2000 Ranger 2WD 3.0 stock in Gilbert, AZ Beer for Advice/Help

jeromeshelton · May 19, 2009

Okay here goes a question that will make you all shake your heads in disgust. What is spline (a spline? splining?)? I have no idea how to even use the word. I was looking at some different rear ends and they offered 28 spline up to 40 spline. What does that mean?

odie1969 · May 19, 2009

jeromeshelton said:
Okay here goes a question that will make you all shake your heads in disgust. What is spline (a spline? splining?)? I have no idea how to even use the word. I was looking at some different rear ends and they offered 28 spline up to 40 spline. What does that mean?

Thank you WikiAnswers I knew what it is but couldn't explain it.
WikiAnswers=Splines are parallel grooves on the side of a shaft that engage with matching grooves in a socket. They allow power to be transmitted between two rotating elements. Splines are used on axles to allow them to be removed and replaced.

On the ranger we have two diff. spline count the most common is the 28 count spline All 7.5's will have the 28. there is also the 31 count spline found in explorers and the FX4 Only the 8.8 will have the 31 count.

If you are looking for new axles or lockers you need to make sure to order the proper spline count. your truck will have the 7/5 axle and the 28 splines.

84projectFORD · May 19, 2009

jeromeshelton said:
That helped a huge amount!!! I highly doubt I would ever "Race" Baja, but I do want to drive it once just to know I did. If you had to guess how much do you think I would need to spend on shocks to go with the RANGER LT RACE KIT?

For coilovers (shocks as you were refering to) you would be lookin at 800 - 1200 for shocks unless you found them used which could be less. FOA coilovers are fairly cheap and have seem to held up in the few vehicles i have seen them on but i have also seen some break. Coilovers are one of those things that "you get what you pay for" in a sense. I have heard very good things about FOA's customer servace about broken coilovers but id rather not have to worry if my shock is gunna fall apart ya know.

jeromeshelton said:
Okay here goes a question that will make you all shake your heads in disgust. What is spline (a spline? splining?)? I have no idea how to even use the word. I was looking at some different rear ends and they offered 28 spline up to 40 spline. What does that mean?

as Odie said its like teh teeth a gear but lots smaller and closer together inorder to engage another gear and allow some sliding inbetween. all the 7.5 rear ends (yours) have a 28 spline axle and the explorers and FX rangers have the 31 spline 8.8 rear end. You do have to be careful though if you do upgrade to the 8.8 rear end as some 8.8s came with a 28 spline in rangers ( not in explorers though, they all are 31 spline) only the specific FX newer modles came with the 8.8 31 spline.

And just incase you were wonderin at all. the numbers 7.5 and 8.8 all come from the sixe fo the ring gear. the 7.5 is seven and a half inches tall and so forth. Usually the bigger the ring gear, the stronger the rear end unless you get into the ford 9". Their are so many aftermarket parts for that rear end that you can almost make that rear end bullet proof.

Smurf Mobile · May 20, 2009

84projectFORD said:
For coilovers (shocks as you were refering to) you would be lookin at 800 - 1200 for shocks unless you found them used which could be less.

Where can you find them for that price or is that each?

... ok I guess if you go with a basic 2.0 but even then I doubt I could find two coilovers and two shocks for the rear for 800.

Andrew

84projectFORD · May 20, 2009

no that is the price of two coilovers, most places they are 1200 for two. The radflows i ordered from Dave at Threat were 1250 for both and those are 14" 2.5 w/ resi's. I think last i saw from FOA they were about 800 - 1000 for two coilovers.

shyster666 · May 20, 2009

coil sprung rangers are hard to get alot of upgrades for...i have have been working with this guy mark he runs a fab shop in tempe called VitalFab. He has started to build kits geared toward coil sprung rangers that are great in quality and affordability Im having a bumper and new A-arms built for mine next week, i will post pics. great guy and great prices.

odie1969 · May 22, 2009

shyster666 said:
coil sprung rangers are hard to get alot of upgrades for...i have have been working with this guy mark he runs a fab shop in tempe called VitalFab. He has started to build kits geared toward coil sprung rangers that are great in quality and affordability Im having a bumper and new A-arms built for mine next week, i will post pics. great guy and great prices.

I deff. interseted in this so plz keep us updated.

jeromeshelton · May 23, 2009

Thanks for all the great information every one is posting so far. I have decided to go with the camburg 5.5 on the front. I think it is a good way to "get my feet wet". What does every one think would be a good idea for my rear. I keep hearing about "linking". What is that?

shyster666 · May 26, 2009

odie1969 said:
I deff. interseted in this so plz keep us updated.

I will keep you posted, i will probably start a new thread in the section, I will name it "FAB WORK" I dont want to give away prices and such till I post the thread.

shyster666 · May 26, 2009

jeromeshelton said:
Thanks for all the great information every one is posting so far. I have decided to go with the camburg 5.5 on the front. I think it is a good way to "get my feet wet". What does every one think would be a good idea for my rear. I keep hearing about "linking". What is that?

thats is a great kit, as for the the "linking" they are talking about 3 link and 4 linking your rear end, also sometimes refered to as a full floater rear end. You do this to get rid of your leaf springs and adding in coilovers to the lower links, it will allow you maximum travel and strength. almost all top end trophy trucks will have this setup...real pricey if you dont have any fab knowledge. but if you want to go all out that is the way to go.

84projectFORD · May 26, 2009

Well shyster is corrected except for the "full floater rear end" part. Linking means you get rid of the leaf springs you have and use triangulated tube links from the frame to the rear axle. You are able to achieve more suspension travel (if you get rid of the back frame and tube it all) and it can generally handle the big whoops or hits better if the shocks are valved right. Its not always the best route as it takes lots of time to set them up correctly and are usually expensive. Now in your case it would be way overkill for what you need. A good set of deaver leaf springs would be great for you and that front end.

Now as for teh full foating rear end, that deals with the axles only. There are genreally two types of rear ends (well three if you count independent), Full floating and Semi floating. A semi floating rear end puts the vehicles weight on the axles using bearing at the outer ends of the axle tubes and also uses C-clips in the differential to keep the axles from coming out. the problem here is if the C-clip breaks, your axle is going to come out fo the rear end. Also they have a tendancy to have the outer bearing wear into the axle and eat through the axle under hard abuse or break the axle. Your ranger has a semi floating rear end.
A full floating rear end has the axle "floating" and does not support the vehicles weight. Instead the outer hubs where the wheel is bolted too has two bearing and ahuge nut to hold pressure on them like the wheel bearing on the front of a two wheel drive truck but the axle has an outer flange that bolts to the hub and goes through the wheel bearing never touching them but "Floating" so to speak in between the wheel bearings. these are stronger and usually found under 1 ton trucks and some 3/4 tons or high end rear ends for off road trucks. If an axle breaks, your wheel wont come flying out and you can continue to drive on it (unless your an open differential and no 4wd).

bronson99xlt · Jan 13, 2015

yall got any cheap ways to get some travel in the front for my 99 ranger??

IrIsHHoOdLuM · Jan 29, 2015

bronson what of suspension does it have to start with? is it 2wd or 4wd? There are always cheap ways to get some inches. You just have to be careful in what you do because you don't want to risk safety. I have seen many people roll there trucks so be careful in what you do

2000 Ranger 2WD 3.0 stock in Gilbert, AZ Beer for Advice/Help

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