little help please

[bmxnick7]

well i have a 94 ranger 4.0 2wd,and i was wondering if the rear axle out of a 98 4x4 will fit, also are the gears the same.

 

[JFA_Spyderman]

Yo,
For the most part, the axle will bolt up just fine. However, Ford put several different gears in their rangers through the years. Look for an axle tag hanging off one of the differential cover bolts, or look at the doorjam on the donor truck. The tag will have the gears stamped onto it, the doorjam will give you a axle code which you bring here and decode it. Good Luck!

 

[bottledgt]

im not for damn sure on the fit, but i am for sure you cant ever be sure the gears are the same. best to pop the cover and count teeth to be sure...(ex. 41 ring teeth,10 pinion teeth= 4.10. just take 41/10=4.10)

 

[bmxnick7]

can you expLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GEARS, LIKE 4.10 OR 3.73

 

[bottledgt]

short version..bigger the number,lower the gear. ie...4.10 will top out before 3.27's, but 4.10's will have more take off power

 

[metalmacguyver]

4.10 or 3.73 or 3.45 or 3.27 or 3.08 are all numbers that refer to the gear ratio. the difference between them is the number of teeth on each ring and pinion.

since you have a 2WD, you dont have to worry as much about getting the same gear ratio. you can get a different one if you want to. it makes no difference when bolting it in.

as far as identifying the gear ratios, the little tag thats on one of the diff cover bolts is a very reliable means of ID as long as you can read it. door codes are generally a safe bet too unless you can see that obviously some other modifications were done to the truck. 99% of trucks out there in the junkyard have the stock axles in them.

 

[bottledgt]

the tag works usually, but someone may have changed it also. i have seen this many times

 

[bmxnick7]

thanks guys

 

[4x4junkie]

Your speedometer may need to be recalibrated if you use a different gear ratio though (5 minutes to swap the speedo gear in the transmission tailhousing).

I'd check to see what ratio you have now. If it's 3.08 by chance, swapping up to a 3.55 (or 4.10 if you have bigger tires on it) would be nothing but good for your truck (better power, AND better MPG, too. 3.08 is too dang tall for anything with an overdrive transmission).

 

[bmxnick7]

yes i do have 3.08 gears, and i recently put 235/70/16, on it instead of 225/70/14, it does seem a little slugish in od on the high way,, and my axle code is a 92

 

[JFA_Spyderman]

yes i do have 3.08 gears, and i recently put 235/70/16, on it instead of 225/70/14, it does seem a little slugish in od on the high way,, and my axle code is a 92

Yo,
In that case, any 8.8 axle with a lower (numerically higher) gear ratio will be an improvement. I assume that because you have the 8.8 that you want to swap in another 8.8. A 7.5 will bolt in, however it is not rated to the same towing/hauling/horsepower that your 4.0 is designed for.

 

[bmxnick7]

yes i am looking in to 3.73 gears and a l/s