1996 4.0 8.8 Limited slip 3.73 clunking

expated · Feb 12, 2015

Need some guidance on my 1996 Ranger XLT 4.0 Auto 3.73 8.8 limited slip (150K). I get a clunking out of the rear when coming to a stop. Drive line mid shaft bearing is good and so are the U-Joints. Points me towards the rear. Can emulate the action with it on a lift by turning the drive shaft, rear seems sloppy. Not very familiar with the rear internal components or operations so I'm looking for some guidance or a good write-up. Did some searches but nothing coming up.

4x4junkie · Feb 12, 2015

A lot of clunking issues on limited slip rears is caused by worn clutches. The clutch wear loosens the engagement between the spider/side gears, which creates more backlash in the differential.

Another sign of worn clutches is end-play (in-out movement) on the axle shafts (1/8" or more).

If this is the case, you can get a rebuild (clutch) kit for it. Installation is pretty easy (no special tools needed, just have to pull the axles out, differential cross shaft, and "S"-spring out and everything should come right out).

expated · Feb 13, 2015

Thanks 4x4Junkie......do you have any recommendations on a good read on how to do it. I was looking at this http://www.cartechbooks.com/ford-differentials-how-to-rebuild-the-8-8-and-9-inch.html

4x4junkie · Feb 13, 2015

I'm not familiar with that publication, but I have no reason to believe it wouldn't be packed with good info.

I've always relied on factory service manuals myself. They're a good cut above those little junk manuals you get at an auto parts chain store, and cover in good detail the whole vehicle.

(used factory manuals are ubiquitous on Ebay).

Gagst · Mar 15, 2015

It seems that i have the same problem on my 2002 B4000 4x4. I decided to take a look at the sound in the rear differential and filmed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa5nrnludxk

As I understand it, the play between the spider gears and the movement in and out of the wheel is caused but worn out clutchplate/steel plate?

Also, on my video can you see the gears are a worn out, do they need to be replaced?

Is installing a C-clip Eliminator kit would help to keep the TRaction-lok in good shape?

adsm08 · Mar 15, 2015

Gagst said:
Is installing a C-clip Eliminator kit would help to keep the TRaction-lok in good shape?

I don't see how. The clutches wear when turning because they have to slip over each other, and a c-clip eliminator will not change that. The S-spring, not the C-clips, is what holds the clutches under tension, which is what will cause them to wear, but removing it will cause them to not work.

Like any other clutch the LS clutches are a wear item.

All C-clip eliminator only changes how the axle shaft is retained in the axle tube.

Gagst · Mar 15, 2015

yeah you're right, but each time that the wheel is moving in/out the C-clips hit the gears and the clutch kit because that's the only thing stopping the axle.

If the Eliminator can prevent that I do think that it could help the differential.

I may be wrong

adsm08 · Mar 15, 2015

I really don't think it is doing as much damage as you seem to think. If it were I really think that C-clips and side gears would be a much bigger failure point across the board on all diffs. Once you have that king-pin in the axle can't move much more than 1/16". And unless you are really hitting the corners hard there isn't actually that much force that it is being hit with.

The biggest place that C-clip failure is seen is in off-roading vehicles with lifts and big tires and such because those setups and the things done with the vehicles does put un-due stress on the clips and shaft ends. In a stock street-driven truck you will never damage anything by that little bit of movement.

4x4junkie · Mar 15, 2015

adsm08 said:
The biggest place that C-clip failure is seen is in off-roading vehicles with lifts and big tires and such because those setups and the things done with the vehicles does put un-due stress on the clips and shaft ends. In a stock street-driven truck you will never damage anything by that little bit of movement.

Offroading doesn't put significant load on the c-clips either.
What happens in offroading with big tires and locked differentials is the axle shaft itself breaks (due to the high torque-load such use puts on them). This is what allows the wheel and remainder of the shaft to depart from the vehicle. Once you're inside the diff to repair it, almost always you will find the end of the broken shaft still retained inside the diff with a fully-intact c-clip.

It should also be noted this is an uncommon failure on 8.8s due to the robustness of it's shafts, but is a very common failure on the Dana35 rear axle used in Jeep vehicles.

I think a simple clutch rebuild kit will take care of the play issue as I had mentioned in my previous post. Just check that the teeth on the spider/side gears aren't chipped or broken at all, and you should be fine.

1996 4.0 8.8 Limited slip 3.73 clunking

expated

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4x4junkie

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expated

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4x4junkie

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Gagst

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adsm08

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Gagst

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