7.5 or 8.8 whats better?

[Beastly88]

i have a 7.5 under my truck but its a posi and i have a 94 ranger outback my house with an 8.8 and 3.73 which is better im not sure of the gears in the 7.5 but its deff. locked or a posi ?

 

[merace19]

Like asking which is better a horse or cow. It all depends on what you gonna do with it.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

The ranger 8.8 and 7.5 both share the exact same axle shafts so there isn't any strength gain there.

The carrier and gears are a tad stronger tho in the 8.8

With 31" tires and a 2.9 either rear end will be just fine.

 

[Mac]

The 8.8 is always the better one if you need to change but if there is nothing wrong with what you have and are happy with, I sure would just stay with it.

Dave

 

[Beastly88]

thanks guys.......anyone wanna buy a 8.8 rear out of a 94 ranger with 3.73 gears lol

 

[AllanD]

The one thing about an 8.8" is that if you need to work on it the
8.8" is much easier to perform basic maintainance tasks on, particularly if you need to pull an axle shaft, rebuild a limited slip etc...

An advantage of a '93-up axle over ANY '83-92 axle is that it is 2" WIDER
thus offering more stability when offroading.

AD

 

[Beastly88]

but it should bolt right it right?

 

[RangerSVT]

but it should bolt right it right?

I'm not sure if it should bolt right it right, but I know it will bolt right up...100% bolt up swap
SVT

 

[Beastly88]

sorry bout that but you knew what i meant.. lol thanks

 

[dio1985]

it doesnt just bolt right on. everything you have to do is in this article.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Explorer8_8.html

 

[MikeInIdaho]

That article is about swapping in a 31spl exploder 8.8, which is different from the 28spl ranger 8.8 the OP has. The ranger 8.8 is a bolt "up" swap, whereas the exploder axle swap requires relocating the leaf spring perches, shock mounts etc.

 

[Captain Ledd]

Unless you're switching up gear ratios, adding a locker, or fancy Limited Slip, just keep the 7.5".

Although, if you open up the cover on the 8.8 and verify what gear ratio it has in it - as well as whats in your truck now, and if it's a L/S unit or not, then it's a no brainer. Better center section, and likely 10" brakes as well, with no drawbacks. Like you said, it's a bolt in swap.

 

[AllanD]

There are two diferences on an 8.8 over an '88 7.5"

First is that like ANY 1990-up axle it has the larger diameter pinion flange
Second is that '89-up rear axles use larger diameter lower shock bolts
The hole in the bracket is larger as is the sleeve in the lower shock bushing.

Neither problem is especially difficult to deal with.




AD