front carrier replacement question

French-connection · Dec 22, 2017

Hi.

I need to replace my front carrier since my ring and pinion are bad.
I got my hands on an axle that seems to be missing the inner shaft on the passenger side, including the bearing.
https://ibb.co/gUnvn6

Does this look right? Could I just use the shaft and bearing, or new bearing from my carrier assembly and install it?
The housing seems to be the correct shape and I don't know if there was a version with removable axle shaft.
Am I missing something?

Thanks,
Olivier

adsm08 · Dec 22, 2017

Why do you need to replace the carrier if the ring and pinion are bad? Can't you replace the ring and pinion that are bad instead of a different part that isnt'?

The missing stub shaft from your picture commonly comes out with the CV shaft. There isn't much but pressure that holds it in the axle when everything else is put together.

French-connection · Dec 22, 2017

Thanks for your reply.

It's just cheaper and easier to replace the carrier assembly than trying to get new gears and install them.
Setting wear pattern, backlash and pre-load is a pain.
Or is it not as difficult as in a 8.8?

So you're saying that it would be pretty easy to remove my intermediate shaft and install it into this assembly?

Thanks again for your input.
You're helping me a lot.

4x4junkie · Dec 22, 2017

adsm08 said:
Why do you need to replace the carrier if the ring and pinion are bad? Can't you replace the ring and pinion that are bad instead of a different part that isnt'?

I suspect the OP is using the terms 'carrier' and 'housing' interchangeably, so probably means the housing (the 'carrier' is the rotating piece the ring gear bolts onto). Indeed it is easier to replace the whole housing than to set up a new set of gears in an existing housing.

As long as both housings are the same (no CAD, etc.), you should be able to swap the axle shafts from yours no problem.

pjtoledo · Dec 22, 2017

it appears the bearing is still in the pass side tube, it's a needle bearing. some years have a plastic bushing instead of the bearing. there's been a few threads about it lately.

French-connection · Dec 23, 2017

4x4junkie is correct.
I’m talking about the entire axle housing with diff carrier inside.
One question regard to your comment.
What in the housings could be different if they’re from different manufacturing dates?
Apart very obvious visual differences.
Are all SLAs equal?

Thanks

pjtoledo · Dec 23, 2017

the housings are all the same. somewhere in the mid 200x range ford used plastic bushings instead of bearings on both sides where the inner CVs go.
the bushings vs bearings are supposedly interchangeable.

go down a few posts to "bushing change to bearing"

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174459

4x4junkie · Dec 23, 2017

There's also the CAD (Center Axle Disconnect) housings used on some Explorers ('95 & '96 I believe). However these are visually different so you shouldn't have to worry much about those.

front carrier replacement question

French-connection

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