4 lug irs?

[jazzcat2001]

will the irs set up from a cougar/tbird(89 and newer) work on my 86 coupe? i am going to be in the market for an 8.8 here in about a month and was just researching and planning stuff out...thanks in advance

[Travis T]

I've seen it done before, but it was some work. There was an SSP Mustang in one of the magazines a few years ago with it. I think it was painted Grabber Green. However, aren't the Tbirds you mentioned five lug?

[FoxChassis]

Yes, MN12 ('89+) chassis Cougars/Thunderbirds are five lug. The bolt pattern is also different that the SN95 ('94+) chassis Mustangs.

[Freejack]

The MN swap is a lot more work than the cobra IRS swap and you still have to deal with the five-lug rear. That said, it has been done and I can see the draw since I'm sure and MN rear end can be had for much less than a cobra rear.

Jake

[jazzcat2001]

what about the rear of a merkur? or are they on different frames and that wouldn't be worth it?

[mfpmax]

yeah...the Merkur is totallly different frame.

[85Coupe50]

Just get an IRS out of a 99-04 Cobra and bolt it in. swap to 5 lug front brakes and be done with it.

[Travis T]

The Merkur has a very weak rear end anyway, and you'd be looking at big bucks if you wanted anything other than an open differential.

[jazzcat2001]

Just get an IRS out of a 99-04 Cobra and bolt it in. swap to 5 lug front brakes and be done with it.

i would but i am trying to find an option where im not paying more for the rear end than i paid for the car that and i just had my front brakes(everything that has to do with the front brakes was replaced) replaced and am not going to 5 lug or upgrading the fronts until i need to switch stuff around again...i figured with a 4 lug irs of some sort in back it would make that car that little bit different which is what i am going for with it

[v8only]

I've actually seen more than one person trading their irs for a live axle. Go out there and pick you up a good solid sn95 8.8 for $500 or so, and search the classifieds till you find someone willing to trade. it's fairly common

[PNY XPRS]

A good buddy of mine has a '99 Cobra and he is deeply afraid to really thrash his car due to the chance of snapping a halfshaft. The 01+ units are stronger.
We have looked at the swap in detail, cause I am trying to talk him into a live axle.

Swap involves:
1) the pumpkin
2) the control arms, upper and lower
3) the "A" arms
4) Shocks and springs
5) entire brakes including e-brake cable
6) cat-back exhaust system
7) driveshaft (Whatever you do, don't forget to index the shaft on an irs car before removing it. Vibration City awaits you if you forget.)

All of these must come off the SN95 donor and put onto the Cobra and visa-versa

[Coupester]

Did a IRS to live axle swap on a friend's 99 Cobra for him ... much much better than the wheel-hop IRS ...