7.5 or 8.8

[racsan]

just got a new-to-me 94 2wd reg cab longbed, has a 2.3, 5 speed, and a 7.5 rear axle with fiberglass leaf spring and (yuck) the 3.45 ratio. id prefer at least a 3.73 gearing, or 4.10's (looking at ditching the 225/70 14's for 235 75 15's) im not sure if id be better off regearing or swapping out the whole assembly, i know id get the bigger 10" drums with a 8.8, not sure if i will need to get a normal steel spring pack and ditch the single fiberglass leaf or not. plan on putting axle mounted coil helpers, so i dont think the fiberglass leaf will be a problem. unless it has to go because of mounting issues with a 8.8

 

[Curious Hound]

Some 7.5's have 10" drums. That's what I recently pulled out of my '93 3.0L Splash. I don't think I would want the fiberglass spring. But I don't know much about them. Check out the tech articles about axles and diff's and find out what models have what you think you want. Then start checking Craigslist and junk yards.

here's a link to get you started. LINK

 

[Captain Ledd]

Money wise it's no comparison to go with a used axle geared to 4.10's.

FWIW, that's nearly the same move I made. 2.3L, 5 speed manual, 225/70r14 to 235/75R15 with 3.73's.

I went all the way to 4.56 to get power back out of that thing. 5th was unusable, so I geared it to turn what 4th was into 5th.

Get the 10" drums, and if you do decide to re-gear, consider going a bit deeper than 4.10.

I turn 3k @70mph in 5th.

 

[cbr600rx7]

I just did the swap on my 93 reg cab 5 speed with 7.5 and 3.45s. I ungraded to a explorer 8.8 with disks so it was a little more labor intensive but well worth it. The 3.73s work well for my 225/70R14s and it gets up to speed with out struggling.

If your using a 8.8 out of a ranger it's very strait forward and if things are not rusted almost every thing can be retained.

A word of advice however: 235/75R15s are a very big tire for a stock 2.3 and is about 2.25 inches taller. I would recommend 4.10s with that tall of a tire especially if you tow or live in the mountains/hills. If you mostly live in flat country and never tow then 3.73 with 235/74R15s will put you at the same cruising rpm as your 225/70R14s with 3.45s. My vote would be the 4.10s but 3.73s wouldn't be horrible.