Guest cowboy6280 Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 I was wondering if anyone has thought of using an IRS from the newer mustang, I think the couger/T-bird has an IRS setup too. I know that guys have put in vette IRS and I was thinking about it and wanted to know if anyone went the Ford route, just to compare/have an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 I don't think anyone has done it however if you're considering doing this ONLY use the new Cobra IRS. It will be VERY expensive since this is a new car. The older IRS is so weak that running it on slicks just once on a Mustang can be enough to break things. I know more than one older Cobra owner who has replaced their IRS with a solid rear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cowboy6280 Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 Thanks for the tip! I have seen a couple center sections on ebay but not the whole setup on the newer mustang. Just like to have several options out in front of me before making a decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 Cowboy, just curious. Why the need or desire to change from the Nissan IRS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cowboy6280 Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 Havent really decided anything definite yet. I'm new to the z-cars and from what I gather the R200 will be plenty strong enough but would like to have the lsd and 5 lug. Having always been a chevy fan thats why I initally thought of going with the vette IRS. And didnt want to deal with nissan parts, chevy parts are reasonable and plenty. More of a personal preference I guess (maybe sub-consciously trying to make the car as much chevy as I can )Seen a couple center sections on the newer mustang IRS on ebay and was more curious than anything else if anyone has looked into doing the ford swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 3154tm Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 FYI this diff is available from ford motor sports and on the after market in an aluminum housing, weighs about 65#s with stub axles. i've seen it priced under $700. it's also an lsd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 Isn't the fragility of the older Mustang IRS just the half shafts? Supposedly, Mardi at Raxles.com was working with FURD to fix this with thicker halfshaft sticks. If so, maybe this is a solution? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-TARD Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 A buddy of mine has a 2000 Cobra, he says the rear IRS is identicle to the T-Bird setup. According to him, the only weak point on the whole setup is the axles. Another option would be the rear IRS from an 87 or later Toyota Supra. They look nearly identicle to the Ford setup, and are LSD. I've seen a lot of Supra guys run lots of horsepower through them. Just my .2 cents worth. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moridin Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 The new Cobra rear end is pretty much indestructible. There is a guy that just made it into the nines with the stock rear end and half-shafts. Wheel hop can be a problem though, because of the bushings and a few other deflection points that change the geometry. Pretty simple fix. IMO, you'd be better off doing a Vette aluminum rear end like Scottie's GNZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest das280zx Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 Who here has broken the stock z rear end? How many people? Is it really that common? If not, then why would you want to go through all the pain and trouble of bastardizing your z with some ford parts that may or may not be stronger? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moridin Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 Correction: new Cobra parts will be stronger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 3154tm Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 the ford 8.8 irs is the diff that Factory Five is using in there cobra replicas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 I've considered doing this swap. I would not consider doing the new Cobra stuff due to cost(Hype). The Lincoln Mark VIII has the Alum. center section and LSD. A just sold a T-Bird Supercoupe that had the iron center section and 3.27 gears and LSD. The benefit of doing the Ford stuff instead of the C4 'Vette is the gear sets available. You could easily get a few center sections from the JY, set them up with Auburn LSD's and differant ratio's for differant tracks, or what ever. 2.73's, 3.08, 3.27, 3.55, 3.73, 4.10, what ever ratio you want is cheap. BTW, the lug pattern on the Mark and Supercoupe is differant than regular Ford 5 lug. Cobra is probably regular ford 5x4.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 Who here has broken the stock z rear end? How many people? Is it really that common? If not, then why would you want to go through all the pain and trouble of bastardizing your z with some ford parts that may or may not be stronger? Welcome to world of 500+ hp Zcars. Most of the guys who would even consider doing something like this HAVE broken stock Z components. It's not that the R200 is weak, it's more of the "Squat" while under HARD exceleration. Imagine sub 3 second 0-60 times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moridin Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 If you are looking for a place for the Ford parts go to this place: http://www.stangparts.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1FASTKINGCAB Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 The new Cobra rear end is pretty much indestrutible. There is a guy that just made it into the nines with the stock rear end and half-shafts. Wheel hop can be a problem though, because of the bushings and a few other deflection points that change the geometry. Pretty simple fix. IMO, you'd be better off doing a Vette aluminum rear end like Scottie's GNZ. He MUST have after market axles and a cast iron housing. SVT only rates the '03 cobra IRS for 400HP. my best friend has a '03 cobra with 6K miles on it his best 1/4 mile is 13.4@136MPH (spinning the whole way) with a overdrive Lightning S/C pulley and a Open X-pipe. and he is on his 3rd set of axles, 2nd set of torque boxes, 2nd Alloy case and 2nd drive shaft. it breaks going into 2nd gear EVERY time. Wheel hop is a serious problen too. the dealer he go tthe car form has a pile of his old parts. SVT them self says the rear is no good after 400HP, kinda retarded since a stock '03 Cobra comes with 390HP and gets will over 450-475 with the lightning pulley. the IRS is probably great for a road course but it realy sucks for the 1/4 mile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moridin Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 From what I remember, I specifically remember him saying he still has the stock rear end, including axles. Then again, he does have an AOD instead of the T56, but there others out there with the manual that still have a good to go diff and axles. I'll see what I can find, but I'm pretty sure these bad boys are holding up to over 700HP on the drag strip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1FASTKINGCAB Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 He is at the beach this week when he comes back next monday I'll take some pics and post them here he's running 18psi at the moment. and other than the X-pipe it's stock. I wouldn't guess the car is making more than 500hp though I don't know what stock boost is and he hasn't been to a dyno yet. but he has: Twisted the drive shaft (1-2 shift) snapped pass side axle ripped the driver side CV joint out twice (1-2 once & 3-2 the other time) mangled the splines & twisted the pass side axle once (1-2 shift) ripped the upper torque boxes apart (1-2 shift) ripped the top of the main housing & diff cover off. the alloy case split in to 4 peices the op half of the housing & cover where atached to the torque boxes while the rest was left atached to the axles/ struts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moridin Posted August 17, 2003 Share Posted August 17, 2003 Sorry this took so long, but I finally found the article on the web for the '03 driveline. http://www.musclemustangfastfords.com/events/0306_mmff_cobra/index.html If you look at Jim D'Amore's car, he uses an entirely stock driveline, except for a better clutch and shifter, and runs into the 10's. This is old news though, so I'm going to see if I can find any of the street cars that are into the 9's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudge Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 I think the couger/T-bird has an IRS setup too Yes, A arm setup, PITA to swap I bet - HUGE, I would not bother. Perhaps you mean the newer cars though which I know nothing about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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