2008 Ranger

[Lefty]

Am I correct in thinking that a 2008 Ranger comes with 2" or 2 1/2" lift blocks on the rear axel? I am looking at a photo of one in a distant U-Pull junkyard, but no info is available. It appears to be a plain Jane reg cab with a 6 foot bed and no badges to indicate anything like 4wd, etc.

My goals include finding 2-2 1/2 lift blocks, plus rear disks and a rear axel with a limited slip diff. It would be nice if I could find all that in one trip, but the lift blocks alone would be worth the effort.

 

[Blmpkn]

If that's the only ranger they got, I probably wouldn't bother going.

No tow hooks suggests 2wd. 2wds don't have 2.5" blocks and considering it's so base looking I doubt it would of been equipped with rear discs or a limited slip.

 

[Lefty]

Definitely looks standard. Thanks. You've been around long enough to know what I'm up to: the same thing everyone else wants with a rear axel swap. I've got the standard, basic open differential, a one wheel wonder. I've been lucky so far. I have had mine for just a year now and got through a Minnesota winter without getting stuck.

There's plenty of Explorers here in the boneyards,. I could pull an axel from one, but this forum explains they require a welder which I don't have.

 

[Bgunner]

Yes a welder and a gauge to set the pinion angle is required because you need to cut the spring perches off the bottom of the axle and weld a set to the top of the axle since Explores springs are under the axle and rangers are on top of the axle.

 

[Lefty]

Yes a welder and a gauge to set the pinion angle is required because you need to cut the spring perches off the bottom of the axle and weld a set to the top of the axle since Explores springs are under the axle and rangers are on top of the axle.

Thanks and much obliged. These are the kinds of things which could easily make a monkey out of me.

 

[Blmpkn]

Definitely looks standard. Thanks. You've been around long enough to know what I'm up to: the same thing everyone else wants with a rear axel swap. I've got the standard, basic open differential, a one wheel wonder. I've been lucky so far. I have had mine for just a year now and got through a Minnesota winter without getting stuck.

There's plenty of Explorers here in the boneyards,. I could pull an axel from one, but this forum explains they require a welder which I don't have.

It's pretty well reccomended to replace the clutches in a junkyard lsd axle before Installation in its new home.

This requires pulling the carrier.

IMO... just buy an LSD carrier, rebuild kit for the carrier, bearings, whatever... and just have a shop install it. Used carriers can be had for a couple hundo on ebay.

When I had my Yukon lsd Installed in my '10 the labor was about 700$. A good chunk of change.. yes.. but absolutely worth it. Makes winter much easier to deal with.

 

[Lefty]

It's pretty well reccomended to replace the clutches in a junkyard lsd axle before Installation in its new home.

This requires pulling the carrier.

IMO... just buy an LSD carrier, rebuild kit for the carrier, bearings, whatever... and just have a shop install it. Used carriers can be had for a couple hundo on ebay.

When I had my Yukon lsd Installed in my '10 the labor was about 700$. A good chunk of change.. yes.. but absolutely worth it. Makes winter much easier to deal with.

More possibilities. Thanks once again.

 

[09fx4guy]

You can also go for the Torsen, I think they still make the style that will fit the ranger with either 28 splines or 31 splines. I have one in the back from the factory and it does so good, I installed one in the front. Rear discs will be a little hard to find on a Ranger 8.8, although there may be a conversion kit out there somewhere.

As far as the blocks I think 2.5" were only found on the early fx4 models or the edge, from about 2002-2005. They lowered them to 2" and then 1.5" by 2009. I was fortunate enough to find a nice set local to me.

You can also look into a set of Belltech 6400 shackles to get a little more lift in the rear. They are a Chevy lowering shackle you can find without too much trouble, and it might save you a trip to the boneyard.