Just another 8.8 swap

[Ranger302Boss]

Well, this is my 85 Ford Ranger. and this is what i bought... a whole rearend from a 99 explorer. 3.73 lsd, disc brakes. just 90 bucks.

 

[Ranger302Boss]

cut and flip perches.

 

[Ranger302Boss]

cleaning and painting, its Dupont NovaPermo. chasis anti rust paint. then i paint the cover on a sweet ford red color.

 

[Ranger302Boss]

taking off the old 7.5 after 29 years of duty, some panting job on rusted chasis, welding the new rear shocks mount from the explorer and making sure all fits.

 

[Ranger302Boss]

ok all fits like a glove..... but i need a sway bar soooo lets keep it the original. after that i seal and put in Lucas high performance diferential oil an a Autozone lsd additive. original explorer leaf makes the rear sooo high, and i need it lower, so lets play whit some leafs configurations.

 

[Ranger302Boss]

the first photo show you how high its the explorer leaf configuration, the best configuration i see its original ranger leafs whit out the last one (just 3 leafs). looks like the same lvl on the front. after the swap, and driving a compleate month i notice a better top speed, a better 0-60... but rear suspension dont work so good, i feel a lot of bumps, and when i try a burnout the leafs spins and it feels horrible... i need traction bars now. the brakes works super good. any sugestion guys?

 

[dirtcowboy]

Shocks and traction bars.

 

[chvlfrk]

Umm....

You'd of gotten 4" of drop if you'd of let the axle on top the springs.

Definitely need slapper bars or cal-trac setup since you removed a spring, sounds like your gettin axle wrap.

 

[35Remmy]

Ranger, James Duff makes some simple traction bars for 100$...looks good man, clean.

Great price on that axle...I gave 200$ for mine and spent another day and probably 75$ in blasting media getting all the rust off with my little sandblaster.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

You mentioned

lets play whit some leafts configurations

. What did you end up doing? Do you get wheel hop? Give a better description of what you did and what's happening, please.

Richard

 

[Ranger302Boss]

You'd of gotten 4" of drop if you'd of let the axle on top the springs.

Definitely need slapper bars or cal-trac setup since you removed a spring, sounds like your gettin axle wrap.

Yes, now after doing the swap i think could be better....

Ranger, James Duff makes some simple traction bars for 100$...looks good man, clean.

Great price on that axle...I gave 200$ for mine and spent another day and probably 75$ in blasting media getting all the rust off with my little sandblaster.

i see that traction bars.... i like it, and im working in a HomeMade bars like that.

You mentioned . What did you end up doing? Do you get wheel hop? Give a better description of what you did and what's happening, please.

Richard

at end... i use the 3 top leafs of the original ranger, it drops a lot and the lvl its ok whit the front. someone ask me for the drive shaft, belive it or not the explorer front yoke its exactly the same than the 5 speed manual tranny on the ranger.... just plug and play the whole explorer aluminium driveshaft. wheel hop? yes a lot.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Ladder bars or traction bars would help for wheel hop.

 

[MastuhWaffles]

That stance though. You got a good deal on that, I paid $200 for my axle.

 

[JoshT]

How did you mount the bottom of the shocks since you aren't using the Explorer spring pads to do it? Did you use Explorer or Ranger shocks?

I'm planning to do a similar set-up in my truck, but leave it spring under and keep the Explorer spring pads.

 

[Ranger302Boss]

That stance though. You got a good deal on that, I paid $200 for my axle.

thanks, i forgot to said whit the $90 i get explorer sits too.

How did you mount the bottom of the shocks since you aren't using the Explorer spring pads to do it? Did you use Explorer or Ranger shocks?

I'm planning to do a similar set-up in my truck, but leave it spring under and keep the Explorer spring pads.

i use 3/16 square tube, u need to cut on 2 steps, if you can see the shock it have 2 angles. looking from the back you see arround 60 degrees of inclination. if you see from the side whitout the wheel you see arround 45 degrees. anyway i think diferential on top of the leafs its better. above the shocks i use the explorer shocks but 1 week later both explodes. explorer shocks are too long... now y use the chevy colorado rear shocks because its shorter than explo. not z71 rear shock just stock colorado rear shock or gmc canyon 4x2.