8.8 rearend

[tonycoates]

I read somewhere that 86 svo's came with 8.8 rearends, is this a fact or how can you tell without pulling the cover?

[86-TC/SVO]

They were all 7.5.

The 7.5 were some what oval shaped and the 8.8 is somewhat square. If the tag is still on the rear you can read that and it will tell you what it is.

[svono50]

All SVO's came with 7.5's, even the 86's, so likely a misinformed source. My 86, built January 21, 1986, came with a 7.5 for reference.

If the tag is missing, the rear cover shape is an easy way to identify if it is a 7.5 or 8.8. The 7.5 is much wider than tall, along with more rounded sides. The 8.8 is much more square with straight sides. Here are a couple pics I snagged off the interwebs too:

Comparison - 7.5 vs 8.8_01.jpg Comparison - 7.5 vs 8.8_02.jpg

[Ken Potter]

Probably that guy on FaceBook who swore his SVO came from the factory with an 8.8 rear. Myself as well as several others corrected him on that.

[svono50]

There has always been debate on it, but I have never heard of any model year coming with an 8.8. Ford only put the 8.8 behind the 5.0L engines and all the rest of us got the 7.5's.

[tonycoates]

Thanks for the update

[svt93]

Great info above - true on the 7.5 from the factory in all SVOs. 8.8 came in the 87 and 88 Turbo Coupe TBirds - which then as stated above re-purposed behind the 5.0 in the 93 Cobra.

[SVOeric]

the 87-88 turbo coupes came with 8.8 --
as a lot of people consider these 'the same car' -- they often mistakenly assume SVO also had 8.8.

https://www.svoca.com/FAQ

Drive-train section shows 3.45 / 373 and all 7.5 inch

[Lsttype]

How strong is our stock 7.5? How far have they been pushed 1/4 mile wise? That being said How strong are stock 8.8s? I'm wanting a 10 sec car eventually it thats gonna be awhile gotta get the body and interior done 1st

[SVOeric]

8.8's are pretty solid.. 10 sec car, will PROBABLY be ok. I don't have any direct experience tho, and just my guess.
you can break a 7.5 with a stock 2.3 turbo, and a set of slicks... if you beat on it, it will break.

someone went off on me a few years ago, because I said 7.5 was a good rear to use for road racing.. which I still stand by. as long as you stay away from slicks, and has less rotational weight.

[svono50]

Built properly, an 8.8 will easily handle 10's in the quarter.

I am also with Eric on the 7.5, the real weak point are the spider gears in the 7.5's diff when encountering shock loads of slicks. When I was into drag racing and picked up a set of slicks, I upgraded to an Auburn diff to prevent the shrapnel potential. Unfortunately the rims I got for the slicks didn't clear the calipers...oh the horrors. In any case, I ended up running across a used 8.8 and installed it before I got the rim situation cleared up (i.e.- I never tested the Auburn's 7.5 diff ability to handle slicks).