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SVT Shelby GT500
Modifying an Explorer aluminum cover to fit any 8.8
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<blockquote data-quote="Tob" data-source="post: 9152064" data-attributes="member: 83412"><p>I finally got the opportunity to fill the axle with lubricant. I picked up three quarts from my local Ford dealer, along with 4 ounces of friction modifier from them as well. <em>Be forewarned</em> - the synthetic lube from Ford is a bit expensive (~ $18 per quart). You can find synthetic 75W-140 from a few vendors at a better price (AutoZone, etc).</p><p></p><p>Make sure to use a quality thread sealant on all the threaded plugs and you shouldn't have any leaks down the road. Another essential item is a quality <a href="http://www.grainger.com/1/1/130944-westward-1ztc6-suction-gun-16-0-oz-capacity.html" target="_blank">suction gun</a>. I bought mine about six years ago from AutoZone. I've only used it three other times, but it is worth every penny. Forget trying to tip the quart container while holding it in the air. There simply isn't the room, unless you raised the body and then let the axle housing droop way down. I had elevated my four wheels by the same amount, along with the axle housing being supported at the factory ride height relative to the tires. I was exacting at this step so that I could get an accurate assessment as to fill capacity, along with comparing the fill plug elevation of the Explorer cover to that of the factory fill plug at the front of the housing.</p><p></p><p><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b3289cf34f00000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>I could have just installed the upper pipe plug on the cover and filled the housing from the original fill point at the front, but I wanted to see if the Explorer upper (fill) plug would work. I set up a Milwaukee digital inspection camera so that I could watch the front fill point while I added lube from the rear.</p><p></p><p><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b21076d3f500000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b3184f72b400000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>A really neat tool.</p><p></p><p>Obviously, two quarts of gear lube (<em>and</em> another 4 ounces of friction modifier) are no longer enough. What surprised me was that lube started to ooze from the upper opening of the Explorer cover <em>before</em> anything came out of the factory fill hole. It was close, but after closing up the cover, I was able to add approximately five ounces more. If the Explorer has a more 'nose up' pinion angle, I could see the two being a match - but not here.</p><p></p><p>So all in all, the deeper Explorer cover adds another 1/2 quart to the overall capacity. This, along with the aluminum cover and its cooling fins, <em>should</em> allow for lower temperatures within the housing. Obviously, a good thing.</p><p></p><p><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b2f29bd36900000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>A couple of other points of interest:</p><p></p><p>- The label on the back of Ford's synthetic gear lubricant. Does a noisy gear level some good...</p><p></p><p><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b323d7b39900000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>- Regarding tapping the hole in the Explorer cover that was originally used for a tapered barb fitting for the factory ventilation system, I had forgotten to provide numbers for both the tap and for the drill size.</p><p></p><p><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b2ce57d3bb00000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>The above shows a 1/4" - 18 NPT tap along with the matching 7/16" drill bit I used to allow a 1/4" socket headed pipe plug to close up the hole. The aluminum cover drills like butter and tapping took seconds. You can find the tap and the bit on the shelves at your local Home Depot.</p><p></p><p>This concludes my efforts with this project. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>Tob</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tob, post: 9152064, member: 83412"] I finally got the opportunity to fill the axle with lubricant. I picked up three quarts from my local Ford dealer, along with 4 ounces of friction modifier from them as well. [i]Be forewarned[/i] - the synthetic lube from Ford is a bit expensive (~ $18 per quart). You can find synthetic 75W-140 from a few vendors at a better price (AutoZone, etc). Make sure to use a quality thread sealant on all the threaded plugs and you shouldn't have any leaks down the road. Another essential item is a quality [URL="http://www.grainger.com/1/1/130944-westward-1ztc6-suction-gun-16-0-oz-capacity.html"]suction gun[/URL]. I bought mine about six years ago from AutoZone. I've only used it three other times, but it is worth every penny. Forget trying to tip the quart container while holding it in the air. There simply isn't the room, unless you raised the body and then let the axle housing droop way down. I had elevated my four wheels by the same amount, along with the axle housing being supported at the factory ride height relative to the tires. I was exacting at this step so that I could get an accurate assessment as to fill capacity, along with comparing the fill plug elevation of the Explorer cover to that of the factory fill plug at the front of the housing. [img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b3289cf34f00000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/[/img] I could have just installed the upper pipe plug on the cover and filled the housing from the original fill point at the front, but I wanted to see if the Explorer upper (fill) plug would work. I set up a Milwaukee digital inspection camera so that I could watch the front fill point while I added lube from the rear. [img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b21076d3f500000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/[/img] [img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b3184f72b400000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/[/img] A really neat tool. Obviously, two quarts of gear lube ([i]and[/i] another 4 ounces of friction modifier) are no longer enough. What surprised me was that lube started to ooze from the upper opening of the Explorer cover [i]before[/i] anything came out of the factory fill hole. It was close, but after closing up the cover, I was able to add approximately five ounces more. If the Explorer has a more 'nose up' pinion angle, I could see the two being a match - but not here. So all in all, the deeper Explorer cover adds another 1/2 quart to the overall capacity. This, along with the aluminum cover and its cooling fins, [i]should[/i] allow for lower temperatures within the housing. Obviously, a good thing. [img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b2f29bd36900000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/[/img] A couple of other points of interest: - The label on the back of Ford's synthetic gear lubricant. Does a noisy gear level some good... [img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b323d7b39900000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/[/img] - Regarding tapping the hole in the Explorer cover that was originally used for a tapered barb fitting for the factory ventilation system, I had forgotten to provide numbers for both the tap and for the drill size. [img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9cc38b3127ccef8b2ce57d3bb00000030O00AbNmbhq2aNWQPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/[/img] The above shows a 1/4" - 18 NPT tap along with the matching 7/16" drill bit I used to allow a 1/4" socket headed pipe plug to close up the hole. The aluminum cover drills like butter and tapping took seconds. You can find the tap and the bit on the shelves at your local Home Depot. This concludes my efforts with this project. :) Tob [/QUOTE]
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Modifying an Explorer aluminum cover to fit any 8.8
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