looking to get a new differential

[buvoir]

The carrier IS the rear end. It's more or less the heart inside the rear axle, right now you have an open carrier... and you're wanting either a locking or limited slip carrier.

The ring gear is the bigger gear in the rear axle attached to the carrier, it's the gear that when spun.. turns the carrier/axles/wheels. The ring gear gets spun off of the pinion gear.. which is more or less attached to the end of the driveshaft.

thank you. I've been taking notes over here.

 

[buvoir]

Seems like a true locker is a last resort for the OP.

That... and cost wise... if a locker is what hes gonna end up with than buying a complete axle direct from ford would ultimately be the cheaper route to take. Most aftermarket lockers are 1000$+, then add in the cost of a set of gears 400$, master install kit 300$, labor 1000$+... I'm too tired to do math right now but I'm sure my point has been made.

Buy new axle, diy install, sell old axle to recoup large amount of cost.

but that ford axle with the locker disengages at 25 mph

 

[buvoir]

Locking rear axle was ~$400 option - if you don't need it, it's money in your pocket.

I'm almost in @Blmpkn 's camp - I just wouldn't buy a brand new axle: From car-part.com - there is a locking differential in Webster, NY for ~$1,650. (There are some cheaper ones on other side of Lake Ontario if you want to go for a little drive). You won't get the parts for that, and definitely not new axle from Ford.

webster is nearby. Is this a factory locker that shuts off at 25 mph or something else?

 

[don4331]

That would be an axle with the factory locker. Ford's programming shuts it off at 25mph for a 2wd, a 4wd in 4lo has a much higher disengagement, so there should be a way to program it higher, but I'm not sure I'd recommend that.

I picked Webster as your location is listed as Rochester.

 

[JohnnyO]

webster is nearby. Is this a factory locker that shuts off at 25 mph or something else?

That would be an axle with the factory locker. Ford's programming shuts it off at 25mph for a 2wd, a 4wd in 4lo has a much higher disengagement, so there should be a way to program it higher, but I'm not sure I'd recommend that.

Mostly the locker shuts off at 25 mph. In the Terrain Management system it will stay on up to about 55 mph in Sand Mode. You have to add the knob for Terrain Management and activate it in Forscan. There is a Snow Mode too. That might be worth a shot before you drop serious coin on a new axle.