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Will this differential fit in my 2 WD Ranger


rusty ol ranger

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If it were me id just go to the junkyard, find the rear you want, bolt it in and haul ass
 


Lefty

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If it were me id just go to the junkyard, find the rear you want, bolt it in and haul ass
That was my first thought. I've been going out to the upull yards since early spring looking for a decent axel/differential only to find rust encrusted with leaky differentials.

I've also checked with the scrap dudes who want between $300 and $1,200 for an complete used axel.

Our hope was to remove the trac-lock assembly and install it into my differential. I will want to rebuild mine as long as it's open, of course. I might be able to buy s springs along with bearings and seals... still haven't ruled that possibility out.
 

scotts90ranger

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The tone ring goes on a machined area on the carrier, that doesn't look like it has the notch for the key (I thought there was a step...)

I didn't notice that it doesn't have the S spring, those are definitely necessary.
 

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$1200 is an absolute rip off for a Ranger axle. Even $300 is steep. The two pick-n-pull yards here charge between $125 and $200 for axles - depends if they have drums or disc brakes. I just paid $200 OTD last week for an Explorer 8.8 with discs, 4.10 gears and a track-lok.

For $1200 I would expect it to be sandblasted, painted and completely rebuilt with fresh brakes and at least a year of warranty!
 

rusty ol ranger

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$1200 is an absolute rip off for a Ranger axle. Even $300 is steep. The two pick-n-pull yards here charge between $125 and $200 for axles - depends if they have drums or disc brakes. I just paid $200 OTD last week for an Explorer 8.8 with discs, 4.10 gears and a track-lok.

For $1200 I would expect it to be sandblasted, painted and completely rebuilt with fresh brakes and at least a year of warranty!
I kinda thought that too. For 500 bucks i can get a pretty low mileage 10.25 sterling.
 

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The tone wheel/ring is just friction fit, no key or calibration mark, it doesn't "drive" anything it just spins passed the rear axle ABS sensor, no contact, which causes the sensor to generate its own AC Volts(0.5 to 8vAC), the AC sine wave is what is used not the voltage, which can be used as pulses per mile, but ABS just monitors sudden drop in pulses, i.e. wheel/axle lockup
 

Lefty

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I found most prices are closer to $300.00 but I haven't seen a decent limited slip for that price. I found a few that were hundreds of miles away, I would have needed to pay for shipping too. I live up north here in Saint Paul. Maybe it's because everybody wants them.
 

scotts90ranger

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Ron, I googled it and the carriers I saw had a notch and tone rings had a key, I know there's no need for it, I thought it was a step which would make more sense... for the record it's a very loose press fit, I heated mine to put it on the Yukon Grizzly I put in my '90 and I heated it way more than necessary... I'm used to what you have to do to flywheel ring gears...

I think the you pull yards here are getting close to $300 for axles, last one I bought was like 5 years ago and I got it at half off weekend (I think it was $125) to do a disc brake swap on the '90, I don't remember what I sold stuff for but I ended up being ahead $20 to swap to disc brakes...

I kinda cheated on the '90 when I put the Grizzly in, I just bought one on Amazon and put it in with new carrier bearings I think, there was no carrier bearing preload but the backlash was decent and the pattern was good... but I've driven it 5000 miles in the last ~6 years...
 

Lefty

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Anyone know how long a Trac-Lock will last before it will need to be rebuilt
 

rusty ol ranger

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Anyone know how long a Trac-Lock will last before it will need to be rebuilt
Depends how hard it was beat on, how often the fluid got changed, and if the guy changing the fluid used friction additive.

So really....theres no solid answer
 

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I personally do not see the fascination with the limited slip rear in a pickup. When I had one in the snow, and it started spinning, I was going to be in one ditch or the other, it would not stay in the road. With a regular rearend, 1 tire would spin, the other one wouldn't, but I was still in the road and not in the ditch.
 

Lefty

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Having thought about this some more, I have come to the very same conclusion. Maybe a locker would be better. Maybe 2WD is not the greatest but so far it's been fine.
 

rusty ol ranger

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177 CID
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2WD
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A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
I personally do not see the fascination with the limited slip rear in a pickup. When I had one in the snow, and it started spinning, I was going to be in one ditch or the other, it would not stay in the road. With a regular rearend, 1 tire would spin, the other one wouldn't, but I was still in the road and not in the ditch.
But if you go in said ditch a limited slip *might* save you a towbill
 

rusty ol ranger

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Michigan
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1987
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177 CID
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
Having thought about this some more, I have come to the very same conclusion. Maybe a locker would be better. Maybe 2WD is not the greatest but so far it's been fine.
Ive had tons of 2wds. Just keep good tires on them and they'll do about anything you need if you arnt afraid to horse them a bit.
 

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