Live axle conversion.

[vbrad511]

Hey all, I've got a 2011 4wd Ranger. I've been considering the conversion to manual hubs since I got the truck, as I don't offroad, and the only time I need 4wd is when it snows here, which isn't much any more. To add to it I'd like to see if it ups my MPG at all. Recently I've found that I've got a front hub bearing getting sloppy, so now's as good a time as any.
I've read the conversion thread here on the site, but I have a few questions. First off, will the abs connectors on the older model hubs plug into my '11? If I have to cut/splice, will it affect anything with the system? Second, the conversion thread talks about using new bolts? Is that necessary? Are they a different thread/pitch, or are they TTY? If they're the same, would a bit of Loctite on the old bolts serve me just as well? Third, it talks of installing a seal on the backside of the knuckle. Is there not one already in place? If so, will it not work with the new axles? If not, will there be a recess in the knuckle on my '11 for the seal?
I've had my '97 apart a handful of times, but it's a different beast than this one, so I'm hoping somebody here can give me a bit of guidance. Thanks..

 

[sgtsandman]

I don't think the realized fuel savings would justify the cost of doing the conversion. Plus the factory system is more robust than the manual hubs available for the Ranger.

 

[19Walt93]

I agree that it wouldn't be cost effective and it might open a can of worms with the ABS.

 

[adsm08]

The real world fuel saving numbers are on the order of tenths of a mile to a gallon.

You will have to drive a million miles or more to make up the money.

 

[vbrad511]

Why is there a potential issue with the ABS? Forgive me, but I'm new to this truck, and don't (yet) understand all of it's systems.

I understand the foreseen cost-effectiveness on the MPG aspect, but what about wear and tear on the front diff, cv's, driveshaft, transfer case? My '97's got 298k on it, and it's all just fine without the front driveline turning full time. I'd think this should be too, yes? If this is a big "no-no" I don't understand the reasoning behind the thread on how it's done. I'm hoping somebody who's done this chimes in and guides me, in case I decide to go through with it this way.

https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/convert-ford-ranger-live-axles-to-manual-hubs/

 

[adsm08]

Wear on the front drive components is minimal. They are turning but they aren't loaded, they are just along for the ride.

 

[scotts90ranger]

heck, on my V8 explorer I went from the all wheel drive transfer case to a part time (still full time hubs like your Ranger) and my wife's V8 Explorer (hers is a '98, mine's a '00) gets the same fuel mileage... I'm with adsm, it's gotta be in tenths, most likely why not much has hubs anymore...

 

[vbrad511]

I understand you guys don't think it's something worth doing. I haven't set my head on it, but I'm still thinking about it anyway. Can anybody answer my questions above?

 

[vbrad511]

Just to update. I finished this conversion about a month ago, but my work's been crazy, and I haven't driven it too much (drive the '97 to work). I've run one tank through it, and about half of another. Typically, since I bought the truck I've been getting between 220 and 240 miles per tank. I use one particular local station, try to hit the same pump in every vehicle, and let it run until it clicks off, and refill when the needle hits the bottom mark on the gauge. The one tank I've completed since the conversion ran me 270 miles, and this one's on track to match or beat it. I noticed the difference in the ride immediately. Right away it felt like there was less drag on the truck as I drove...feels more like my '97 in 2wd does. I only actually ever want/need 4wd is in the snow, and that's only a handful of times a year here. The writeup here on TRS told me nearly everything I needed to know, with the exception of the ABS wiring, and the seal question above. I did reuse the bolts, as I've seen other guys doing the same. Just torqued down, with clean threads, and a bit of loctite on each. As for those big $25 seals, I mangled the first one, trying to drive it in from the backside. Either I was doing something wrong, or it just wasn't meant to install from the back. Ended up cleaning the "bore" in the knuckle with a wire wheel, cutting an appropriate sized block of 2x4 (into a round shape), and using it to drive the seal through the front. No damage, and they're where they needed to be. The RR hubs lock in place nice and tight, engage and disengage as they should, and are hidden and fit nicely behind the stock center caps. When bad weather looks like it's getting here I'll pop the caps off, lock the hubs, and pop them back on. The ABS sensors from the '11 unbolted from the original hubs and bolted almost perfectly into the new '00 hubs. The only issue was the sensors were touch longer...just a slight touch. They wanted to rub the teeth on the rings just a bit. They had steel shims on them already, so I traced those shims out and cut gasket material to use as my own additional spacing to make up the difference. Worked like a charm, not a peep from the ABS.
All in all I had roughly $650 in the project, however the '11 had a wheel bearing on the way out on the driver's side that would've cost me $200+, and I'd think the passenger side would've probably not been far behind. I wasn't fond of letting go of the cash, but I'm happy with how it all turned out, and would most certainly do it again.

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

I agree with all these guys.... the manual hubs are a joke. I had them on my 98 ranger when my vacuum hubs stopped working. They “work” ok, but the system you currently have is much better. That’s why ford only had those hubs on a select few years.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Don't get me wrong above, I like having hubs, I wish my explorer had hubs so I could use 2wd low range, sometimes the shift points in low range fit what you are doing better, like when hunting, I'll cruise around in low second instead of first high to get better throttle response but the driveline binding is annoying at times and the turning radius goes down since it's so easy to whip that explorer around on grass with the locked limited slip in the back...