I picked up a 2003 Gen II S-type Subframe over the weekend. (Now I have a Gen 1 and Gen II spares for putting in Lincoln Mark III carriers.) Eventually I can post some images. I am starting this thread to make a list of all the variants of the rear K subframe.

If someone has ready access to VIN versus P/N, it would be nice to associate to the sub-frames.

USA, don't know if this is correct with ROW.

1999.5- 2002: Gen 1 Sub frame- Fits Gen I carrier, can tell this one by its round ring welded carrier mount brackets. No electric parking brake.

2003-2005: Sub frame redesigned. Fits Gen II carrier. Control arm mounting points are the same as Gen 1, Frame mounts are different, slightly larger OD pressed into subframe, but in the same position as Gen 1. Accommodates Electric parking brake. Carrier cover mounting in same position, Front mount appears to be in same location as Gen 1. (I will measure this) Appears to be slightly more rigid design.

2006 - ?
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Lincoln LS - 2000 - 2002: Same as Gen 1 S-type

Lincoln LS - 2003 - 2006 Same as Gen 1 S-type, but they added mounting provisions for electric parking brake. - Front of frame, not back like S-type

My secondary agenda will be find out more about the mounts used in the frame. My understanding is that only one of the mounts is ever available as a spare.

 

As far as we know no changes were made to the rear sub frame for 2006 and up. You already know the STR lost the Brembo brakes for 2006 and up so the rear hubs are different but nothing else.

Maybe the JEPC would have a the VIN vs PN info? Do you have that?
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I wonder if there are mounting bracket differences on 2006 and newer rear subframes for locating the parking brake cables. Without the separate parking caliper, the cable has to route to a different position. Perhaps only a different cable is required.

 

LOL....why do this?

 

If you have been following Tijoe he has quite a project going on!! He also appears to know what he is doing to a large degree. His progress has been slow and he is still only part way thru it.

But he is documenting and explaining many of the updates and mods he has done to get that Chevy V-8 installed in an S-Type so he can burn the tires off it!

I am rooting for him to get it finished but he is a pioneer and that's always hard!
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1. To document the differences for the occasional S-type owner that needs a subframe for whatever reason.
2. I will figure out which one is stiffer, and perhaps weighs less. (It does make one wonder why they changed the design in the first place? Cost only?)
3. I've been building up my conversion rear end based on a Gen 1 sub frame. After I complete this build, I will learn from this project and apply certain features to build up a new subframe build for my 04 STR. Like putting in a Lincoln mark 8 rear end with LSD.

 

I wonder how different the rear subframe for the XFR & XFR-S are compared to the STR. I know the differentials have a dual-mount on the rear of the carrerier from 2010-up. Supposedly the rear subframe for the XFR-S was tweaked somewhat. The knuckles, bearings, & sway bars for the front & rear were also upgraded, from the information I can find on it. I doubt they changed that much though. It would be cool if a subframe upgrade was only a parts-swap away...

 

From what I understand, Jaguar/Tata put in a beefed up GKN electronic torque controlled differential. This means to me that there has to be an associated torque control module that is required to tell the electric motor in the differential when to turn on, and how much torque to apply to each axle. I wonder how you would integrate this into the S-types Traction Control system. Great Idea, but I think the electrical integration would be the show-stopper.

Mechanically, as far as I can tell, they kept the same basic rear sub-frame.
Changes I can see are different front body mounts, (They appear to be in same location.) and the new front and rear differential mounting brackets. They kept the same upper and lower control arms, and some version of the same hub carrier, coil-overs appear to be the same, but I can't tell if the rear sway bar is actually larger, although they state the car is 30% stiffer.
But they did change the axles and hub assemblies. to work with the differential. The drive shaft has been changed as well.

 

True, the E-diff is probably a no-go. Same thing with the Adaptive Dynamics multi-stage "new" CATS struts & shocks. But the F-Type V6S uses a mechanical LSD. The plot thickens...

 

From my perspective it would come down to cost versus performance increase, versus ease of putting in the differential. If you could just swap the complete rear subframe with all the driveline parts and suspension, and everything fit, then all you had to do was modify the drive shaft, that would be tempting.
But if you have to drop the sub frame, swap to a new subframe, change the differential and 1/2 shafts, swap all the other parts, then I'd probably just put in the Mark VIII differential with new axles. (As discussed in other threads.)

 

Tijoe,
Have you plotted the suspensions on your various options and run them through a suspension program to see if one has a handling advantage for race track or autoxing?
Kevin

Tijoe,
The multiple contact requests are so hopefully you'll see one. Please contact me about your progress with the 8.8 axles.
Thanks, Kevin
kwall73108@gmail.com

"My 2 Mark VIII housings are on their way back to me after having the axle seal openings enlarged slightly to fit special 31 spline axles seals. It took my brother about 2 hours total, while watching the Datona 500. This saved me at least $200. The housings will arrive by Monday, then I will kit the parts and have a local shop assemble the rear end for me. (I am getting lazy in my old age, otherwise I'd put it together myself.) I'd rather focus on my custom half-shaft axle project.

I purchased a rear sub-frame for the 2000 S-type Mark VIII Differential installation. I'll post images as this part of the project comes together.

As it stands now, I will continue with a 6 month plan to put a Mark VIII rear end in the STR, with stock gears, after I get the first one fitted to the 2000 S-Type."

 

No, haven't gone that far. I've done some 3D modeling of the suspension for my design changes.

I believe that the semi-trailing arm design is a decent suspension configuration for a sports sedan, but it's not the preferred suspension type for race cars.

 

tijoe,
some datsun z's, bmw's and porsches manage ok with trailing arms, personal attempts at ta design were pure failures according to the wingeo3 suspension program, unequal a-arm appears more user friendly, at least till there's attempt to keep overall car width less than 65" with 13" width rear slicks when a stable verticle/horizontal roll center and decent camber becomes problematic,
the local salvage yard has explorer and mark 8 rear irs parts so hopefully a look see will reveal a cost effective way to get the strongest stub axles to mate with the 8.8, any suggestions welcome
kevin

 

I have lots of information on splined axle shafts and 1/2 shaft assemblies, but unfortunately my workstation's windows explorer stopped working. It hasn't been a priority to get it working yet, so I don't have access to the files with all my notes.

This is probably the best thread for the research I did posted on the LVC forum. I believe that "Jason" had information on the axles he used.

500+ HP rear Axles?

 

Joe,
If possilble, would you look at your parts to determine what 8.8 diff stub axle and stub axle seal you ended up using and send along that information?
Thanks, Kevin

 

Looks like a lot of LSD interest in 2014. They have been asking for a while and I hadn't visited the LCV LS forum in months.

All the information you need is here on the LVC forum:

500+ HP rear Axles? - Lincoln LS - Page 3