Rear Axle Housing?

[rauder775]

Is the MM axle housing an 8.8 w/ longer axles housings? I've seen folks refer to it as a "Limo axle"...just was curious?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

What? All of the 2003+ panthers will have the same housing. Did you see someone say "Live Axle"?

[RF Overlord]

Is the MM axle housing an 8.8 w/ longer axles housings? Longer than what? A Mustang? Yes...

[rauder775]

Thanks, yes, I know longer than Mustang. Was curious if the actual differential unit is the 8.8, which it appears to be. The Limo comment came at a Marauder show a few years ago at a local Mercury dealership. A fellow MM owner said that Mercury used a Limo axle for the marauder rather than a GM unit. This never made much sense to me unless the axle tubing was beefier (for a Limo, that would make sense), so I was trying to see if anyone had heard similar or not?

[RF Overlord]

A fellow MM owner said that Mercury used a Limo axle for the marauder rather than a GM unit.He is wrong. It's the same axle assembly as used in the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis.

[hwy73]

Mr. Babcock once posted the following....

Suspension


We were very fortunate to have a good base in the Crown Vic Interceptor. We make 70K units annually, been around a long time and been tuned well for police pursuit handling.

So, we started with the Interceptor front springs, shocks, bushings, sway bar, etc. On the rear, I wanted to push the tires out as far as possible, and wanted to have wider tires, so we used the Town Car wider rear axle. Wanted to have even more control and be flatter in the corners, so added the Limo rear air suspension (believe we used the Limo rear sway bar, too).

[GordonB]

Been here 5 1/2 years and never knew this! Thanks for the info.
GordonB

[RR|Suki]

He is wrong. It's the same axle assembly as used in the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis.

Neg, if you were to try and use their axles they would be too short

[RF Overlord]

So how come the axle TSB repair kit is the same for the CV/GM and Marauder?

[RR|Suki]

So how come the axle TSB repair kit is the same for the CV/GM and Marauder?

dunno, pics I've seen of em side by side show the difference though

[burt ragio]

I believe the town car axle is the same as crown vic & grand marquis just a stronger steel.

[RR|Suki]

So how come the axle TSB repair kit is the same for the CV/GM and Marauder?

just looked again cuz I thought I was going nuts, and the CV axle was bout 1/8" shorter. the pics are on MCM

[rauder775]

Thanks all, so it was kindof 1/2 correct. Glad I ran it by here. It did not make sense at first, but it was plausible also, and we know they pulled parts from all over the place for these rides...so why not beef up the rear end.

So another "cool thing" about our Marauders!

[RF Overlord]

just looked again cuz I thought I was going nuts, and the CV axle was bout 1/8" shorter.That's interesting, AJ...when I had the axle TSB done on The Blackbird, I asked the service manager how long it would take to get the kit, and he told me they always kept a couple in stock as they service a lot of the area's police cruisers. I hope they didn't put the wrong axles in my car...

[RR|Suki]

That's interesting, AJ...when I had the axle TSB done on The Blackbird, I asked the service manager how long it would take to get the kit, and he told me they always kept a couple in stock as they service a lot of the area's police cruisers. I hope they didn't put the wrong axles in my car...

beats the heck outa me, would be something to look into though, I'm just passing on the data, maybe 1/8" isn't enough to mess anything up?

[Marauderjack]

FWIW....

When I replaced my axles recently the "TSB Kit" was not available any longer and Marauder specific axles were ordered....$97.00 each with a list price of around $140.00 each!!

I never asked about the relationship to CV and GM axles but the Marauder has it's own part number??:cool:

Marauderjack:burnout:

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

1/8" would not make any difference unless it physically caused a problem locating the hub and parking brake assy. I used the TSB kit listed for the CV/GM and it fits so it can't be any big deal if there is a length difference

[RR|Suki]

1/8" would not make any difference unless it physically caused a problem locating the hub and parking brake assy. I used the TSB kit listed for the CV/GM and it fits so it can't be any big deal if there is a length difference

For normal duty maybe, the thing you see in the pics is that the the spline area is a couple inches, so certainly it seems that there would be contact between the splines. Makes me wonder though if in the more powerful cars, or even just over time if this would cause abnormal wear :confused: If I could remember to ask, I do know a guy who builds custom rear ends, I imagine he'd have a more educated guess being that that's his "thing"

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Where are these pictures? If the shaft were 1/8" different length, that does not affect that the C clip is what locates the shaft. The spline engagement would be the same, it would just affect how far the axle flange stuck out from the housing, if I understand correctly.

I would think you are going to break something in the 8.8 itself before you snap an axle shaft

[RR|Suki]

Where are these pictures? If the shaft were 1/8" different length, that does not affect that the C clip is what locates the shaft. The spline engagement would be the same, it would just affect how far the axle flange stuck out from the housing, if I understand correctly.

