Solid Front Axels "Confirmed"?

[whwaufmaio]

There has been some confusion and reports that Ford might do this. I wonder if it will be an option?

http://www.autofocus.ca/news-events/news/ford-bronco-and-ranger-to-use-solid-front-axles

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Dana makes IFS axles too, like both designs that were in the previous Rangers. And of course they make rear axles too.

I have only heard the new NA Ranger is going to be a facelifted T6.

 

['91 ranger xlt]

that would be great but improbable... if we could get lockers, manual hubs, and a manual transmission too... are you listening ford?

 

[whwaufmaio]

 

[adsm08]

The E-locker available on the F-150 will probably be an option, but it isn't that great. The system is programmed to disengage the locker above 5 MPH.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The E-locker available on the F-150 will probably be an option, but it isn't that great. The system is programmed to disengage the locker above 5 MPH.

Depends on how you use it too. You can do a lot under 5mph.

My brother has it in his F-150 and loves it.

 

[adsm08]

Depends on how you use it too. You can do a lot under 5mph.

My brother has it in his F-150 and loves it.

Sure you can. And the first time you get the rear wheels in slop and they spin up to 25 just from tapping the gas it sucks. It is good for a lot of things, but they need to at least raise the ceiling on that speed limiter.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Sure you can. And the first time you get the rear wheels in slop and they spin up to 25 just from tapping the gas it sucks. It is good for a lot of things, but they need to at least raise the ceiling on that speed limiter.

He marched across and down a hill in a sloppy cornfield to get a deer and then back up the hill and out last fall without issue. For as cruddy as the stock Scorpion tires look that says something.

He was pretty sure his '97 with a tight limited slip and Goodyear AT's would have struggled.

 

[griz700rocket]

Simple switch on the dash will fix that. Guys have been doing it on the F-150s for years.

 

[wildbill23c]

I hope they do solid front and rear axles on both trucks. Otherwise they become yet another soccer mom mall crawler vehicle .

 

[Will]

Well, they aren't going to put straight axles in anything, of course. Even Jeep has been riding their reputation and bait-and-switching for years. Almost nobody needs a fully-capable offroad vehicle. A Land Rover is no longer a Land Rover. These are all vehicles that got too expensive and only wealthy people could buy them. Then the wealthy people had tham and complained that they sucked on the road. So the people that build them still want to sell them for a lot of money, so they made them ride good on the road. And they all suck for off the road.

No way Ford will build anything cool. It won't make money. You are going to get a new Ranger, but it will be same-o, lame-o. If the build a straight-axle Bronco, it will be just a few copies for $50k each. They aren't really going to try to compete with the Wrangler.

 

[wildbill23c]

^^^Exactly what's going to happen. They'll make them for the US market again, but they'll just be the global version. People want a truck to look cool in and show off, but they want it to ride like their family car so gone are the days of real axles, manual transmissions, manual transfer cases, manual hubs, etc.

People are lazy and think everything should ride like a sedan...what they don't understand is you can have a 1 ton truck ride like a car, but that's what it'll be used as, it will suck for hauling or towing anything because the suspension & axles aren't there for that task. See it all the time with people pulling trailers...ass end of their truck is dragging the ground because 99% of that truck's use is for a family car, they got the car suspension in them but they seem to think it'll still be fine to pull their house LOL.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

People are lazy and think everything should ride like a sedan...what they don't understand is you can have a 1 ton truck ride like a car, but that's what it'll be used as, it will suck for hauling or towing anything because the suspension & axles aren't there for that task. See it all the time with people pulling trailers...ass end of their truck is dragging the ground because 99% of that truck's use is for a family car, they got the car suspension in them but they seem to think it'll still be fine to pull their house LOL.

Trucks have never been more capable.

The 9.75 rear axle in most half tons is materially stronger than the D60 of yesteryear. Only weakness is being a semi-float. Can't take quite as much weight but will take more power to break it. 8.8 in the lighter half tons is stronger than the best stock 9" which was the best you could hope for in a older half ton. Not sure the 8.8 is even offered anymore though, maybe just for the base V6.

