Dana 35 replacement

[Poor-Boys-Mutt-90]

I have a 90 ranger. and I have a lot of play in my rear. I'm looking into just replacing the whole rear. which year ranger or explorer would just plug n play with mine. or would it be recommended to just rebuild the rear?
3.73:1 gear ratio

 

[scotts90ranger]

Are you talking the front or rear axle? You mention Dana 35 which is the front but say rear in your post which would be a 7.5" or 8.8" axle, I know some areas call both axle a rear...

Anyway, being a '90 it is most likely a Dana 35 in front (count the bolts on the pumpkin, 10 is Dana 35, 12 is Dana 28) and if you grab the whole front axle you can get it from a '91-94 Explorer or '90-97 Ranger, '95-97 axles are a bit better in they have dual piston calipers and adjustable steering stops...

For the rear, any Ranger rear axle will pretty much bolt up, '93 and newer are a little bit wider, anything with a 4.0L will have an 8.8" ring gear but still the same 28 spline shafts as the 7.5", and it's hit and miss whether you end up with 9" or 10" drums... The explorer axles are better as they're all 8.8" with 31 spline shafts, '91-94 will be drum brakes and '95 and newer will be disc brakes.

Luckily for you, 3.73 ratio is one of the most common ratios, if the differential still has a steel tag on it the ratio is the first digits on the second row of text, you're looking for 3 73, if you see one with 3L73 it'll be a limited slip axle. If the vehicles in the yard still have a drivers door there's an axle code on it, go to the tech library and look in the axle section and there should be a table to decipher those codes...

 

[adsm08]

Are you talking the front or rear axle? You mention Dana 35 which is the front but say rear in your post which would be a 7.5" or 8.8" axle, I know some idiots call both axle a rear...

Anyway, being a '90 it is most likely a Dana 35 in front (count the bolts on the pumpkin, 10 is Dana 35, 12 is Dana 28) and if you grab the whole front axle you can get it from a '91-94 Explorer or '90-97 Ranger, '95-97 axles are a bit better in they have dual piston calipers and adjustable steering stops...

For the rear, any Ranger rear axle will pretty much bolt up, '93 and newer are a little bit wider, anything with a 4.0L will have an 8.8" ring gear but still the same 28 spline shafts as the 7.5", and it's hit and miss whether you end up with 9" or 10" drums... The explorer axles are better as they're all 8.8" with 31 spline shafts, '91-94 will be drum brakes and '95 and newer will be disc brakes.

Luckily for you, 3.73 ratio is one of the most common ratios, if the differential still has a steel tag on it the ratio is the first digits on the second row of text, you're looking for 3 73, if you see one with 3L73 it'll be a limited slip axle. If the vehicles in the yard still have a drivers door there's an axle code on it, go to the tech library and look in the axle section and there should be a table to decipher those codes...

Fixed that for your Scott.

For the record, I grew up not far from where he lists his location, and I feel justified in my assessment of individuals who refer to both diffs as a "rear" vs the general population in that area.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I have to be PC for work, I've heard worse so it doesn't bother me too much either way... worst thing is in the south, I've gotten this call: "The engine will crank but it won't crank!"

Just as a note, it doesn't really bug me, it's just interesting what other regions say versus others...

 

[adsm08]

It drive me nuts. And down there it really is mostly only the toothless okies who can't figure out which one is the business end of a combo wrench that call it the "front rear".

 

[bobbywalter]