I would think you are going to break something in the 8.8 itself before you snap an axle shaft

go search on MCM you'll find em, that's how I found em.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I am not on there, can you linky linky for those of us that don't venture over there?

[RR|Suki]

I am not on there, can you linky linky for those of us that don't venture over there?

Nah I don't need another "infraction" I've already gotten them on here for nothing, sorry man.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Can you email it to bondospecial@aol.com? I am just curious b/c I have never heard of this before and I know I put the CV/GM axles in my car

[Drock96Marquis]

Marauder rear axle = 03+ CV/GMQ/TC (Panther) rear axle. They all have the same rear track width. If the axle shafts were a different length that wouldn't be the case.

If you had a "limo" rear axle you'd have 31 spline axle shafts, which you don't. Limo package has had 31 spline rear axles for years. Why would Ford make a longer, lower spline count axle shaft for one application to use in a wider Limo housing that uses 31 splines? Would that make any sense at all? lol They would have just stuck with the 31 spline axle if that was the case.


Keep in mind, if the axles were 1/8" different anyone using the TSB kit (which is spec'ed by for Ford for ALL 2003 panthers (exc. Limo), including the Town Car) would be dragging the rear brakes as the rotor would no longer be centered to the caliper (though they would physically fit and the c-clips would engage).
This would also cause the rear brakes to 'grab' MUCH faster, especially true if you have new pads, and cause extremely uneven rear pad wear. This could potentially lead to dangerous vehicle characteristics and potential accident, meaning: Ford would never specify the incorrect axle length for liability alone.




Seems more likely someone accidentally compared '98-'02 axle shafts to '03-'04/'05+ (same length but '05+ are 31 spline), as '98-'02 shafts actually are shorter.

I too would like to see said pictures. If you can't link them, just copy/paste the image url in here....



Mr. Babcock once posted the following....

...so we used the Town Car wider rear axle. Wanted to have even more control and be flatter in the corners, so added the Limo rear air suspension (believe we used the Limo rear sway bar, too).It also says there you have a Limo rear air suspension (which is mostly true, but it's actually the HPP RAS and was later adopted to the Limo (99+)) and a 'Limo' rear swaybar (which is actually smaller than your bar, MM bar is from the HPPs).....

[blkwidowmerc]

just looked again cuz I thought I was going nuts, and the CV axle was bout 1/8" shorter. the pics are on MCM
i hade to have my axles replaced because of one of them locking up they installed grand marq axles in it and said they were the same well the passenger side looks ok but the driver side they put a 5/8 inch wheel spacer behind the wheel to push it out it looks like **** and have fought with ford for months to fix this and they said it was a standard repair and was under one inch so it was with in specs.

[larryo340]

i hade to have my axles replaced because of one of them locking up they installed grand marq axles in it and said they were the same well the passenger side looks ok but the driver side they put a 5/8 inch wheel spacer behind the wheel to push it out it looks like **** and have fought with ford for months to fix this and they said it was a standard repair and was under one inch so it was with in specs.

Keep fighting and take them to small claims court too.
No way putting in a wheel spacer is a "standard repair", I worked many years in Ford/Lincoln/Mercury service and NEVER heard about such a BULLSH$T repair.

[blkwidowmerc]

Keep fighting and take them to small claims court too.
No way putting in a wheel spacer is a "standard repair", I worked many years in Ford/Lincoln/Mercury service and NEVER heard about such a BULLSH$T repair.
i have been fighting for months and can get no where with them now i have to replace all the internals again and i am not sure what to go with

[scruff]

I,m not sure your correct when you say they put a wheel spacer on there it sounds to me like the race part of your axle where it would ride on the bearing has messed up so they have a bearing and race replacement kit that poisitions itself farther out from the orig damaged bearing race area.
This is a cheapeer fix instead of replaceing the entire axle and bearing. that being said sooner of later the axle will have to be replaced>

[blkwidowmerc]

I,m not sure your correct when you say they put a wheel spacer on there it sounds to me like the race part of your axle where it would ride on the bearing has messed up so they have a bearing and race replacement kit that poisitions itself farther out from the orig damaged bearing race area.
This is a cheapeer fix instead of replaceing the entire axle and bearing. that being said sooner of later the axle will have to be replaced>
no there is a 5/8 inch spacer behind my wheel .i have taken the wheels off to rotate the tires and on the driver side there is a spacer between the rim and housing .i have done some checking on these they sell them at the auto parts stores in different widths.i am thinking of going to 31 spline axles and all do you have to change the outer housing . the parts store said you do that 31 spline axles will not fit in our housing