Will this differential fit in my 2 WD Ranger

[Lefty]

Hello gentlemen.

I need some advice on my 03 Ranger Edge 3,0 2WD. It comes with a 4/10 rear differential and an 8.8 axel. I've been looking to convert it to limited slip. First of all, I've scoured the U pull yards and seen a lot of junk. I've also call the parts yards and been given some very high quotes for questionable merchandise.

Then I saw this. the seller calls it an 8.8 "lock track." Does he mean a locker? (I'm not really into a true locker.) If he means the limited slip Torsen locker, that's just fine. I am hoping to pull the limited slip out of this and put it into my differential which is otherwise in good condition. Wouldn't this be easiest?.

 

[franklin2]

Easiest would be to swap the complete rearend. If you swap the guts, you will have to reset the rearend gears and bone up on how to do that.

 

[Lefty]

Easiest would be to swap the complete rearend. If you swap the guts, you will have to reset the rearend gears and bone up on how to do that.

A friend of mine knows how to do just that. He owes me a favor too. He doesn't know everything but he has worked on his own Mustang, opened up the pumpkin and put a limited slip inside. Since he's already done that before, he's pretty confident he could do the same thing on a Ranger.

 

[RonD]

Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market

Use your Zipcode, saves a lot of phone calls

Axle Assy Rear(w. housing) is the part you want

1993 to 2009 Ranger 8.8" will work in your 2003 Ranger, 2WD or 4WD doesn't matter
And 4.10 with L/S(limited slip), Ford called it Trac-Lok
Will just bolt in
Your friend can rebuild the clutch packs if he owes you a favor
Then you will have a new rear axle, assuming he also does the axle bearings and seals which are not expensive parts

If you go with a 3rd party differential your Ranger has 28-spline axles, most are made for 31-spline so you would also need new axles, which will be hard to come by
So with any non-Ranger differential check the splines required

 

[Lefty]

A friend of mine knows how to do just that. He owes me a favor too.

 

[Lefty]

Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market

Use your Zipcode, saves a lot of phone calls

Axle Assy Rear(w. housing) is the part you want

1993 to 2009 Ranger 8.8" will work in your 2003 Ranger, 2WD or 4WD doesn't matter
And 4.10 with L/S(limited slip), Ford called it Trac-Lok
Will just bolt in
Your friend can rebuild the clutch packs if he owes you a favor
Then you will have a new rear axle, assuming he also does the axle bearings and seals which are not expensive parts

If you go with a 3rd party differential your Ranger has 28-spline axles, most are made for 31-spline so you would also need new axles, which will be hard to come by
So with any non-Ranger differential check the splines required

Brilliant1 Thank you!

 

[scotts90ranger]

That carrier is a Ford limited slip for sure, not sure on the E3 casting as that sounds old, plus it doesn't have a tone ring so your speedometer won't work I don't think... I didn't bother trying to count the splines in the spider gears or look at the diameter of the crosspin which would identify 28 vs 31 spline...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

That carrier is a Ford limited slip for sure, not sure on the E3 casting as that sounds old, plus it doesn't have a tone ring so your speedometer won't work I don't think... I didn't bother trying to count the splines in the spider gears or look at the diameter of the crosspin which would identify 28 vs 31 spline...

E3 casting would be 83. Wtf had the 8.8 in 83? That would also explain the lack of tone ring.

So its honestly probably early F150...cause the mustang and ranger both ran the 7.5 in the years that casting was likely to be ran in. If it is early F/E150 (pre 92, 92 ran electric speedos and would have a toner ring for speed sensor.

If it is a E/F 150 carrier its gonna be a 31 spline.

 

[Shran]

For some reason I was thinking that the tone ring was removable?

Either way a spline count will tell you if that is usable or not. It has to be 28 spline to work in your 8.8, if it's 31 spline, it won't work. It also looks to be missing the S spring that goes between the side gears.

Could have come out of an F150, Ford used 8.8s in those starting in the early 80's. I have what I believe is an '82 F150 that has an 8.8... but 9" axles were also used through '86. Bronco/Econoline may have had 8.8s fairly early in the 80's as well?

 

[Roert42]

Tone ring is a press fit, it is removable. If you buy a new carrier it wouldn’t come with the time ring.

 

[Lefty]

For some reason I was thinking that the tone ring was removable?

Either way a spline count will tell you if that is usable or not. It has to be 28 spline to work in your 8.8, if it's 31 spline, it won't work. It also looks to be missing the S spring that goes between the side gears.

Could have come out of an F150, Ford used 8.8s in those starting in the early 80's. I have what I believe is an '82 F150 that has an 8.8... but 9" axles were also used through '86. Bronco/Econoline may have had 8.8s fairly early in the 80's as well?

Thanks for the mention on the S spring. I will check that out

 

[Lefty]

For some reason I was thinking that the tone ring was removable?

Either way a spline count will tell you if that is usable or not. It has to be 28 spline to work in your 8.8, if it's 31 spline, it won't work. It also looks to be missing the S spring that goes between the side gears.

Could have come out of an F150, Ford used 8.8s in those starting in the early 80's. I have what I believe is an '82 F150 that has an 8.8... but 9" axles were also used through '86. Bronco/Econoline may have had 8.8s fairly early in the 80's as well?

Everything should fit, except for that missing S ring.

 

[19Walt93]

Look closely, he's calling it a lock track- indicating lack of knowledge.
The S spring is missing, and traction lok clutches wear out and need replacement, which requires another set up procedure. I would rebuild any used differential before installing it, it's too much work to replace it if it's no good. Often cheaper ain't cheaper.

 

[Lefty]

Look closely, he's calling it a lock track- indicating lack of knowledge.
The S spring is missing, and traction lok clutches wear out and need replacement, which requires another set up procedure. I would rebuild any used differential before installing it, it's too much work to replace it if it's no good. Often cheaper ain't cheaper.

Thank you. I am afraid you are right.

 

[Shran]

Walt has a good point. While I usually have no problem installing used axles, I always verify that they are not leaking or have obvious excessive wear... it gets really spendy if you are looking at rebuilding an axle. Last time I had gears installed in a D35 it was $350 for labor plus about a hundred bucks in bearings/shims/seals, in your case you'd add another $100+/- for a track-loc clutch kit, $40-50 for fluid, then it's a good time to R&R the axle bearings/seals/brakes... you get the idea.