Explorer Axle Swap Questions

[jl62eagle]

Doing a Explorer axle swap this weekend on my 2000 Ranger.

1. What is the final verdict on the master cylinder? Will I have to swap it out to a Explorer MC? If so, there are listings for a four door or two door Explorer. Which one will work?

2. What about the stabilizer bar? Looks like the Ranger unit will work if I grind off a lip thats on the Explorer housing where its going to clamp on.

This is my daily driver, need to have it back on the road by Sunday night.

Thanks for the help..

 

[Redneck_Ranger]

Master cylinder didn't do a thing for me. I had to swap the fitting for the rear brakes on the ABS unit for it to work properly. I cut my swaybar off. Don't need it. Lol

 

[Redneck_Ranger]

Oh, and the wiring is different on the expo master... you'll have to cut the wires and take the plug if you do swap it.

 

[chrwilkins30]

A master cylinder is not required.

Are you swapping in a disc 8.8 or drum out of curiosity?

And what do you mean by stabalizer bar?

 

[jl62eagle]

Swapping in the disk brakes.

I was referring to the sway bar on that is on the Ranger....

 

[Mcleary316]

I swapped my 7.5 disk for a 8.8 expo. Didn't change my master cylinder and all electronics worked fine together. Only thing that needed modding was the shock mounts and the spring pads.

 

[jl62eagle]

Thanks, thats what I was hoping to hear.

 

[kryptonitecb]

I'm going to make this confusing for you. I did an explorer 8.8 disk swap and had soft brakes. Switched out the MC for an explorer 4wheel disk MC and extended the booster rod to make it go away. Now I can lock up 37's at any speed.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[adsm08]

Here is what I have gathered from my own research on the subject about the need for a master cylinder.

The original will work if it is in prime condition. One that is worn from age may seem to work well with the drum setup but provides a soft pedal when used with the disc setup. If it is not worn badly adjustment of the rod can correct the condition.


If you are in a hurry I would get it in, bleed the brakes well, and see how they feel.

Also, when I did my swap I got two right hand hoses for a 97 Explorer, ran hard line from the stock splitter block at the rear axle to about even with the shocks, and then installed the hoses. It works very well.

 

[CurtisP87]

Also, when I did my swap I got two right hand hoses for a 97 Explorer, ran hard line from the stock splitter block at the rear axle to about even with the shocks, and then installed the hoses. It works very well.

Did you do that to prevent binding of the flexible hoses, give better fluid flow or both? I'm thinkin of swapping my drums for discs soon.

 

[jl62eagle]

Well, looks like we got the axle swap done for the most part. Will weld the shock mounts tommorow. The brake pedal is fair, but i do think the front ones are grabbing more the the rear ones.
As far as adjusting the mc rod, how much does it need to be extended?

Installed the expo parking brake cables, but the driver side seems to barely reach the shock bracket that is by the front leaf spring bolt, making it non functional when you mate it to the passenger side cable.

Has anyone had this situation come up?? What is the work around on this?

 

[adsm08]

Did you do that to prevent binding of the flexible hoses, give better fluid flow or both? I'm thinkin of swapping my drums for discs soon.

Well, the Explorer LH rear hose is not well suited to the Ranger application because of it's shape, there just isn't anywhere to mount it that I could find. The RH hose is just a straight hose. I ran the hard lines out just past where the flex hoses would end so that the hoses had some space to flex, and then used the flex hose to attach to the calipers.

 

[Mcleary316]

Well, looks like we got the axle swap done for the most part. Will weld the shock mounts tommorow. The brake pedal is fair, but i do think the front ones are grabbing more the the rear ones.
As far as adjusting the mc rod, how much does it need to be extended?

Installed the expo parking brake cables, but the driver side seems to barely reach the shock bracket that is by the front leaf spring bolt, making it non functional when you mate it to the passenger side cable.

Has anyone had this situation come up?? What is the work around on this?

I dont know about the master cylinder but about the brakes, my truck had no issues with them.

 

[kryptonitecb]

Well, looks like we got the axle swap done for the most part. Will weld the shock mounts tommorow. The brake pedal is fair, but i do think the front ones are grabbing more the the rear ones.
As far as adjusting the mc rod, how much does it need to be extended?

Installed the expo parking brake cables, but the driver side seems to barely reach the shock bracket that is by the front leaf spring bolt, making it non functional when you mate it to the passenger side cable.

Has anyone had this situation come up?? What is the work around on this?

I've posted about this and put pics up. I'm on my phone and don't have my pics on it. Not being sarcastic this time but do a search with my screen name and you'll find them. Should look at threads around January.

What I used is a piece of pipe that fit in the parking brake bracket. One end needs to be threaded, put a nut on that end to hold it to the bracket. I started with ~6 inches of pipe and cut off a little at a time. When the brakes engage and pedal is firm you are good to go.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[Shran]

I used my factory master cylinder with a disc 8.8 and D44 swap. Works fine. I had to turn out the adjusting screw on the pedal rod a bit because they were pretty soft but that fixed it. I don't know if trucks newer than mine have the adjustable screw or not.