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Looking for advice


heavy breather

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I am new to the forum, so I hope I am asking in the right area.

I just picked up a 4X4 2003 xtra cab xlt with a 4.0 and a standard trans.

I am pretty sure I will need to replace the front drive shaft soon. I checked Tom Woods, and they have a double cardan for a little less than what I can get an OE style shaft for. Is there a better option, or is that about the best option?

Second, I have a 8.8 rear end, I want to find a selectable locker for the rear. Whats the best bang for your buck on a locker? Also, I am assuming that I have the 28 spline axle shafts, I am running 265/75/16's. Am I asking a lot of those shafts, or should I plan on upgrading to a set of 31 spline shafts when I do the locker?



Third, my front diff is leaking from the diff cover and the pinion seal. It looks an awful lot like I am going to have to drop the front diff for this service, am I right? Or can the front cover be re sealed without dropping the whole diff?

Thanks for any input
 


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265/75/16 is a bigger tire, but I doubt you will strip an axle. If you are thinking about upgrading anything inside though get a 31-spline anyway, better part selection.

I would get a double cardan shaft over a CV style, just stronger.

Replace your front pinion seal, clean the diff off good, and see if it is actually leaking at the cover. The way those diffs are a pinion leak can run down the bottom and look like the cover is leaking too.
 

heavy breather

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I just bought the truck a few weeks ago, and I have no idea if any one has ever serviced the diff, so I want to change the fluid regardless. And the seepage is up kinda high on the front cover, so I am fairly certain its leaking, not bad, but still leaking.

Unless someone can point me in the direction of a better shaft than a Tom Woods, I am going with it. It is cheaper and better than the factory option. I just don't know enough about Rangers to know if there is a better option than the Tom Woods.
 

Shran

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I assume you have the CV style thing on the t-case end? You can get rebuild kits for those, FYI. Nothing real complicated and they seem to be fairly stout. You just remove the old ball/cage assembly and add a new one and put it back together... very easy. Don't buy a whole new driveshaft before you explore this option.

BTW CV and double cardan are used interchangeably in the driveshaft world, it's confusing, but the ball/cage design is a CV joint, the "double cardan" with two u-joints is ALSO a CV joint, but the ball/cage is NOT double cardan. Make sense? :)

As far as lockers, I don't know what's out there for 28 spline selectable. OX makes one, otherwise, not much probably. 31 spline gives you a LOT more options, ARB is probably the most popular selectable.
 

don4331

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Starting at front:

Note: The axles from diff to wheel are ball and cage CV joints.

I'm not sure if you are looking at Tom's std double cardan drive shaft or if he has quoted you for a Ranger one. If you replace the front driveshaft, with a double cardan one, you need the specific end for the BW1354 - specific = more expensive than a std driveshaft.

The cheaper solution is get an Explorer double cardan driveshaft, the specific end, replace the 3 u-joints and install. (Was my solution for Superlift, but works stock too).

Alternative, you can get the BW1350 front u-joint (harder to find) and replace the CV (ball and cage) front output. Then the Explorer shaft is a bolt in (I would still recommend replacing u-joints 1st).

I've dropped the front diff 2 times: to replace the 3.73s with 4.10s, and for the Superlift. A lift and 2 people would make it easy; with just ramps and by myself, there was a little seepage onto the driveway. 3 bolts hold it in, remove driveshaft, breather tube. The PIA part is you have to undo the knuckles to get the shafts out, and you can't drive the truck until the axle is back in (unit bearings aren't guaranteed to stay together without axle in place and tight - at least that is what I was told and I have no intention of finding out if wheel will fall off or not.)

For the rear; the Explorer (and late Ranger) 31 spline axles have larger wheel bearings than the 28 spline axles. So, your 31 spline Ranger axles would be a custom order. Not seriously more money, but not stock either.
 

heavy breather

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I have noticed that the OX seems to be about the best option for a 28 spline. I am thinking that unless the 28 spline is notoriously week, I think I would be money and time ahead if I just went with the OX and did not upgrade to 31 splines. The 265/75/16's are the biggest tires I am going to run.

I just don't know enough about rangers and the 8.8 rear axle to know if the 28 splines will be strong enough for my needs. I don't plan on being over abusive, and like I said, the 265/75/16 is the largest tire I want to run.
 

heavy breather

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Starting at front:

Note: The axles from diff to wheel are ball and cage CV joints.

I'm not sure if you are looking at Tom's std double cardan drive shaft or if he has quoted you for a Ranger one. If you replace the front driveshaft, with a double cardan one, you need the specific end for the BW1354 - specific = more expensive than a std driveshaft.

The cheaper solution is get an Explorer double cardan driveshaft, the specific end, replace the 3 u-joints and install. (Was my solution for Superlift, but works stock too).

