The Ford 8.8" IRS was done into an extremely small number of US XR4Tis---and they were incredibly expensive to do the conversion.
Clearly no thought was given to "productionising" the swap.

The IRS 8.8 has a number of problems: It's BIG and WIIIIIDE, the output things are cups for plunging tri-pode bearings--like the front of Sierra 4x4---, the diffs are crap with only 2 planet gears (although better--but still 2 pinion---diffs are available for less that $300)

The "cup for plunging tri-bearing" and the width cause the main problems of how to mate the half-shafts inner CV up.

The solutions were custom dhalf-shafts and custom output flanges for the real bargain, oh I'm gonna rush out today and buy an 8.8 for $50 price of around 1200 bucks US..

That is absurd right there.

I read you must buy some special diff cover in cast alloy for the mount up---another mere $175

All told I've read---obviously I have followed the madness---as it is indeed madeness----and seen people talking the total cost of the "easy and cheap" Ford 8.8 costing over $2000 to do..
Bugger that!

I looked at and rejected the idea--pulled one of the units out of a fresh crashed Thunderbird--back in 1989 and saw too many problems requiring too many dollars to overcome them..

And started look at the uber-strong, 4 pinion diff multi-disc LSD in the heavy and powerful 3 liter turbo Supras.. Heavy stresses geas, and power stresses gears, and the US versions of the MA70, MkIII Supra are 3,0 or turbo power and huge barges weighing in the mid 3000-lbs range. And time have proven their 8" unit to be fine even in high budget modded drift-o cars with claimed 700 bhp...
No problems...

Seems the everyman's solution...

There's even a kit to stick 'em in very affordably.


Nope the 8.8 is big, and bulky and even those whop have them in our XR4Tis have said, "I wouln't do it again---I'm thinking of the Supra conversion"..