Really dumb question

[Ramcharger90]

So I pulled the 8.8 out of my parts truck mountaineer (bad trans only works in reverse) and Im gonna put the 7.5 junk rear from my ranger in up side down in the so i can move it around easily on and off my trailer. Here is the really dumb part and I should know better but ill ask it any way.... lol would reverse become a forward gear since the pinion and ring are moving the other direction in reverse or is it just gonna grenade? Lol figure I would throw it out there.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Thats not a dumb question.

Actually a really good question.

It wont grenade the rear end i know that.

But im thinking reverse should still make you go bsckwards because the ring and pinion just spin whstever way the driveshaft wants it to spin.


You might bind a u joint though with thr yoke in a weird position.

 

[Curious Hound]

Yeah. Pinion angles will be all screwed up and the fill plug and vent fittings will be on the bottom instead of the top. If you just need it under there so you can push or pull the vehicle around the yard, then just don't connect the drive shaft.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Think of it as an airplane propeller; if the driveshaft is stationary the axle will rotate. if you stop the rotation with the axle upside down, it is still going in the same direction. You would also have to weld in new spring perches or it will become a spring under and you will lose about 4" of height, or make an adapter. Oiling might be a problem if the ring gear isn't sitting in an oil bath like usual. For pushing around the yard it will be fine.

 

[Ramcharger90]

I figured the angle would be way off but I kinda wanna try it whats the worst thats going to happen ill break something going to the junk yard after the engine and harness is out lol ill have to YouTube it lol

 

[Ramcharger90]

Think of it as an airplane propeller; if the driveshaft is stationary the axle will rotate. if you stop the rotation with the axle upside down, it is still going in the same direction. You would also have to weld in new spring perches or it will become a spring under and you will lose about 4" of height, or make an adapter. Oiling might be a problem if the ring gear isn't sitting in an oil bath like usual. For pushing around the yard it will be fine.

Oh it just a pile of scrap after im done with it but it would have been hilarious if it would work the engine purs like a kitten but it would be a part out then scrap heap after its all out.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, turning the axle over shouldn't make it go backwards, because the pinion is still spinning in the same direction.

For an example of what is happening in this thought experiment take a ratchet, put an extension on it, and hold it by the extension, so that the handle point straight up to 12:00. Turn the ratchet to the left a few times.

Now flip it so the handle points straight down to 6:00 and do the same. Nothing changed.

 

[4x4junkie]

It will go the opposite direction if you flip it because the ring gear will now be on the opposite side of the pinion gear.
But yeah, forget about any lubrication (all the oil is now in the "top" of the housing)... It'll grenade in short order if you try to drive it much distance that way.

 

[scotts90ranger]

back in the "Junkyard Wars" days (back when reality TV had some educational content unlike today "I can't stop eating glass" or whatever Jersey Shore is or whatever is on anymore...) they were making dragsters, one of them lost forward gears in the transmission so they flipped the axle to get it to drive forward...

 

[Uncle Gump]

What 4x4junkie said...

I learned this long ago building VW transaxles.... When we would make buggies mid engine we would have flip the diff to make the forward gears move the vehicle forward.

 

[Ramcharger90]

Im gonna try and find time this weekend to put the rear in and ill post it on YouTube for giggles either way it's going in upside down so it wont hurt to put 4 bolts in if the shaft lines up at all

 

[Ramcharger90]

Oh well it was worth an attempted laugh but the pinion hits the shield on the fuel tank and the drive shaft hits that as well couldn't even get the bolts in but it look funny.

 

[Curious Hound]

obviously not enough lift.