Alternative, you can get the BW1350 front u-joint (harder to find) and replace the CV (ball and cage) front output. Then the Explorer shaft is a bolt in (I would still recommend replacing u-joints 1st).

I've dropped the front diff 2 times: to replace the 3.73s with 4.10s, and for the Superlift. A lift and 2 people would make it easy; with just ramps and by myself, there was a little seepage onto the driveway. 3 bolts hold it in, remove driveshaft, breather tube. The PIA part is you have to undo the knuckles to get the shafts out, and you can't drive the truck until the axle is back in (unit bearings aren't guaranteed to stay together without axle in place and tight - at least that is what I was told and I have no intention of finding out if wheel will fall off or not.)

For the rear; the Explorer (and late Ranger) 31 spline axles have larger wheel bearings than the 28 spline axles. So, your 31 spline Ranger axles would be a custom order. Not seriously more money, but not stock either.
FIRST OFF, THANKS FOR ALL THE REPLIES SO FAR. I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND KNOWLEDGE YOU ALL HAVE.

I called Tom Woods yesterday and they quoted me about $410.00 for the double cardan front drive shaft. So far it looks like I am going to go that rout.

And you would be correct, no driving without at least a stub shaft to hold the unit bearings together, they give up pretty quick if you don't have something in there. I was hoping someone would come back and say something to the effect that they had just undid the bolts that hold the diff up and that gave them enough room to pull the diff hat and re seal it.

I already have 4:10 gears and so far with the bigger tires, it seems adequate for my needs, although I have not put a trailer behind it with the new tires yet. If I re gear to 4:56's I think I will switch over to 31 spline shafts, I will be 1/2 way there any way. But I don't want to re gear or change shafts if I don't have to.

I am fairly mechanically inclined, I have worked on cars my whole life, if I had the patience for it, I could probably be a master tech by now. But I loose my temper to quick with cars so I don't turn wrenches for a living. but I don't mind doing fun stuff to cars and trucks so long as its not a job. So doing most of the work wont really be an issue, I have all the right tools, and my work has a lift I can use almost any time I want, sometimes even while working.

My biggest issue, is I just don't know enough about Rangers and their weakness to make educated decisions. I don't even really know of all their weakness. I just know they are the next best thing to a Toyota.
 
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Shran

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Dang... $410... rebuild kit for the CV is $50, a new Spicer front u-joint is $10... spendy

I doubt you're going to do anything in that truck, with that size tire, that will break a 28 spline shaft. Back in the day there were guys here running 33's, 35's, etc with welded 7.5's. But. I think it's a waste of money to put a really cool locker in a mediocre axle when a much better axle is readily available, inexpensive, and pretty easy to install.

I should mention that ALL of the selectable lockers out there, OX included, are full carrier lockers which require you to set up your gears... there is no time like the present, plus if you buy a 28 spline locker, you're stuck with it.. it's not like you can just swap out spider gears, you have to buy a whole new 31 spline locker and do gear setup a 3rd time if you upgrade.
 
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heavy breather

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Dang... $410... rebuild kit for the CV is $50, a new Spicer front u-joint is $10... spendy

I doubt you're going to do anything in that truck, with that size tire, that will break a 28 spline shaft. Back in the day there were guys here running 33's, 35's, etc with welded 7.5's. But. I think it's a waste of money to put a really cool locker in a mediocre axle when a much better axle is readily available, inexpensive, and pretty easy to install.

I should mention that ALL of the selectable lockers out there, OX included, are full carrier lockers which require you to set up your gears... there is no time like the present, plus if you buy a 28 spline locker, you're stuck with it.. it's not like you can just swap out spider gears, you have to buy a whole new 31 spline locker and do gear setup a 3rd time if you upgrade.
That's part of it, I don't want to spend $900 bucks on a 28 spline locker to be sorry that I did not up grade to 31 splines. And I am not sure I am going to be happy with 4:10 gears, so far it does not seem to bad, but I plan on pulling a small trailer with one or two 4 wheelers. Again, I don't want to find out to late that I also should have re geard to 4:56's.

So I have to ask, can I put the 31 spline axle and carrier in my current axle housing, or do I need to source a complete set up? I believe the axle out of the explorer is a 31 spline, is that a direct bolt in?
 

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I think you'll be fine with 4.10's... I tow quite often with my 4 cylinder Ranger and my Explorer, both are on 30" tall tires and have 3.73 gears. 4.10's would be even better in both rigs, I don't think I'd want to be any deeper though, I would lose either gas mileage on the highway or top speed.

You need a complete 31 spline rear axle. This can come from certain Rangers (FX4 package, I believe? Someone will chime in about this) or Explorer... but the Explorer axle is NOT bolt in, there is cutting and welding and fabrication required although it's pretty easy stuff.
 

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heavy breather

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Looks like there is a lot of info in the axle section.
 

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