Need a diff- please advise.

[exigent]

I have a 98 2.5 5spd with the 7.5 3.73 gear and it shot itself to pieces today. I posted once before about wanting to upgrade to a lsd and you guys provided some good options. Problem is now the diff is shot and I have to do something tomorrow. Budget is rather limited... The cross pin inside the diff sheared off on one side. Strangely enough, I was able to make the 20 mile drive home after this happened. I couldn't believe my luck when I removed the cover and saw the pin chewed up.

Anyways, I see I can get a traction loc for about $200 on ebay. I am also pursueing an explorer 8.8 with same gears and disc brakes... for $200 also. I understand the process needed to fit the 8.8.

I know my way around the garage, I've rebuilt motors and transmissions manual and auto. I have some good measuring tools and the like... I simply have never rebuilt a rear end. I know nothing of setting backlash pinion depth and whatever else Ive read about today. That said, given good instructions I can do the job. I have a press if needed(?) and I cant imagine its much more difficult then a 5spd rebuild... but Id apreciate some advice. Should I just get the explorer axle or should I go the traction loc route. I don't off road the truck at all. It is used for utility work (high miles, LOTS of stop and go). I live in MI and the snow last year got me stuck too many times. Given those two options what do you guys think I should do. Or perhaps a third option. Either way if there is a guide to installing a new complete diff could you please post the link?

 

[Shran]

Personally I'd grab the explorer 8.8, convert it to spring over, and drop it in. At the same time, rebuild the limited slip.

You'll have a much better axle in the end and disk brakes. Just my opinion.

 

[crbnunit]

Yea, don't bother with a rebuild. $200 is pretty reasonable for an 8.8 and it is stronger than the 7.5. Not to mention the brake upgrade. Do rebuild the limites slip before you put it in. Should help with those winter stucks.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I pulled the shafts and carrier out of mine to check the carrier bearings out, they were fine with 90k on them. I went ahead and stuck new seals in it while I was there.

 

[exigent]

Okay im picking up the 8,8 tonight. I have some questions though. Will the speedo sender still work? I've decided to buy my perches and shock mounts.... I cant for the life of me get the shock mounts off the old axle. The weld goes all the way through! I guess they weren't going to come off! Do you guys have an internet source for the mounts?

Do you guys have a source for the LSD rebuild kit?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

DO NOT MOUNT IT UPSIDE DOWN

If you do you will have 4/5 reverse speeds and one forward. not a good thing unless you run in a demo derby.

You will need to weld new spring pads and shock mounts onto the Explorer axle, the speed senser that is on the top of it should work fine with yours.

Explanation here:
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Explorer8_8.html

I think my clutch rebuild kit was about $80-$90.

Summit racing has new pads that you can tickle with a grinder to fit the 8.8 for $122/pair. They are for 3" tubes and require minimal grinding to fit the 3.25" axle tubes on a 8.8.

If it has disk brakes you will need to do some playing with the lines, I can post some pics of what I plan on doing if you need them.

 

[exigent]

wow you caught me! I actually edited the post before you wrote it all the way up though! I realized a few minutes later how stupid that was. I had a brain fart and thought it was going to be upside down for a moment.

Anyways... picked up the axle tonight. Looks great. I will tear into it tomorrow. I bought these http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/simple-spline-p-186.html as they are advertised to be a direct fit. Not that I can't grind but this kit comes with everything I need. I can weld, but I don't fully trust my welding ability for a job like this. I will tack the brackets in place and take them to a guy I know to be done *right*.

I also found out today I need leaf springs... the two middle leafs are completely broken in half on one side . On the other side they are actually broken and half is missing! I'm going to guess that these missing allowed the diff to rotate up and down quite a bit... likely caused my failure if I had to guess. I'm surprised the u-joints weren't wrecked too.... but they are fine.

Anyways, I'm on my way. Just need to find a LSD rebuild kit.

 

[crbnunit]

Be sure you have everything good and square and your pinion angle correct when you tack the new brackets on there. The levels that have a 360 degree scale on them are indispensible. You are not going to drive it with the brackets just tacked... Right? I ask because I know someone that did and regretted it at the first stop!

Yes, the speedo sensor will be just fine. If the gear ration is the same, the spedo will read the same. I bought an LS rebuild kit off of evilbay a few years back. It was cheap, like $35 and worked just fine till I pulled the axle and installed a locker.

 

[LittleBigFoot]

You can weld the perches yourself. Just make sure to do one side of one, and then one side of the other, and then the other side of the first, and then the other side of the second. Keeps the axle tubes from warping.

If you want to run some ghetto-fab shock mounts:
Get some square tube, maybe 1.5" with a decent wall.
Cut two pieces down to maybe 3" or what ever.
Grind the bottoms to fit the axle tube
Drill a hole and weld a bolt through. (A bolt long enough you have a few inches of thred haning out one side of the tube)
Run the shock off the bolt and retain it
It's the same system as the upper shock mounts, but cheap as hell.

Mine have held up through tons of abuse, but they look like shit.

 

[exigent]

You are not going to drive it with the brackets just tacked... Right?

Wow... umm... no. I'm scared I can't do a good job on the welds. I'm certainly not going to drive it until they are welded VERY good. I was going to just take the axle to my guy.

I may try to weld them I don't know... I can usually weld thicker material fairly well. I don't have a mig, I have an old school 220v stick welder AC only. It can weld 3/4" plate but it's pretty fricken far from easy to use. I can weld like a madman with a gas shrouded mig... I just cant afford to buy a good one. I have a buddy with a 110v flux wire welder... on max it can only throw about a 3/16" bead. I see the welds on the stock perches are about 5/16 to 3/8 wide. I know my stick can do it but I don't want to heat it up too much. A stick welder tends to make the part VERY hot. Id have to weld like an inch at a time.

I like your idea for the shock mounts. I would have tried that but I already ordered that neeto kit in my post above.

I tore down the 8.8 today. Looks beautiful. Very low miles. The e-brake shoes and hardware were shot from sitting to long. I had to beat the discs off with a dead blow because the e brake pads were seized to the disc. All the hardware was wasted. I love Autozone, 25 bucks for all new hardware on both sides. Shoes only 17. Pads were $22. I'm really going to enjoy having disc brakes. I *hate* drum brakes.... A LOT! My ebrake only worked about 70% before... It will be nice to have a good ebrake finally. My other vehicle is a 02 mountaineer. I plan on harvesting the ebrake cables I need from her vehicle LOL... Its an auto... she doesn't need it Realistically I will likely replace them once I know for sure they will work on my truck. I have read that it's not a strait bolt on so I will post my solution here later. I can already see a good way to solve the brake line issue. I will post that here as well.