Rear end swap

[ThatOneGuy]

Planing on swapping rear end in my 95 mazda 2300 need to go fron 3.45 gears to 3.73. I plan to just use a rear end from a 89 b2 that I have laying around. Before it's previous truck was retired. It has new brakes seals and bearings. I know I'll lose the speed sensor. But the odometer don't work anyway. Anyone see an issue using an older axle.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Planing on swapping rear end in my 95 mazda 2300 need to go fron 3.45 gears to 3.73. I plan to just use a rear end from a 89 b2 that I have laying around. Before it's previous truck was retired. It has new brakes seals and bearings. I know I'll lose the speed sensor. But the odometer don't work anyway. Anyone see an issue using an older axle.

BII axle is narrower by a bit. Spring perches will need to be moved.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

It was in a 1st gen ranger noprrob I thought they were all the same?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It was in a 1st gen ranger noprrob I thought they were all the same?

Axles got wider in 93.

It will mount up though.

 

[sgtsandman]

They used the same axle but the specifics are slightly different from the Ranger/Mazda vs the BII.

Now, if you are looking at an axle from a similar generation Ranger or Mazda B-Series, it should be a straight bolt on swap.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Hmm darn ill Need to think about this more. Thanks yall

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I put an axle from an 87 ranger into an 85 b2. It is different. Spring perches ate slightly off. Everything else was good iirc. I made plates that sandwiched between the springs and axle perches and drilled holes to mount the u-bolts. Also a hole for the spring bolt.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Well turns out the axle I want is in one of our impound yards. And goes to auction next week lol time to talk to the boss

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Well turns out the axle I want is in one of our impound yards. And goes to auction next week lol time to talk to the boss

Personally id find a more compatiable axle

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Yep we have a 98 ranger 3.73 open 7.5 in our yard. Maybe the boss will let me trade

 

[Josh B]

What actually does the 7.5 vs 8.8 achieve, other than maybe ride height?

 

[ThatOneGuy]

8.8 is stronger so perfect for extreme off road giant tires v6 and v8. 7.5 is more than enough for4 banger. 8.8 is also more common to find ls

 

[rusty ol ranger]

8.8 is stronger so perfect for extreme off road giant tires v6 and v8. 7.5 is more than enough for4 banger. 8.8 is also more common to find ls

Actually if youre using an 8.8 from a ranger all you get is the bigger ring gear. Both run 28spline shafts.

Explorer 8.8s get 31 spline.

The 7.5 is nothing to scoff at

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

What actually does the 7.5 vs 8.8 achieve, other than maybe ride height?

Strength, but not significantly unless you go to the Explorer 31 spline. Other than that, it’s disk brakes. Or in the case of the 9” drum 7.5 guys, you can get 10” drums on an 8.8, which is a significantly bigger drum for better braking. My first Ranger was a 3.0 2wd with a heavy suspension package which netted a 7.5 with 10” drums and ”heavy duty” suspension which I promptly flattened the leaf springs in the first year or so using it like a truck. I built my own spring packs at that point and found someone with an 8.8 LS with the same 3.73 gears my 7.5” open had so it was a natural upgrade. Wish I wouldn’t have got into an argument with stuff beside the road with it. (In my defense, black ice was also involved in addition to being young and particularly dumb).

 

[sgtsandman]

Strength, but not significantly unless you go to the Explorer 31 spline. Other than that, it’s disk brakes. Or in the case of the 9” drum 7.5 guys, you can get 10” drums on an 8.8, which is a significantly bigger drum for better braking. My first Ranger was a 3.0 2wd with a heavy suspension package which netted a 7.5 with 10” drums and ”heavy duty” suspension which I promptly flattened the leaf springs in the first year or so using it like a truck. I built my own spring packs at that point and found someone with an 8.8 LS with the same 3.73 gears my 7.5” open had so it was a natural upgrade. Wish I wouldn’t have got into an argument with stuff beside the road with it. (In my defense, black ice was also involved in addition to being young and particularly dumb).

I found the 9" drums on the 1998 would activate the RABS just fine, even with the highboy fiberglass cap on the bed. I never saw a need to upgrade the brakes.