Gear upgrade, junkyard gears?

[koda6966]

Well, since my power and fuel economy suck I'm going to blame it on my gears for the time being. That means that I'll be needing a replacement.

The tires I like to run are roughly a 29 inch tires, and I was originally going to go back to the stock 25" or so tires, but after seeing how they look I think I'll go with swapping gears.

The tech library says that I should go with 3.73's or 3.91's for best performance, so I'll probably stick with those.

The real question, is what vehicles came stock with these in their axles (7.5) that would be an good swap if I could find some in good condition? Mainly looking at 3.73's because I think they're the most common, correct?

Also, I could see about my neighbor (retired German master mechanic) about doing this up, but just in case he won't be able to, how much on average would a shop charge to swap the gears for me?

 

[JoshT]

You can get most any RBV axle in 3.73, just check the axle tags. You've got a 93 which IIRC is when they went to the wider rear axle, so you've got a choice of Rangers in 7.5, 8.8 (28 spline), and locked or not. You've also got the option of going with a slightly wider axle, once again IIRC, by installing an Explorer 31 spline 8.8, they can also be had in locked or non locked.

By finding the complete RBV axle in a yard you wouldn't even have to swap the gears over. Just open it up to inspect and change the fluids. If it's not an explorer axle then you can just bolt it up, if it is an explorer axle you will have to relocate spring perches or get flip brackets.

 

[Mechanickid]

uhh..... Did you check what gears you have now?

 

[BeaterMan]

You can get most any RBV axle in 3.73, just check the axle tags. You've got a 93 which IIRC is when they went to the wider rear axle, so you've got a choice of Rangers in 7.5, 8.8 (28 spline), and locked or not. You've also got the option of going with a slightly wider axle, once again IIRC, by installing an Explorer 31 spline 8.8, they can also be had in locked or non locked.

By finding the complete RBV axle in a yard you wouldn't even have to swap the gears over. Just open it up to inspect and change the fluids. If it's not an explorer axle then you can just bolt it up, if it is an explorer axle you will have to relocate spring perches or get flip brackets.

+1 it would be alot simplier and less of a headache to just swap the whole rear end in. i cant even imagine how hard it would be to get the pinion nut off at a junk yard without air tools. 3.73:1 seems to be almost the only ratio i ever find when i'm scrounging the yard.

 

[koda6966]

I started thinking about the axle swap as well, instead of doing a gear swap.

Thing is, it's time vs money. I can get gears for a lot less than I can a whole axle. We'll see what I decide on.

And mechanic kid, yes I have.

 

[Kdawg532]

dude man i would look for a 4.10 i get like 23+ MPG's with mine but i have a 5spd Man, i dont recall if you did or not

 

[koda6966]

Kdawg, I've got an Auto. Right now I'm getting somewhere around 15 mpg. Time for a tune up and regear for my tire size. Although it probably doesn't help that I'm running 235-750R15's in the front and 225-75-R16's in the back, when stock size and gearing is for itty bitty tires, 210-60-R14 I think. Or something like that. 4.10's might be better on mpg, but I have no clue where I would find them.

Mechanic Kid, the gears in the truck are 3.45's, took me a while to remember what my axle code was.

Maybe I should look around for a Ranger with Axle code 86. That would be a 7.5 with 3.73 gears.

How hard is it to swap an 8.8 from a Ranger to another one? And what years included them?

 

[DieselTech07]

I think I read someplace in the tech library that almost all 2.3L auto rangers came with the 4.10 7.5"

my 97 2.3L auto ranger came with the 4.10 7.5"

 

[Shran]

I started thinking about the axle swap as well, instead of doing a gear swap.

Thing is, it's time vs money. I can get gears for a lot less than I can a whole axle. We'll see what I decide on.

And mechanic kid, yes I have.

Figure in an additional $50-100 to have gears done.

The axle swap WILL be cheaper and a whole lot easier. I also think you're going to have a really hard time finding a yard that will sell you just the gears because they will make minimal coin and have a worthless housing.

 

[JoshT]

4.10's might be better on mpg, but I have no clue where I would find them.

Same place you'd find the 3.73 gears, just gotta keep looking if that's what you want.

How hard is it to swap an 8.8 from a Ranger to another one? And what years included them?

