1990 Ranger

[American1990]

I have a 1990 Ford ranger xlt 2wd truck, With my rear axle i only have one wheel turning at a time so what i want to do it swap it out for a 4x4 rear axle, to have pozy wheel traction. Is the swap pretty straight forward and would that be the easiest thing to do, t0 just swap the axles?

 

[Mac]

Maybe half of the 4x4's have the L/S rear end you want. A lot of the 4x2's have the L/S also. Check the door or axle tag or the JY to find out what your donor has. Tech library has the tags listed for the ratio. I'd upgrade to the 8.8 & 10 brakes while your at it. '93' & newer that has the 4.0L would have the 8.8 but have to check for the L/S. Later ones should bolt right in, newer the better.
Dave

 

[jcd302]

What I did on mine was got the locker setup from a Mustang GT. I kept the same gears (3.08) I liked the mileage and Ford never offered a Traction-Loc 3.08.

 

[feellnfroggy]

Your best bet is to find a 8.8 from a sploder with 31 spline axles and limited slip. You can get a disc brake swap and everything, i think you would be please with this setup. the mustangs diff should work too, but they only came (v6) 7.5 rearend (v8) 8.8. All the mustang axles prior to 99 are 3/4 of an inch shorter on either end than 99 and newer. If you swap over everysingle component fom the mustang axles then you wont have any issues. but if you swap housings and not shafts or vice versa it will be a big problem.

 

[scotts90ranger]

for what you want to do, go junk yard shopping for an axle, stick with ranger axles as it sounds like the best swap for you. For a direct swap, grab a '90 or newer axle.

The swap is fairly straight forward, the only special tools you will need are a 18mm socket or wrench for the U bolts and a 12 point 12mm wrench for the driveshaft

Print out the axle code list from the tech library and take it with you to the junk yards, first figure out what ratio you have right now and look for that ratio or one lower (bigger number) than what you have. on the axle codes, they are two digit, open differentials have two numbers, limited slip will have a letter then an number.

 

[American1990]

so the best thing, or easiest thing to do would just be to find 1990+ ranger preferably 4x4 and just take the axle off of it? Do the later models have bigger gears in them or do they still have the dana 28?

 

[scotts90ranger]

2 or 4 wheel drive doesn't matter, there's as many limited slip axles in each, pretty random that's why you need the axle code list to figure out what the different trucks have

the 2.3/2.9/3.0L trucks will have the 7.5" axle, 4.0 will have 8.8" (same shafts, bigger differential), '93 trucks will be 2" wider total than your '90 but will still fit.

 

[4.0B2]

get an 8.8!! lsd, whatever gear ratio you want.. you'll love it.. you can pick up whole axles from a pull a part lot for like $140 or so... get a disc brake one to if possible. might as well upgrade as much as you can when you change out.. with that being said- get an explorer 8.8 and do a spring perch flip and have the 31 spline axle, if you plan on any off roading..

 

[American1990]

i plan to be doing a decent bit of off roading, not anything crazy though, so look for 93+ ranger 4.0 best or a explore, the same year 93+? also stupid question but, I am guessing they stopped using drum brakes after 93? so all axles 93+ and up for ranger are disc brakes?

 

[feellnfroggy]

93 plus does not guarantee you a limited slip. I have a 93 4x4 4.0l and it has an open diff. I would add into that look for an xlt model.

 

[4.0B2]

you just need to print out the axle codes in the tech library, and take that to a junkyard