New to This place. Got a Rear end question!

[joke91master@yahoo.com]

I have a 1997 ranger XLT 2.3 2wd. It has the 7.5 OPEN rear end, and i was wondering how hard/what would i need, To put a posi in it. Do i need to replace the whole unit? or can i just swap gears from an explorer?

Thanks guys!

 

[disciplerocks]

Explorers have an 8.8 so you can't just swap the gears. I would get the whole axle from the junkyard with a L/S and correct gears. Cut and weld the spring perches on the opposite side of the axle, weld some shock mounts on, and throw her in.

 

[TheTopher]

First off Ford has trac loc, not posi. Second, explorers have an 8.8 31 spline rear axle versus your 7.5 28 spline axle. The gears are not interchangeable, although with some modification an explorer axle can be made to fit a ranger.


If you do not want to have to adjust the backlash on the gears, you can just find a ranger that has trac loc in a 7.5 and just swap the axles, or you can throw in a spider gear replacement locker like a lockrite.

Check out our tech library articles, there's lots of info in them about axles, here's a few links.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Axles.html
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Explorer8_8.html
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/LockerComparo.html


By the way, welcome to TRS.