Piece-O-Cake. From what I've heard it's easiest to jack the truck just enough that the weight isn't resting on the tires, and unbolt the rear drive shaft flange, and everything else connected to the rear axle. Then unbolt the back of the leaf springs, remove the U bolts, and roll the axle out. To install the new axle swap your tires over, and do just the opposite.

 

[Mac]

Best bet and cheapest all around for me would to just do the complete axle swap to an 8.8 with the 10" brakes and either the 3.73 or 4.10. Remember that down the road you might want to do the V-8 swap so the 3.73's might be better. I just picked up a 8.8 w/8.8 gears in it that only had 19k miles on it for $375. Prices do vary a lot from location as do what gear ratios are avaliably, hard to find a 3.73 here. I've had best luck with
www.car-part.com for selection and good parts. Guy at the yard did caution me that a lot of the rear ends he gets in have a bent axle flange, not the axle
Dave

 

[dru]

ive got some 3.73's 7.5 you can have if you want. from an 03, look perfect to my untrained eye. clean no blemishes or mars. just pay shipping.

 

[koda6966]

I think I read someplace in the tech library that almost all 2.3L auto rangers came with the 4.10 7.5"
my 97 2.3L auto ranger came with the 4.10 7.5"

Really? I'll look for that in there.

Figure in an additional $50-100 to have gears done.
The axle swap WILL be cheaper and a whole lot easier. I also think you're going to have a really hard time finding a yard that will sell you just the gears because they will make minimal coin and have a worthless housing.

I can get my neighbor to do gears for me. The guys old, bored, and crazy. Nada clue how much he would charge, if he would at all.

Same place you'd find the 3.73 gears, just gotta keep looking if that's what you want.
Piece-O-Cake. From what I've heard it's easiest to jack the truck just enough that the weight isn't resting on the tires, and unbolt the rear drive shaft flange, and everything else connected to the rear axle. Then unbolt the back of the leaf springs, remove the U bolts, and roll the axle out. To install the new axle swap your tires over, and do just the opposite.

I meant which Rangers had them.

Best bet and cheapest all around for me would to just do the complete axle swap to an 8.8 with the 10" brakes and either the 3.73 or 4.10. Remember that down the road you might want to do the V-8 swap so the 3.73's might be better. I just picked up a 8.8 w/8.8 gears in it that only had 19k miles on it for $375. Prices do vary a lot from location as do what gear ratios are avaliably, hard to find a 3.73 here. I've had best luck with
www.car-part.com for selection and good parts. Guy at the yard did caution me that a lot of the rear ends he gets in have a bent axle flange, not the axle
Dave

I don't plan on doing a V8 swap to my little Ranger. I'd do an 8.8, but I'd just as soon settle for a 7.5 because it will meet my needs just fine. This truck is just a daily driver. About 80 miles a day, Monday through Friday, starting in August.

 

[JoshT]

I meant which Rangers had them.

Actually you did ask "How hard is it to swap an 8.8 from a Ranger to another one?" and that's what I was answering.

As to which rangers had them well that's a little harder. Check out this page, Ford Ranger Axles, in the tech library. There are basically 2 ways to find the 3.73 axle ratio. First is the axle tag:

Look for one that says 3.73 and 8.8. If you want the 4.10 look for that and 8.8. I have seen these tags unreadable, and occasionally broken off. Second way to find it would be to print off the axle codes, and carry that with you when you go searching.

For the 3.73, 8.8 you would be looking at the door tag for code 96 (open), or R6 (L/S).

For the 3.73 in a 7.5 you would be looking for code 86 (open), or F6 (L/S).

If you decided you want the 4.10, 8.8 look for codes 97 (open), or R7 (L/S).

In the 7.5 look for 4.10 axle codes 87 (open) or F7 (L/S).


That's the best I can help you on finding an axle the size you want. There really is no way to say this came in that, as there were to many factory combinations, and different ratios could be ordered from the factory.

 

[koda6966]

Josh, I was referring to you saying "Same place you'd find the 3.73 gears, just gotta keep looking if that's what you want."

And I know what the codes are, I just have no clue what Rangers could have had those codes. Like if 8.8 axles were only stock on 97+ Rangers, there isn't even a point in me looking for them at the yard.