Springs have came a really long ways too. And brakes. And tires. And frames. And transmissions.

Anything an older truck could do a new one with the same name will do better... as long as someone who knows what they are doing is driving.

However many peoples expectations have grown faster than the trucks capabilities... and toys don't get any smaller either.

 

[don4331]

85_Ranger4x4:

You were doing fine until you said the 8.8 is stronger than the 9". Cheaper, more efficient - yes. Stronger - not a chance.

Actual axles are 31 spline in both cases*, but the 2.25" hypoid distance of the 9" versus the 1.5" of the 8.8" both makes it stronger and less efficient.

*9" axles use the stronger 45° pressure angle, I can remember if 8.8 does or not. And 9" under my F-100 had the N case/Daytona pinion/Detroit locker, all as stock items.

I'm not 100% sure on frames - I go back to 60's - but I will give you benefit of doubt, I won't live long enough to see if the current generation survives 50 years of farm use.

Last, I'm glad you didn't include transfer cases as I'm quite certain the current ones won't last the same length of time that the all gear one in Lulabelle has. The one under the '68 hasn't been opened for service yet. Chain drives are probably less expensive, but I not sure about better.

p.s. There are full float 9.75s out there/I have yet to see a full float D60 under a factory 1/2 ton/Ranger.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

85_Ranger4x4:

You were doing fine until you said the 8.8 is stronger than the 9". Cheaper, more efficient - yes. Stronger - not a chance.

Actual axles are 31 spline in both cases*, but the 2.25" hypoid distance of the 9" versus the 1.5" of the 8.8" both makes it stronger and less efficient.

*9" axles use the stronger 45° pressure angle, I can remember if 8.8 does or not. And 9" under my F-100 had the N case/Daytona pinion/Detroit locker, all as stock items.

Sorry, this has been discussed at length on here before, the 31 spline 8.8 is a tad stronger out of the box than the best stock 31 spline 9". 9" has better aftermarket of course. Your hypoid distance also gives it much lower ground clearance... and the 9" adds 35 pounds of unsprung weight over a comparable 8.8"

85_Ranger4x4:I'm not 100% sure on frames - I go back to 60's - but I will give you benefit of doubt, I won't live long enough to see if the current generation survives 50 years of farm use.

Boxed frame is stronger than a bent C channel. Dunno what to tell you about that. Even my '85 has a boxed frame where it really matters... where the engine and front suspension meet it. It wasn't until recently that the technology was developed to make a fully boxed curvy truck frame. IIRC either the Bronco or Scout had a boxed frame back in the day... they had much simpler frames though.

Last, I'm glad you didn't include transfer cases as I'm quite certain the current ones won't last the same length of time that the all gear one in Lulabelle has. The one under the '68 hasn't been opened for service yet. Chain drives are probably less expensive, but I not sure about better.

Dad never had to touch the NP-208 in his '80 F-350. He got it in the early 90's as a neglected farm truck and used it for a service truck for the next 20 years. Went thru two engines and redid the body once, needed it all again when he finally let it go when it was over 30 years old and closing in on 300k miles. Not bad for a farm turned commercial truck IMO.

It was one of the reasons I have an NP-208 stashed for if I ever sneak up on a 4wd 5 speed for my Ranger... which BTW has been throwing twice the hp at the stock BW1350 Ford intended for 6 years without issue.

p.s. There are full float 9.75s out there/I have yet to see a full float D60 under a factory 1/2 ton/Ranger.

In what? The F-250LD/F-150 7700 and vans skiped from the 9.75 Sterling to the semi float 10.25. Full float is 3/4+ turf but is a popular swap into smaller trucks.

It was more in referance to the "they dont make real trucks anymore" thing, that they are putting stuff in half tons today that rivel 3/4+ tons of yesterday.