Idependent Rear Suspension

I don't own a Super Coupe but rather am building a Ford Mustang II based kit car. (am I still welcome to to lurk?) Anyway, I want to but a Ford IRS in the car. It seems that if I go with a trac-lock 8.8 form a a T-bird or Cougar, with the 1.5" Raxles it will be a nice set up. I am told the Mark VIII has an the advantage of the aluminum carrier. Sounds even better still but a little harder to locate on my budget. Lately on E-bay I have seen some aluminum Explorer IRS carrier housings. Are these in anyway interchangable with the Cougar/T-bird unit. I haven't considered an Explorer, Expedition or SVT Mustang as they are not yet available cheaply in the salvage yards. Anyone out there advise me as to the width of these units meantioned. Are all the mn12 based IRS the same width? Is there anyone out there that has the expertise to narrow one?

Greg

The 2002-up Explorer IRS housing is an 8.8" ring gear, but that's about all it shares with the MN-12 IRS. The mountings for the housing are very different, and it's a bulkier housing. If they are like earlier Explorers, they would have 31 spline axle gears as well.

All of the MN-12 IRS setups are the same dimension for width. Keep an eye on eBay, or the classifieds here, the aluminum carrirers do pop up from time to time. Several people have snagged 99 Mustang Cobra carriers off eBay, which are a direct swap into the MN-12 system. There is only about a 7 or 8 pound difference between the iron and aluminum carriers though, maybe not really worth the trouble.


cheers
Ed Nicholson
SCCoO

Not for sure ,I have not measured myself. but have read on this board
that the mn12 axle are 1.3 inch wider than the stang axle.This is 1.3 inch
on each side.

If you search the (parts for sale) section there were some aluminum center
sections with 3.73 gears for sale, all new.

Randy