sound good.

Comments welcome. Thanks for any help.

-Matt

Reply to
Matt
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There should be some differences between the two, especially in the mounting brackets for the brakes and such.

Reply to
Brent P

Ok. What sort of options might I have to put an '89 axle housing into a '94 Mustang with disc brakes? Do I have to get new brake mounting stuff, entirely new brakes, etc?

The reason I'm asking is that I have an '89 housing that I can get for really cheap ($50), and I'm looking at having to pay $700 (thus far) for a '94 rear-end assembly (can't find one with just the housing). So a $650 savings allows me to use that money to investigate some other options.

Thanks for any help,

-Matt

Reply to
Matt

This discussions suggests that I can do something with an '89 rear axle housing on my '94 Mustang if I make some modifications:

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Does this make sense?

-Matt

Reply to
Matt

I'm not sure. I don't have enough detailed knowledge there.

But I was able to google up a picture of a fox body rear axle:

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There's a directory listing if you just delete the individual file name

And then this for the SN95 mustang:

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It looks like the big difference is the brake mounting... maybe cut and weld from the axle you have??? and of course bring over whatever usuable parts you have.

The rest of it is going to be making sure the length is right and the other brackets are dimensionally the same location and size wise. Sounds like the only way is to find someone who has done this before or get them side by side to measure.

Given the cost difference it might be worth the $50 gamble... measure 5 times cut once ;)

This about as far as I can help... it's not much I know...

Reply to
Brent P

I just looked at my '97... I think the drum and disc may use the same mounting plate with the rest bolted to it.

That thread you found sounds reasonable on slight differences for disc or drum. If there is a difference in length, then it won't work for you because then your '94 axle shafts won't fit in the '89 housing.

Reply to
Brent P

I cracked open the '78 and '97 shop manuals. looks like I was indeed wrong initially about the brake mounting plates, they should be close if not indentical given the drawings in each manual. It should just be a matter of swaping the bolted on drum bits for the bolted on disc bits.

It's all going to come down to that tube length question.

Reply to
Brent P

Excellent, thanks!

Check out this ongoing discussion here:

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We seem to be getting to the core of the issue. Check it out.

-Matt

-- Remove the "downwithspammers-" text to email me.

Reply to
Matt

A number of different voices in this... so I made a sketch.

Punypony is saying a = b and x = y, it works, no problem. Just use your '94 axles because they stick out further than '88s... no spacers/shims, everything is perfect.

matt'sdrag 95 is saying all is ok, but a might be less than b. If a is less than b, then x might be less than y.

z is the length of your '94 axles, and is the same regardless of which housing they are in...

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hope that helps with what they are saying...

Reply to
Brent P

Excellent work, Brent. Thanks again. The sketch appears to provide a lot more clarity to this stuff.

I made a post on the aforementioned forum thead that quoted your notes and .jpg reference below. We'll see what if any comments come of this.

-Matt

Reply to
Matt

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