How can I tell by looking, what rear-end I have on my 98 V6 Mustang?
When my rear end was replaced I did not have mustang tuning forums to educate me. My mechanic said he found a rear-end from a newer GT and installed it for me, I said OK? it sounds like an upgrade to me. This was in 2001. Now that I think of it, why did my original rear-end only last 3 years? It was bad, I knew that from how it sounded. Was it high speed highway driving to and from work every day, 45 miles one way from 1998 to 2001?

thanks,

Erik

 

go to summit racing and look up "8.8 ford gasket". If your bolt pattern on the rear cover matches that, then you have an 8.8. If not, you have a 7.5.

You could also read the metal tag on the back cover and post it up and we'll be able to tell you what size, what gears and probably what year.

 

the tag number:

5262C
73 75 5A10

 

looks like a 7.5" with 2.73 gears. Not from a GT!!!

 

Could have swaped the tags over for some reason. I think the best bet is the bolt pattern.

 

NO ****? What did I have to start with on my 98 v6?

The rear end works well anyway. I'm not sure my mechanic knows where it came from either, I think he sent a midnight mechanic out on a mission. He did show me my original rear end, it was next to my car before I drove away.

 

I think the rear is from a 95-96 V6. Your car came with a 7.5" diff with probably 3.27's but I can't guarantee the gears. If you can, try and find an old 94-98 mustang being parted out and grab the rear end (don't spend more than 300 bucks). It's a quick bolt in you can do in the driveway and it's worth it in durability. You can probably see how I figured out the 7.5" and 273 gears... those numbers are placed in semi-code on the tag in plain sight. The "C" character in the middle of the ratio tells you if it's an open diff. Limited slips have an L there normally.

 

I looked at the gasket at summit racing. My rear end has ten botlts like the gaket. My differential seems more oval in shape, oval horizontaly.

 

they're both 10-bolt housings. You definitely have a 7.5" if it's even a little oval in the horizontal. 8.8's are almost square with rounded corners.

 

if the 3bolts on top line up then its a 7.5'