whats up with this?

[DesertStorm]

I was changing my axle seals today and found something very odd. I have an 8.8" axle but the 8.8" seals did not fit. The 7.5" seals were the correct seals. 93 4.0L truck. Strange. I even measured the ring gear to verify that I was not crazy. It measures out to be an 8.8" carrier. Any thoughts?

 

[Hahnsb2]

The 28 and 31 spline versions have different seals. The 28 necks down at the end and the 31 doesn't so the 31 spline seals are bigger. The 28 uses the same shafts as the 7.5 so it would make sense the 7.5 seal is the same...

 

[DesertStorm]

The 28 and 31 spline versions have different seals. The 28 necks down at the end and the 31 doesn't so the 31 spline seals are bigger. The 28 uses the same shafts as the 7.5 so it would make sense the 7.5 seal is the same...

Thank you very much, I understand now!

 

[Hahnsb2]

Glad to be of service

 

[4x4junkie]

I was changing my axle seals today and found something very odd. I have an 8.8" axle but the 8.8" seals did not fit. The 7.5" seals were the correct seals. 93 4.0L truck. Strange. I even measured the ring gear to verify that I was not crazy. It measures out to be an 8.8" carrier. Any thoughts?

You've simply become another victim of the stupid idiots who programmed the computers at your local autoparts chain store.

You have to lie to the dude punching it into the computer by saying you need seals (or wheelbearings) for a same-year 7.5" axle to get the correct parts (sounds like you got it figured out).

Another one is where they ask you the gear ratio on your '91-'97 4x4 truck when asking for front brake/hub parts. Tell them 3.27, 3.55, 3.73, or 4.10 (take your pick), just don't tell then 3.45 (even if you have that ratio), or you'll be given '83-'89 parts

 

[NcRanger]

haha that sounds about right... i always had a time gettin stuff for my EARLY 93 ranger... aparently they changed the motor or pullys later in 93... so i could never by 93 belts? owell 92 always worked

 

[MAKG]

4x4, 3.45 wasn't an available gear ratio for Dana 35s.

 

[metalmacguyver]

yeah that got me too. after i got home and found that they were to big, the light dawned on marblehead here. i knew about the problem but forgot about it when i went to get the parts.

 

[4x4junkie]

4x4, 3.45 wasn't an available gear ratio for Dana 35s.

Correct... which is why they developed the "hybrid" D28/35 axle, as 3.55 (for the D35) conflicted with what was available for the rear 7.5" axle.

The fact that this axle has a different center chunk had absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the axle's brake parts (or ANY part at all on it outside of the chunk itself (and it's internals) and the two shafts that enter into it).

The rotors/bearings/spindles/hubs/etc. that the parts store computers tell you to use will not fit a '91-'97 truck even if it has this hybrid axle.