I'm not sure if I'm in the right area or not but. I'm working on a project car that I intend to race in various events. I'm not sure if I should stick with an 8.8' or go up to a 9' rear end. The car will be running 500HP plus and will be driven hard. I also have a Mustang 2 front and rear suspension I'll be doing some SCC Solo stuff so I'm not sure if upgrading everything will have to be done, or if it will do . Thanks.

 

Honestly, I'd just stick with the 8.8 axle. With theproper aftermarket parts and setup, an 8.8 canhandle quite a bit of power (500 plus) with no problems. To make one bulletproof,you'll needaftermarket axles,an aftermarket differential, new bearings, etc.But assuming you're talking about a 79-04 Mustang, the money you'll spend redoing your 8.8 will probably be less than the amount you'd spend going to a 9 inch.

 

I'd differ in that if you're going any decent speed --you'll need bigger gears to get there. If it's short bursts and no big stretches - then I'd also stick with the 8 inch - but the smaller rear will wear harder so keep in mind how long you expect the part to last also. And the lower gearing with the higher horsepower could lift your front wheels up (which isn't too desirable except on a dragstrip) so weight may be needed in front to even hold it down.