Switch from Torsen to Locker

[PetroleumJunkie412]

What do you want for the torsen?? I'll happily trade you my powertrax locker for it.

 

[Dirtman]

Very few rangers got 31 spline 8.8s and those that did USUALLY had a torsion or some form of L/S unit. The panther cars (crown vic family) used 31 spline open carriers as pretty much the base unit. Same with V8 mustang's. So yes, it's just more likely you'll find one in those cars than if you just look at rangers.

What's a Panther car?

The big ford sedans, aka the crown vic and its lincoln/mercury cousins were called "the panther platform".

 

[fastpakr]

Thanks - that terminology was new to me.

 

[sheep herder]

F-150's also used the 8.8 with 31 spline axles.

 

[Dirtman]

Basically any ford with a factory V8 has a chance of having a 8.8 31 spline lol.

 

[Shran]

Just a thought - a Ranger axle with a factory Torsen would be worth keeping together and selling!!! It would almost be a crime to pull that and replace it with an Aussie... if you must go that route, I'd skip the Aussie and get a Detroit or a selectable locker instead since you're going to set up gears either way.

I bet you could buy a junkyard axle with an open carrier, swap it into your truck, install an Aussie, sell your axle, and come out roughly even................

 

[Dirtman]

Just a thought - a Ranger axle with a factory Torsen would be worth keeping together and selling!!! It would almost be a crime to pull that and replace it with an Aussie... if you must go that route, I'd skip the Aussie and get a Detroit or a selectable locker instead since you're going to set up gears either way.

I bet you could buy a junkyard axle with an open carrier, swap it into your truck, install an Aussie, sell your axle, and come out roughly even................

Yea but the axle itself isn't really worth the money, it's the guts... I may be wrong here but aren't the 28 spline and 31 spline HOUSING the same? Aka you can put 31 spline guts/axles in a 28 spline housing?

 

[Shran]

Yea but the axle itself isn't really worth the money, it's the guts... I may be wrong here but aren't the 28 spline and 31 spline HOUSING the same? Aka you can put 31 spline guts/axles in a 28 spline housing?

That I'm not sure on. Hopefully someone that knows for sure will chime in, I was under the impression that the housing is different though.

In any case...... IF it's a 31 spline axle AND has a Torsen installed in it... It is right up there in the top 3 most valuable RBV axles ever made (D35 TTB front with 4.10s and Explorer 8.8 w/ 4.10s and trac-lock being the other two.) It's a HUGE bolt in upgrade for just about anyone.

Little more info about these

https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/how-to-spot-a-ford-ranger-fx4-31-spline-8-8-inch-axle/

 

[sheep herder]

Yea but the axle itself isn't really worth the money, it's the guts... I may be wrong here but aren't the 28 spline and 31 spline HOUSING the same? Aka you can put 31 spline guts/axles in a 28 spline housing?

Pretty sure the axle tubes are larger diameter on the 31 spline units.

 

[sgtsandman]

Yea but the axle itself isn't really worth the money, it's the guts... I may be wrong here but aren't the 28 spline and 31 spline HOUSING the same? Aka you can put 31 spline guts/axles in a 28 spline housing?

The housing probably is the same but the axle tubes are bigger on the 31 spline axles.

I agree with the comments above. To the OP, if you are going to swap the carrier anyway, you might as well get a proper locker instead of a lunch box locker. The remainder of the work is pretty much going to be the same except the setup for whatever is actuating the locker. ie, electric, air, or cable.

 

[JMF661]

Throw a Detroit in that son of a gun!

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

You people are messing up my plan.....

 

[gw33gp]

I certainly would not trade my Torsen for anything. I like it so much I installed one on the front too. That combination has gotten me through some pretty rough stuff with ease. I wanted to install a selectable locker on the front but there was nothing available for the Ranger. When I found out Torsen made one for the front, I didn't hesitate to make the move.

 

[09fx4guy]

I went the same route as gw33gp, and put a Torsen in the front, and have NEVER regretted it. I would go that route before I start messing with the rear axle that already has a decent differential (yes I know it is not a locker, but at least it is not an open rear).

If you want to put a locker in your axle, just go to the junkyard and buy the entire axle instead of trying to remove the carrier at the yard. The above posters are right, you can remove your axle and sell it whole for quite a bit of money to someone looking for a bolt in upgrade.

Also, I would check to make sure that your Torsen was replaced under the recall for the 2002 axle problems. I know that there were problems with certain axles, and they were replaced under recall.

 

[gw33gp]

The recall was only for early 2002 FX4 Rangers with manual transmission. I had to take mine back to the dealer for the recall. They replace the entire rear axle including the brakes with the drums. Automatics were not included in the recall.