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She's dead Jim, 8.8 swap?

VB242

I.M. Weasel
Joined
Sep 21, 2011
Location
Driving the No Malarkey Bus
The 3.91 1030 put up a good fight, I'm thinking one of the carrier bearings let loose, I didn't feel like pulling the axles to find out. Especially since I've got a hankering to do the 8.8 swap and be done with it. It looks like they made an LSD 4.10 for the Exploder, I think this would fit my goals ok. Anyone solve the parking brake hookup?

2018-11-26_09-02-41 by John Skiba, on Flickr

Also my wheels are 5x4.5 like the exploder axle already has before I get any "use a toyoda axle" from the rally crew.
 
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I did the 8.8 swap in a day. It's not bad to do, shortened the tube myself. All in all I have 120 bucks into the swap. Over 20k very hard miles on it with no issues at all. I guess it comes down to whatever is easiest for you to get
 
Go Toyota 8"..Its better, the LSDs are better, no shortening one side tube which is a serious precision job.., just machining the flanges and a new bolt circle

John, can you give more insight into this swap? I have been considering the 8.8 swap for a while, but if there is a Toyota axle that fits better I would like to know more about it. What year and model fits into a 245?
 
There's 1) 92 4runner, most likely with drum brakes and no pickups between the 2 yards here, there are 47) explorers, wonder which one I should go with?

Well OBVIOUSLY you need to go with the Toyota axle, because it's far better than anything you can get 100 different aftermarket variations for from Jegs or Summit. The best part is that if you break it, you get to spend weeks scouring junkyards for beat up old Toyotas!

/s


When I build something, I try to get away from using parts that are essentially one-offs now that they're getting old and hard to find. Replaceability has to be key, IMO. ESPECIALLY when you can get any axle you want, off the shelf, with free shipping, for pennies.
 
Welding the axle back together is not a "serious precision" job, just clamp it together with some angle iron and put the axle shaft in. Stock cars run 3* camber on solid axles, so if you keep your straight axle under 200 MPH you'll be fine.
 
I'm mildly intrigued by the hooning potential of an e-locker Toyota axle in a high-HP Volvo.

But really, you could stick a selectable locker in an 8.8 as well. And a locker probably isn't what you want in a street vehicle anyhow.


It's... just sort of fun in my 4Runner on slick wet streets in 2HI.
 
I'm mildly intrigued by the hooning potential of an e-locker Toyota axle in a high-HP Volvo.

But really, you could stick a selectable locker in an 8.8 as well. And a locker probably isn't what you want in a street vehicle anyhow.


It's... just sort of fun in my 4Runner on slick wet streets in 2HI.
Sounds to me that you're ignoring the warning sticker for the e-locker.
 
Sounds to me that you're ignoring the warning sticker for the e-locker.

I had to do a 5-minute 'mod' to allow it to be used outside of 4LO. Remove driver's side footwell kick panel, find a wire, clip it, ground it. Voila, locker available in all 3 xfer case modes. Slideways action in big tall SUV ability: unlocked.
 
12 bolt chevy!! Dana 60!! I also have a full floating 14 bolt you put it in there I will give it to you!! Be the first on your block with a 8 lug volvo
 
You could also go full bolt in with a 1031 that has one of those new fangled lsd in it. A 1031 is a bit stronger and may last a bit longer. Unless you are planning a lot of abusive stuff the 1031 seems to hold up to V8 power ok.
 
I did the toiletta swap.

It's fairly simple.

The good limited slip and a 4.56 final drive really changed the way the car behave.

1: Get a Toyota supra (1986.5 - 1992) limited slip.

2: Get any toyota 8 inch solid axle (Toyata Pickup, 4runner etc.)

You can know that it's an 8inch by looking at the third member.

You want the V6/Turbo:
3rds.jpg


3: Go to a machine shop with the axles, the brake discs you want to use and the wheels you want to use (I had stock Volvo 240 ****).

4: Tell him to turn the axles, drill new holes and make something that looks like this:
Toyota8inchmadeintoVolvo2.jpg


5: I used the stock Volvo calipers, a really smart kid named Eric Ewert made these and I'm pretty sure you can get them for dirt cheap (he just send me the cad and I had them made locally:

file.php


6: Get a solid pinion spacer and shim kit from Weir Performance.

7: Follow these steps to put the supra diff in the third member:
http://www.gearinstalls.com/supralsd.htm

8: Since my junk is just a street car, I simply cut the brakets from the Volvo axle and weld them on the Toiletta:

Bf9VdHEm.jpg

ZtYVN6xm.jpg

XkVbaBnm.jpg


...and that's about it.
 
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I love the fact those are dropouts. I have a Toyota axle and Supra diff laying in storage, never got around to using it. May use it one day on another project
 
What I like is how he said "Also my wheels are 5x4.5 like the exploder axle already has before I get any "use a toyoda axle" from the rally crew." and gets almost nothing in this thread except what he didn't want lol. Good toyota info though for those wanting that rear.

I was gonna do the 8.8 route, its a good one and I was sold on it, then I found a 9" with 240 brackets already installed for really cheap, so I got that. I don't know about the parking brake thing though, I'm using a manual trans..
 
What I like is how he said "Also my wheels are 5x4.5 like the exploder axle already has before I get any "use a toyoda axle" from the rally crew." and gets almost nothing in this thread except what he didn't want lol. Good toyota info though for those wanting that rear.

I was gonna do the 8.8 route, its a good one and I was sold on it, then I found a 9" with 240 brackets already installed for really cheap, so I got that. I don't know about the parking brake thing though, I'm using a manual trans..
From what I've been able to find the explorer parking brake cables go out to a bar that probably gets pulled by one single cable from the pedal mechanism. I was thinking of interfacing the Volvo cables at that point by drilling a couple holes in the bar, shortening the cables and using some of those u shaped cable clamps. I'll have to see what it looks like once I pull the 8.8. Thanks Vinny for the comprehensive write up but all that finagling and machining seems a lot more difficult that than welding up an axle tube. All for an axle 4 Wheeling magazine rates lower in strength than an 8.8. Jegs etc have C clip eliminator kits that take care of the 8.8 main weakness. I was sold on its strength watching the 901hp Dyno on other thread, I'll never make that kind of hp/tq with a redblock.
 
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