ForOffRoadDriving's 94 Ranger Build

[ForOffRoadDriving]

i took some pics of the bearing surfaces in the axle, it looks like everyone of them spun but they were all pretty tight fitting when i was taking them out so maybe those are just marks from pressing?

this is hole for the outer pinion race and seal

this is the drivers side axle bearing hole

passenger side

heres the spiders and spacers and carrier races, i expected to find some thin shims on one side or both sides of the carrier, but there werent any?

heres a bent shock tab, probably from handling it after it was torched out at the junk yard?

some kind of casting number i havent been able to decode

AND HERES A BOX OF PUSSY! (her name really is Puss!)

i got the pinion gear pulled off, but the carrier is giving me alot of grief!

once i tighten the bearing splitter down it becomes the same size as the ring gear so i cant put the blocks under it for support.

ive started working on the specialty tools that will be needed to finish the install, so far ive figured out the pinion flange tool (pretty simple really, just drill a hole in the steel so the socket slides through and weld it in place so you can put a breaker bar with a cheater pipe in it, then drill the holes for the bolts to thread into the flange - and to think OTC wants $116 for this tool! it only cost $12 and my time)

i still want to make a case spreader, even if i dont need it, just because i like to make stuff!

 

[-Nathan-]

looks good man. reason you didnt find any thin shims behind the carrier bearing race, is that there is only the one BIG shim. Instead of using multiple shims, when these axles were made, they just machined one shim to the correct size, hence there only being on big shim, and not multiple small ones.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

thanks nathan, thats what i was thinking because why would ford pay a bunch of guys to set these up by hand? so if my contact pattern is way off ill need to use the shims i bought to take the place of the machined-to-fit ones?

 

[-Nathan-]

if you are swapping to a different ratio, than yes you will need to use different shims. Remember too, that if you put new carrier bearings in place, you will need to add more thickness than the total of just the originals, in order to make sure you have enough carrier bearing preload. Those new bearings will loosen up with time, and if there isnt enough preload set on them during installation, youll be changing them in the future. If you have any questions feel free to pm me anytime.

nate

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

thanks nathan, ill keep you in mind when i have troubles. i finished the pinion flange holding tool last night and it turned out almost as good as i had hoped (i didnt get the socket straight when i tacked it in and didnt realize it until i had fully welded one side).

when i got to work i found out that there is a special tool for removing the carrier bearings, and it works much better than the press!

some one put the idea in my head to add a drain plug to the diff while i had it out, so i rotated it into the "mounted on truck" position and shot a little brake cleaner into the housing to see where it puddled at. then i center punched, drilled, and tapped the hole for a 3/8 NPT plug, originally i wanted a 1/2 NPT so i could use another magnetic plug, but i didnt have a tap that size and the ring gear is awfully close to the hole location, so i guess itll just drain slower?

i also started making templates and gathering rod to make my diff cover bash guard.

the dotted lines are where i plan to run the 1/2" bar stock for my bash guard.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

lookin good, i give you credit for delving into the gearing area, i still have my doubt's about doin them myself.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

it would be a different story if i needed to have this done and in the truck by tomorrow, but since the one in my truck is still working fine and this one is on a table ready to be learned on i figure i might as well give it a try. i mean i built this whole truck basically on my own, so why not do the axle too? ive already got most of the tools and im making the ones i dont have so next time i do one of these itll be way faster and easier.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

i got the axle cleaned up (used a wire wheel on my 4-1/2" angle grinder but still need to get into some of the nooks and crannies with a drill pwered brush), and i made the bash guard. i was a little dissapointed in the positions i had to place the rods in, but it turned out ok and with minimal warping.

 

[chrwilkins30]

nice job man. Planning on making basically the same thing when i get a new diff cover. no real reason for it but they look damn cool.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

i added some more gusset work to the guard last night, then finished cleaning things up and slapped on some paint.

heres the wrench that i used to bend the rods on the guard after the torch ran out of gas

paint!

 

[-Nathan-]

now time to do the fun part

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

yeah......

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

just got side tracked from my axle project and bought some fender flares today

 

[Robert_1967]

You need to paint the guard White, and then put your Happy face back on the cover, so it looks like Hannibal Lector




Robert

 

[97_Danger_Ranger]

Ive been watching this build from the day i saw it. Just like to say you do some amazing work and you have yourself a real nice looking truck!! Keep it up