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7.5 to 8.8 swap


3ncrypt3d

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Hey, figured with winter coming up now would be a good time to rip out my old 7.5, and put a L/S 8.8 in. Found one at the junkyard, with 55k miles. Does anyone know of the diff housings are the same length? I don’t want to have to get a custom driveshaft or anything. Also any tips would be greatly appreciated!
 


tinman_72

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I bolted an 8.8" 3L73 from an extended cab 4x4 '97 Ranger right in to my '93 5 speed four cylinder Ranger that had 7.5. Just bolt and go.
 
Last edited:
scotts90ranger

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The pinion is a little longer on the 8.8, but if you unbolt your driveshaft before you get started and you have about 2" of compression left you should be fine.

Is this a 4x4 or a 4x2 application?
 

3ncrypt3d

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tinman_72 said:
I bolted an 8.8" 3L37 from an extended cab 4x4 '97 Ranger right in to my '93 5 speed four cylinder Ranger that had 7.5. Just bolt and go.
Click to expand...
Ok, that’s good to know. Don’t know if it matters, but mine is a 3L73 from an 05, going into a 97.

scotts90ranger said:
The pinion is a little longer on the 8.8, but if you unbolt your driveshaft before you get started and you have about 2" of compression left you should be fine.

Is this a 4x4 or a 4x2 application?
Click to expand...
4x2. Forgot to put that in the main post.
 
Captain Ledd

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1997+ shouldn't be in the year range for flange differences. That's a little older, like 1992 ish and older. As long as you sourced it from another Ranger, and not an FX4 LVLII Ranger without grabbing the u-bolts and plates, you should be in the clear for a bolt in swap.
 

3ncrypt3d

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Captain Ledd said:
1997+ shouldn't be in the year range for flange differences. That's a little older, like 1992 ish and older. As long as you sourced it from another Ranger, and not an FX4 LVLII Ranger without grabbing the u-bolts and plates, you should be in the clear for a bolt in swap.
Click to expand...
Honestly I don’t know if it was an FX4 Ranger. The bed was missing at the JY that I got this axle at. Didn’t the FX4 have skid plates under the gas tank? Because this one didn’t for sure.
 
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3ncrypt3d said:
Honestly I don’t know if it was an FX4 Ranger. The bed was missing at the JY that I got this axle at. Didn’t the FX4 have skid plates under the gas tank? Because this one didn’t for sure.
Click to expand...

keep repeating " 4x2 "
 
Captain Ledd

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I was under the impression his truck was a 4x2, the donor axle is an unknown. I have a feeling you're safe, it's not the end of the world if you did grab one.

1st, you'd have gotten a stronger axle, congrats! 2nd, you should be able to steal the plates and u-bolts off an Explorer, which is what I did for my 8.8 swap as I have the Explorer axle with the larger axle shafts and tubes. Everything should still bolt up fine for your application, it's just an extra step.
 

3ncrypt3d

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Captain Ledd said:
I was under the impression his truck was a 4x2, the donor axle is an unknown. I have a feeling you're safe, it's not the end of the world if you did grab one.

1st, you'd have gotten a stronger axle, congrats! 2nd, you should be able to steal the plates and u-bolts off an Explorer, which is what I did for my 8.8 swap as I have the Explorer axle with the larger axle shafts and tubes. Everything should still bolt up fine for your application, it's just an extra step.
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity what is the size of the stock driveshaft? I replaced my U joints recently, and the ones from every auto store didn’t work, because they were too small. I want to say the kind I had to get were for an F150? I don’t remember the exact size. 2.5”?
 
Captain Ledd

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1310? Not sure on the sizes, they have their own unique sizing system and I don't have it memorized.

I just unbolted my driveshaft from the pinion flange and bolted it back on the 8.8.
 
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I did an 8.8” swap on my 2000 Ranger. Axle was from a 4x4, my truck was a 4x2, bolted right in. Driveshaft bolted up and all. Really don’t see a problem with your swap.


Sent from my kite using a trebuchet
 
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