Oh, so incase anyone else does the explorer 8.8 swap into an extra cab that had a 7.5. The explorer drive shaft is the same length as the Ranger drive shaft for an 7.5, but the explorer has larger u-joints, 1310’s I think. It’s about a inch too long because the 7.5 has a shorter pinion than the 8.8.
I recommend either getting the rear drive shaft from the explorer and taking it to a driveline shop. Or the easiest route would be to source the rear drive shaft off of a ranger that has an 8.8. It is a direct swap and won’t require any modifications. You’ll now have the larger u-joints and a drive shaft that fits.
For the spring perches, I recommend buying new. The shock brackets are fairly easy to cut off and aren’t critical so they can be a little off.
As for the pinion angle, I put it back at what it was for the 7.5 axle, at 8 deg.
You’ll also need the explorer u-bolts and the plates for them. The Ranger’s u-bolts won’t fit the explorer 8.8 housing.