8.8 Explorer with Discs swap to 93 4x4 4.0

[Ingandreal]

So ive been looking through all the write ups and what not but i cant seem to find straight answers to my few questions.

So i want to swap a 8.8 Rear out of a 95 explorer into my 93 ranger with a 4.0 and 4x4 (i belive its a 8.8 rear but 28 spline and drum)

Im confused on a few things.
1) Will i need to do any fab work to get it to fit? i wouldnt think so because its already got a 8.8 and most ranger / explorer parts are interchangeable and due to the year closeness.
2) Will all the brake lines bolt right up except for the Parking Brake?
3) How will i keep the parking brake avail? Pull from explorer parts car and what would i need?

Mainly i want the Rear brakes to be changed to disc and also at low cost which is why im not going the route of buying those big pretty penny kits to do so with my axle. Also does the 8.8 from the exploder have 4.10 gears? From what i understand the 4.10 with 31's and a 4.0 makes a nice combo for fuel economy.

Justt need some straight awnsers...

 

[Downey]

do a little searching i explain this at least twice a week.


read this to start

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

 

[Ingandreal]

So it doesnt matter if ive got a 8.8, the perch mounts and shock mounts need to be moved around right? is there nething else that would need to be done? that article has nothing about brake systems/lines. I would think at most i might need a diff line or connector but didnt know if the RABS system wouldnt like the way the disc brakes would take the pressure in the system. Also whats the biggest disc and caliper that can go on the rear?

 

[Downey]

you need 2 passenger side brake hoses for the explorer axle. this way you can keep the ranger T just have to shorten you hard lines off your old axle. The explorer axle is a spring under axle. the ranger axle is a spring over axle. so you need to move the explorer spring perches to the top and set your pinion angle. as for the RABS just plug the plug into the spot on the explorer axle.

i have no idea about the after market for the disc. but you sounded need them my truck stops way better with just switching to disc

 

[Ingandreal]

So i only need the 8.8 rear from a (94or95+?) Exploder with the discs, 2 passenger hose lines, someone to move my perch mounts and that should be it right?

Guessing its straight forward... Undolt old crapper axle, put new one under truck, get pinion angle right (guessing just make sure the angle to the driveshaft from the diff is 6degrees from what ive read) and bolt everything up and then put together the brake lines.

 

[dbrutherford]

From what I read you will also need to make or buy a set or shock mount tabs that will have to be welded onto the axle.

You will also need a set of 3.25" dia axle tube u-bolts as well.

I am about to do this same swap myself. Have you done your swap yet? Doesn't look too bad from what I have read and see with the 8.8 xploder diff I bought from the JY yesterday.

The ebrake cables are going to be a tough one to figure out. I am going to try and mate the two cables together. Front half Ranger to back half Explorer so the Explorer ebrakes work too. There is a mine supply shop in town that said they may be able to make the cables work. I have my fingers crossed. I know companies that make custom motorcycle/dirt bike/jet ski/ ect cables. The ends are just crimped on.

 

[4x4junkie]

That is what I did. I used some of the old cable clips to fabricate a linkage that's adjustable out of a piece of threaded rod to attach the Explorer P-brake cables to the original cable on my BII. You'll have to modify the mount where the cables are fixed to the frame though, as the Ex cables are shorter.

 

[dbrutherford]

I bought the Locar kit for Explorer brakes. I am hoping to mate them up the the stock Ranger front cable. But I am going to have to fab up something like you did Junkie to connect them up.

My other thought is to make the ends on the Locar cables match stock Ranger ones. I have some old cables so I am going to try and disect them. I can recrimp on the soild metal pieces that are the stops. The bigger issues is those crappy ends on the housing that have the bent out fingers.

if all else fails, I will rig it...