Don't laugh aerostar awd

[Icuff4cash]

Hello I've been a member for a year or more and was reading the exelant wright up with photos on Dana 28 hybrid ect... I have a 94 awd aerostar which had the very weak hybrid. I've been told I ca never change tire size with out extensive mods lifts. Stock was 215 70 14. Well this week I went out and bought 5 Cherokee rims a set of big o big foot mud/snow 235-75-15. They fit like a glove no mods no rubbing my wright up is in Ford truck and explorer fourm under aerostar. Or google my tire size aerostar and all 10 photos will show . I understand hangers would need to be welded but everyone says a ranger is a bit short.how short if it's 2" in that area as long as the hangers will mount on my sub frame a little short is like running a short 9" in a Camaro . Just gives you extra tire size. Which is the best Ford front diff a ranger or explorer I have no idea if there the same. I would like free wheel hubs for better city driving and possible a locker option. One more thing are the withs the Same on all years I search the forum and could not find a brake down on front axle dia. With size with and hanger size. Unless you ranger guys go non Ford . A Dana out of a jeep ect... any info would be helpful. I'm installing a 1354 transfer case and pulling my Dana 28 out. Thank you
Robert
Icuff4cash@gmail.com

 

[RonD]

Have you looked in the Tech Section: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/index.shtml

Good page to bookmark

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I understand hangers would need to be welded but everyone says a ranger is a bit short.how short if it's 2" in that area as long as the hangers will mount on my sub frame

I don't understand what your trying to do.

For the front axle, the ranger and explorer TTB d-35 are the same.

I'd be interested in trading a 1350/4 for your dana-28 t-case, if it's good.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If you are wanting to compare Ranger/Explorer axle widths they are in the tech section at the top of the page. Ranger axles got wider over the years, Explorers always were the widest. 95-97 Rangers IMO had the best front axle with bolt on front calipers (as opposed to slide pins) and the 95-01 Explorers with the 31 spline 8.8 and factory disk brakes would get my vote for the best factory rear axle.

Interesting name/email for a guy with a white cargo van for his avatar...

 

[RonD]

Rangers started to get Live Axles on the front as early as late 1999 but officially all Ranger 4x4s were Live Axle from 2001 and up

Live Axle has no option for manual locking/unlocking hubs, so if you want that then look at earlier front axles

 

[turbo91xlt]

Does the awd Aerostar vans even use ford TTB suspension? When they are talking about Dana 28 on an areostar its referring to the transfer case. The Dana 28 on rangers is the front TTB axle found in pre '90s rangers. For the 1354m swap you will need to have custom drive shafts made.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

From wikipedia;

The front suspension consisted of unequal length A-arms through its entire production. The lower A-arm was changed to accommodate the E-4WD option from 1990 onward. The Aerostar differed from all other Ford light trucks in its rear suspension configuration as well. To save space, the live rear axle was fitted with a three-link coil-sprung rear suspension (similar to the Panther-platform cars of the time). During its production run, the Ford Aerostar was the only North American-market minivan sold with four-wheel coil-spring suspension