Compatible Rear Axle

[mxboy349]

I have a 95 4.0, rear diff has a ton of backlash. I'd like to find a rear end at a salvage yard and have it rebuilt before pulling mine out. What compatible vehicles should I look for?

 

[55trucker]

What steps have you taken to measure the clearance between the Crown gear & the Pinion?

 

[mxboy349]

None other than when I was replacing u-joints the input shaft had rather large amount of play before the wheels would move or if I rotated the wheels the input shaft would not move. Pretty distinct clunk when doing so. Have a bit of "bucking" when driving in low RPM in any given gear, if that makes sense. I have replaced motor mounts, trans mount, u-joints.

 

[55trucker]

I would suggest that you do a diagnostic on the diff before you start spending money that you may not necessarily need to.
You'll need a dial gauge with a magnetic stand, some prussian blue to start with to take some basic measurements.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I would look into whether or not you have a limited slip differential (there's a thing in the tech library for axle codes, basically on the drivers door if the axle code starts with a letter you have one or if the bottom row of text on the metal tag on one of the diff cover bolts has an L like 3L73 then you have one), it could be as simple as just needing to rebuild the limited slip as they will do what you describe when the clutches are shot, not too long before it will strip out the spider gears...

But to answer your question, any 4.0L Ranger from '93 to about '06 before they changed the drum center hole size, pretty much need to stick to 4.0L trucks since they will be guaranteed to have an 8.8" axle like you have instead of a 7.5"...

 

[don4331]

But to answer your question, any 4.0L Ranger from '93 to about '06 before they changed the drum center hole size, pretty much need to stick to 4.0L trucks since they will be guaranteed to have an 8.8" axle like you have instead of a 7.5"...

I have a '98 4x4 SuperCab 4.0/Auto on the driveway with a 7.5; You can count on Ford to be consistent.

Drum center size changed in '93 on 4x4s with Dana 35 front axle - needed to be larger to match the larger hubs. They're larger on all '98 up.

To OP:

4wd or not? Re: drum center size
SuperCab or not? re: one or 2 piece rear driveshaft (they should all be 1 piece by this time in SuperCab, but this is Ford).

 

[mxboy349]

It's a 95 SuperCab, 2 piece drive shaft, I am the original owner. It's not leaking but slight seepage around the cover. It is a LS 3.73 the code on the door tag is R6. I think pinion bearings are shot, truck was driven for longer than it should have been with a bad carrier bearing and stiff u-joints. I am trying to decide if I am going to try and tackle rebuilding this myself, finding a junk yard unit or sending it to a shop. I just did a full rebuild on the front end all the way down to the frame rails so I am capable of doing it and its an "extra" vehicle so I am in no hurry. Any good rebuild how to's anyone can suggest?

 

[Angie]

hi if you can track down this book, it could help answer your questions and help give build info.

i used this book to guide me through a 8.8 rebuild a few years back. very helpful.

cheers

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[scotts90ranger]

changing the pinion seal isn't too bad, but I guarantee your clunking in the rear is a worn out limited slip since you have one, this is the spider gears I pulled out of my '00 Explorer that I picked up hoping that this was the only problem with 206k miles:

As the clutches wear out the side gears move further and further out causing a decreased contact patch on the spider gears, when they get bad enough the above happens... but before that they clunk from the added backlash...

Rebuilding a limited slip isn't too bad, hardest part is getting the S spring out and back in... and hopefully the cross pin bolt isn't broken...

For the record I pulled the axle apart (you only have to pull one axle shaft to get the spider gears apart and rebuild the L/S), hosed it out with brake clean, threw in some junkyard spider gears and clutches (rearranged so it goes clutch to steel instead of stacked steels... and added one on each side) and have put over 50k miles on it towing and such, only something in the front makes noise...

 

[superj]

Holy cow, those gears!!

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, it wasn't the easiest to get it on the trailer relying mostly on the viscous clutch in the AWD transfer case for front drive... turns out the transmission was SHOT, there were some hints if I'd looked in the right place, the receiver hitch is rotated down from abuse combined with the rear diff being worn out... I put almost $2k in parts into the trans to get it functional... and like 3 quarts of gear oil and some RTV into the rear, I gambled and lost on that $800 Explorer... the $400 Explorer the wife drove for like 3 years just burning a bunch of oil was a much better deal...

 

[mxboy349]

I'm scared as to what my gears look like . I have never really towed anything heavy, but it's been neglected. I will find out when I tear into it.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Your gears are likely fine, that's one of the most extreme cases I've heard of , I have no idea what the owner before who I got the sploder from did to the dang thing but it likely takes some work to destroy a 4R70W as much as that one was...

 

[mxboy349]

Here is what it sounds like with the wheels off the ground
YouTube Vid

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Here is what it sounds like with the wheels off the ground
YouTube Vid

That looks normal to me.