Did I ruin it? *Now with pix*

[Shran]

While that is a lot of backlash... I have several axles that have at least that much or more and are not making any noise and have kept on truckin' for quite a while.

Your spider gears look a little worn to me. I would also check the cross pin itself - I've seen them get loose and egg out the holes in the carrier which causes a clunk and other noise.

You could pull the C clips, slide the axle shafts out, and spin the pinion with a drill/socket adapter/socket to see if you can isolate the noise to that area too.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Those spiders are fine, these didn't work so well... I just slapped some new spiders in there, some new to me junkyard clutches, hosed out all the metal I could find (but never pulled the axles out all the way or carrier) then reassembled, threw a couple magnets on the diff cover and added two quarts of oil (Explorer 8.8's hold around 3.5 last I remember, just never got to filling it...) then drove it 40k miles...

Jumping into an explorer axle is a lot of work, it "can" be done easy getting an F150 easy flip kit I think it's called that's spring pads that just register to the original pad, and apparently you can use two passenger side spring plates or something to mount shocks...

Easiest is going to be finding a Ranger axle with the right gear ratio. You could probably change the axle bearings that must be bad, but that's not the easiest thing either since the carrier bearings are pressed on the carrier and the inner pinion bearing is pressed on the pinion and they don't like to come off without a fight... To make things easier I'd just focus on gear ratio for now, if you get a wild hair you could swap carriers later...

 

[MojoWorkin]

I can get an expo from the pick n pull. I might run it with the shock mounts low. F150's have the 8.8? Axle length would be different, though right?

How to drop the front? Just pull out spring spacer? I could do that. I'll think about it.

I can't find a Ranger diff near me! I've tried. I'm willing to travel.

Thanks again! Y'all are making even the shitty stuff fun!

 

[sgtsandman]

If the front was just a spacer lift, then yes you can just pull the spacer to drop the front. F-150 axles will be wider because the truck is wider.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If the front was just a spacer lift, then yes you can just pull the spacer to drop the front. F-150 axles will be wider because the truck is wider.

And wheel bolt pattern is different.

Going from spring over to spring under (Explorer) will drop it by a lot. Especially a 4wd losing the lift block to-boot.

 

[MojoWorkin]

Right... If I was to swap, I'd move perches, etc.

Also, I finally got one from a Ranger, so I'm all set.

Thanks, folks!!!!