Differential help!!!

[nathanielstewart]

I have a 94 ranger 2.3l xlt and was in the process of upgrading a ring and pinion with an overhaul kit.I thought I had a ford 7.5 but turns out i have a ford 8.8 the truck was bone stock when i got it so my question is what is the spline count and if it is 28 spline like in the 4.0 what spline count parts should i order all i can find is 30 in the desired ratio.

 

[adsm08]

The spline count shouldn't matter for the ring and pinion.

Anyway, if you are sure it's stock then it's the 28 spline, but an 8.8 is very rare to find in 4-cyl 2wd.

 

[Captain Ledd]

I have heard of them with some sort of special order towing package (yes, technically offered on 4 cylinder trucks). I bought some doors off a 3rd Gen 2wd Ranger that had a 4 cyl and an 8.8 factory (supposedly), it didn't run but it did have an 8.8 out back, I checked.

Measuring the circumference of the axle tubes (the long straight section, not where it necks down, just to be clear):

28 spline 8.8 - 8.794" (just shy of 13/16 I think, 25/32" is closer) 2.80" diameter
31 spline 8.8 - 10.208" (Just over 3/16" or just shy of 7/32") 3.25" Diameter

Either way, it's a noticeable difference, don't need to be quite that accurate lol.