rear diff q's

[slinky]

im about to do a 302 build and swap it into my 91 2 wheel drive ranger with a borg/warner 5 speed and im curious if the rear end will hold up? iv herd a lot of bad things about factory ranger rear ends, and i would like to have a lil lower gearing "4:10" and a new gear cluster "posi"...but i REALLY dont want to get a custom 9 inch...thats just to much for me.


any sugestions?

 

[Gotta_gofast]

Do you have the 7.5" or 8.8" rear? The 28 spline 8.8" should be plenty unless you are looking at 350+hp.

I ran a 7.5" with 3.45s open when I was breaking in my small block. After a month or so I replaced it with an explorer 8.8" (31 spline) with 4.30:1. I found the factory tires and open rear with the 3.45s helped during the break in because I could keep lower rpm and when I was still workin out all the bugs but I wouldn't trust it very long behind a v8. I've heard arguements both ways, but ford engineers know a lot more than me and if they felt that a 4.0L V6 in rangers was too much torque for a 7.5" (hence the 28 spline 8.8) then one could only assume a 7.5" is not going to be sufficient.

 

[slinky]

true. its got a 8.8 in it, old owner swapped rear ends. thats a good tip for break in, thanks. so i should go out and try to find a 31 spline 8.8 from an explorer? do any of those rear ends have disk breaks? couse i would LOVE to convert mine while im aleady there ya know?

iv herd of people making mustang 5.0 rear ends work under 2wheel rangers? anyone try that one out yet?...seems like it would be a good idea since that rearend is build to withstand v8 torture

 

[Mutant Pony]

My thunderbird, 5.0, lx came from the factory with a 7.5. The 5.0 mustangs came with either a 7.5 or 28 spline 8.8s.
There are Explorers with disc brakes. That would be your best choice.

 

[slinky]

My thunderbird, 5.0, lx came from the factory with a 7.5. The 5.0 mustangs came with either a 7.5 or 28 spline 8.8s.
There are Explorers with disc brakes. That would be your best choice.

great, thanks for your help

 

[Gotta_gofast]

If you have an 8.8" under the truck, focus your time and money on the swap, get it going and work out all the tiny problems. The rear end you have now will be enough. Then, after you've got everything good and your about to put your tools away, switch the axle. The '95+ explorers have discs. I would steer clear of mustang rear ends, because you will end up putting as much money in them as you would a 9" (as in shortening the axle tubes, converting coil suspension to leaf, 5 lug conversion...) I was originally going to go with a 9" but its not worth the extra weight for my application. The 31 spline is excellent for 400rwhp with slicks. And if you need more strength, it is very easy to build one to handle double that.