Bulletproof 7.5"

[85_Ranger4x4]

I didnt say one thing about a ranger transmission, I was talking about Mustang SVO's....

Do you know what a bighorn tire is? Its a fairly agressive MT type tire with a fairly soft compound, and on pavement, would hook up behind the SOHC, so regardless of whether or not I was "Raving" about having 30's on a 7.5, it still saw near V8 torque through a 5-speed and 3.73 gears, on a sticky compound, and held up just fine...

Your making the 7.5 sound way worse than it is. No doubt an 8.8 is a far better axle, But Im sorry to say, unless your running 4.56's and Its welded, the 7.5 isnt going to just break by stepping on the gas, especially behind a 3.0, its gonna take more than that....

Besides, All I was saying was run it til it breaks, then upgrade, what was wrong with my point?

+1

The 7.5 is by no means as strong as a 10.5, but for a stockish 2wd truck it should do fine. There are a lot more locker/limited slip options for the 8.8 though. With something for a locker or limited slip it will take a lot of the worry out of the picture about overspeeding the spider gears on either (nothing likes that)

Heck, I have got on my 7.5 equipt 302 Ranger (nothing very hot at all in the grande scheme of things, but more oomf than a 3.0) and spun the tires a little, absolutly no carnage yet.

I do have a Explorer 8.8 sitting in the shed though for phase II of my V8 swap. $100 with matching gearing, limited slip, disc brakes and springs was just too good to pass up...

 

[RollinWOT]

Sounds like I've got some scrapyards to hit then.

 

[vince87ranger]

im running a 7.5 in my ranger with 30's and a powertrax for about a year now, its only got a 2.3 but i beat it hard and blow shafts on the d28 all the time. only problem i have is the drivers side seal keeps leaking.

my first ranger was a 2wd street truck i swapped a fairly hot 350/turbo350 chevy into. welded the spiders in the winter because it wouldn't move. never had a problem with that 7.5 and i drove that so much i would go through 2 or 3 sets of rear tires in a summer.

i say either weld it or lunchbox lock it. just realize on the street you will burn up tires quickly if you weld the spiders. if you do as much street driving as you say go with the locker.
just my.02

 

[88_Eddie]

you could spend hundreds of dollars on a 7.5 and it MIGHT be stronger than a stock 8.8, but i doubt it. i paid $50 for a 8.8 from a 91-94 explorer from another TRS'r

i've put put probably $300 into, that was for new brake shoes, drums, spring kit, a locker, and some gears. all used except the brake parts. it'll be plenty stronger for what i'm gonna do, so i doubt if i ever break it.

just do the 8.8 swap

 

[RollinWOT]

Yeah I figured it would be. I mean I'm not pooing on the 7.5" but bigger is better. After all if Stacy David from Gearz can get a 7.5" powered by a lit up V8 to not die on the track they have to be at least strong, but not stronger than the 8.8" That's what I'll do then.