why wouldn't it fit?

 

the top of the diff housing gets trimmed and ground down so it can be tucked up tight to the chassis.

 

Apparently his jig differential housing isn't the same as my new one from ford.

It is tight on the inboard sides of the front mounts. And it also had about a .050" gap on one side (the 2 front mount flanges aren't straight with each other...one is slanted. The machined area on the diff housing are flat with each other.).

He offered me a chance to send my housing in to get a cradle made to fit.....but I can fix it just as easy at home....and I won't have to pay to ship.

 

I got a used rear from a 2007 Explorer and it fit no issues

 

Before I bolted or ground anything down. Also added a brand new Ford racing limited slip with carbon clutchs myself. ( only $220 brand new shipped )

 

Bolted up

 

the mount is only designed for the 2007-2010 explorer diff. it will not fit the thunderbird and cobra 8.8

 

Here is a pic with the driver side tightened flat.




And a pic showing the slanted mounting flange area. The housing from ford is machined parallel at the top of the mount "cups". And it fit the same way on a 2006 explorer rear end I bought at the junkyard.






The pinion on my junkyard rear end was seized either to the bearing, or to the companion flange. It wouldn't budge even with a generic 20 ton press. Which is why I bought a new one from ford.
Buying new, the price for all the parts is around $900-1000 with a 03-04 cobra differential. And the inner pinion bearing is different than most of the 8.8 bearings. It is a 3.54" outer diameter race compared to a 3.25" (correct bearing part number - 6L2Z-4625-AB / Koyo ST4190).

 

Got my used rear for 300 shipped with a warranty

 

What axles you guys using