4x4 in reverse

[James Morse]

OK. Thanks. Absent any availability retail somebody might have some they got and never put in, like ebay.

 

[James Morse]

Say, about the 4x4
If I pull off the driveway onto the yard to get the other truck in, it slopes downhill. Probably with 2wd I would not be able to back up.
Can I put the truck in 4x4 and then will the hubs engage if I go only in reverse? Or would I have to be going forward for them to engage?
I mean, I could do the latter - put it in 4x4 before I pull down onto the grass... just wondering.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

This thread reminded me I've been kind of half-assing looking for spare hubs, so I just called Randy's, who I learned during my last phone adventure bought Warn's hub dept. I gave them Warn 37780, and the guy said that in their computer it crosses directly to 29071, with no mention of the former being a stronger version.

Both are discontinued, and have been superseded by the internal part number "RPS LH465XP", which is formally specced for the D30, which has the same axle shaft diameter and spline count. Obviously I can't confirm fitment firsthand, and I don't know which version of the old Warn parts this new one would match in strength. The price quote is $349.89 /pair. So, I'd hope they're the stronger version, since that price makes them the most expensive way to buy D35 manual hubs. Compare to:

SKP SK404465, $94.79 /ea, list on rockauto ($180.10 /pair w/ 5% off)
Mile Marker "Supreme", $135 /pair on BroncoGraveyard (which would charge $245 /pair for Warn "Standard" hubs if they had them in)

Be rad if someone could confirm the RPS part is strength-equivalent to the 37780.

 

[fastpakr]

At those prices, I'd put in the Mile Marker's and never give it another thought.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

Hear hear. The real question is, do you want stronger hubs anyway on an axle whose shafts--as well as certain gears--are total unobtanium. Rather blow the fuse on something I can actually replace.

 

[ericbphoto]

I run the lower grade. I keep at least one spare in my toolbox on the truck. I break them, occasionally. I replace them on the trail. Takes longer to chock the wheels and jack up the truck than the actual part replacement.

That’s my weak link. The sacrificial shear pin in my front drive train. No big deal.

edit; I should probably mention that is with 4.56 gears, Aussie locker and 35” tires.

 

[James Morse]

Sounds like Mile Marker.
I'd hate to ask what's in eric's spares box if you carry spare hubs
must be serious off roader
not happy to hear some parts aren't available this isn't good

 

[2011Supercab]

not happy to hear some parts aren't available this isn't good

You're talking about a 4x4 system that hasn't been used in 25 years, you will find there are a lot of parts on that truck that aren't available new.

 

[James Morse]

Well that's ok if there is ample junkyard stock I guess. is there?
because if you are saying that some parts that can break render the truck unfixable that would be really bad
it's a downside of the 97 I didn't really put much weight on
I wasn't even looking for 97 but general consensus seems to be that the front suspension is a little better for off road, and, the miles/condition/price worked out.
seems like they just assumed you could be off road because they put those skid plates and that's something that later they talk about and it's certain models but in 97 they just assumed you'd want them
the XLT is a good inch+ higher than the B3000. Has the Dana 35 and 8.8 rear end - all this just sounded like a more serious truck to me
front end easier to work on things like that
realizing the later 4.0L had more HP but mine has a lot of pep and it seems like it has low end torque so I'm ok with that vs the later 4.0
anyway the truck has to last forever so I better be able to fix it

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Seems to me that to some degree things for these have gone in and out of production. Few years back I couldn’t find new front axle shafts and now I can get chro-moly. Just not a huge fan of the price at the moment but I might still get a set or two.

Some parts are getting sparse, but for the most part the important stuff is still available. I’ve accumulated a few odds and ends spares over the years, both new and used, and I’m still collecting more, best way to ensure you can keep it going if stuff becomes unobtainium. Local junkyard has a first gen Explorer and I’m half tempted to go strip it

 

[James Morse]

Well then that's a plus because I know a lot of Explorer parts fit 98-00 but didn't know it worked for earlier
I do see the dash is identical from my 97 to 99 I mean 99 has 4x4 knob and diff stereo but otherwise they are copies

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well then that's a plus because I know a lot of Explorer parts fit 98-00 but didn't know it worked for earlier
I do see the dash is identical from my 97 to 99 I mean 99 has 4x4 knob and diff stereo but otherwise they are copies

So, first gen Explorer, the squared front end similar to the 89-92 Ranger, have the same D-35 front that your 97 has. And the same 8.8 that the 97 has, just with the spring perches on the other side of the axle tube. Second gen Explorer got the same type of front axle as the 98+ Ranger, so not useful to you even though the appearance of the front end is the same as the 97 Ranger. The rear axle in those Explorers is a disk brake 8.8, so with some fab work, is useful to you. Same for the leaf springs which are heavier than most Ranger springs. Not sure if headlights/grill/hood interchange for you, but I know first gen I can use the entire front clip minus the fenders for my choptop and 92. Fenders and doors don’t match the Ranger platform though.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

not happy to hear some parts aren't available this isn't good

I don't love it either, but you get used to it. The overlap between "people who go around breaking axles" and "people who aren't willing to junkyard dive, D44 upgrade, or eventually SAS" is pretty small. Broncograveyard always has the outers, and when I priced those Mile Markers earlier, they had aftermarket passenger shafts as well. It'll cost you $300 for the whole set, and they're not always in stock, but they do sell them. Nitro reliably lists 4.56+ gears, and Yukons are still in stock depending on where you look.

It's 3.73/4.10 gears and the driver's inner shaft that I believe are totally gone at this point. There are also some parts inside the diff that are kind of a pain in the ass, but nothing anyone who's already doing their own gears can't figure out.

 

[racsan]

I ran mile markers on my ‘93 4.0 with no issues except for one and that was my own fault, I was backing into a parking spot at work, there was a snowpile from a plow truck and I didnt want the front end sticking out any more than could be helped. I put it in low range, hubs were locked and tried to back up as much as possible, pushing the snow bank with the back bumper and probably the tailgate some. The back tires were on snow and the fronts were on cleared pavement. All the load was on the front axle/tires and the weak link turned out to be the left front hub. Better that than a axle shaft or even a U-joint. The sliding lock ring split into 3 pieces, rest of the hub was ok but I have seen pictures before where the hub body broke clean off. I bought another set of mile markers and kept the good original for a spare, never had a problem the rest of the time I owned the truck.

 

[00t444e]

Get rid of the junk auto hubs for sure, replace with Warn or Mile Marker, I like the MM hubs better, they cost less and are just as good.