Lots of the rear ends have a cast center section that can't be welded to. When mounting a triangle 4 link on such a rear end it becomes necessary to put the top mounts at a lesser angle than optimum. For street use what do you think of this method? Remember, this is for a cast center section and triangle 4 link. No substitutions.
Should work fine as long as the tubing and welding is strong enough for the traction and horsepower. Off roaders do something like that all the time. Just remember that the roll center will be the same height as the upper arms, since they are the lateral locator. That's the main drawback to a triangulated 4-link, a very high roll center.
We've been building four links like that with a truss for years in the off road world. For extreme use, like racing, I'd try to find a way to tie it in in a third point of contact. I've seen them ripped off rockcrawlers just welded to the two tubes like that. On 9" and 14 bolt axles off road we usually make a brace that ties into the removable pinion support that can be unbolted for disassembly. That may be overkill for a street application, but I'd try to tie in to the rear cover bolts or something on a drag car that'll leave on a transbrake or clutch drop for instance.
And here are a whole bunch of 8.8 housings WITH the ears. What's your point? That you started with the wrong one?
Look, if you want to spend your time building bridges over the center section, go for it. I'm lazy, so I try to minimize my work by getting the right parts in the first place.
I ran across this photo of the "bridge" between the axles and I had never seen this before. Nice to see that it is being employed and that it does work. Kind of to late for mine but I will remember it and there is a place to bolt a third bar to the front of the housing.
Explorer rear is stock leaf spring and has no ears. Car 8.8 has ears. Trussing or bridging a rear housing is common in the 4x4 world..
Sam
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