I have a 2002 ford ranger edge and i have to drive it everyday and was going to go to junk yard and pick up a 7.5 rear end and rebult it so when i lift it it will be ready to stick under it and wont have to waste money and let someone else do it. Does anyone know a good website with directions on how to do it. thanks

 

"Building" a 7.5 is like sugar coating a turd. You're wasting your money if you're putting it into a 7.5. Ring and pinion are just the start, they are too small..

 

yes ditch that 7.5 and hop on a 8.8 and build that.. u'll be much happier

 

8.8 Ftw.

I found my 8.8 off another ranger and it bolted right up, the 7.5's are ca ca.

 

Why does everyone bash the 7.5? I admit if you are getting another axle and can get an 8.8 for the same price as a 7.5 sure go for it, but the 7.5 is actually quite a strong axle. I blew apart my lock-right locker in my 7.5 and the axle is still perfectly fine. I threw the spiders back in it and continued to drive it until I got my lock-right warrantied and then swapped that back into the axle and am still beating the **** out of it daily. What I find to be crappiest part of them are the drum brakes which, as most of you know, the 8.8 has the same crappy drum brakes.

Hell the 7.5 and 8.8 axle shafts are completely interchangeable and the axle tubes and bearings are the same size also. Yes the ring and pinion are smaller on a 7.5 but show me someone who has damaged them without first blowing up the spider gears or the carrier causing the R&P to be damaged by the already broken parts bombing around in the diff.

 

If he's going to the JY to pick up an axle, why not go with the 8.8?

It's like the D35 in Jeeps, you can "build" it all you want, but in the end you still have the small R&P, thin tubes, etc. Why put money into it? Not saying it's a "bad" axle for some, just saying there is no point in putting money into it.

 

The 7.5 was the cheapest thing they did to the rangers to make the streetable.

Get a 8.8 and build it.

You WILL break that 7.5.

 

will any 8.8 axle bolt right up or will only the ones out of rangers

 

rangers/exploders.

 

ONLY the ranger 8.8 will bolt up. the explorers require you to weld on spring perches and shock mounts along with setting up the brake lines and the e-brake cables.

 

well does anyone know if anyone makes a ring and pinion lower than 5.13 for the 7.5 cause i am going to at least put 38'' tires on but want to try to get 39'' under but need a lower gear than 5.13. I would just like to keep the 7.5.

 

As far as I was under the impression of... 4.56 was as low as you could go with the ranger 7.5...

If so, I wouldn't go any lower than that... they're only a 28spline axle... They're weak man.

Honestly if you're going to invest into some 38's or 39's... You better be able to fork out the cash for a built axle setup... 38's+ aren't light, and they're way hard on any tranny and axle.

If I were doing this in a truck like you're puttin it in.. I'd go with the 31spline disc brake expo rear.

But if you want to be cheap and blow axles left and right with 38's+... Be my guest... Build that 7.5... It's like sugar coating a dog terd.

 

please please please ben get an 8.8, if your going to run 39s! get a 8.8

 

You're going to need more than a Ex axle for those tires....

 

does anyone know who has a 8.8 ford sale out of an ranger

 

i just say a fourm for a dude swaping out a explorer axle on a ford ranger and it just bolted right up he didnt have to do anything really

 

It does bolt up with some work..

New spring perchs, new shock tabs and brake lines are a lil different from the disc brake rear instead of the drum.

Check your local craigslist. That's your best bet. Shipping from anyone on here would be stupid high, so check locally.

 

will the shock tabs and spring perchs from the 7.5 fit on the 8.8

 

should i get a ranger 8.8 28 spline axle or would it be better to get 8.8 explorer 31 spline axle. cause the ranger one would just bolt up.

 

The 31 spline is stronger. If your going to try and run the tires you say you are then you need all the strength you can get. On that note you might want bigger than a 8.8 for that size tire.

You will need new spring perches for sure.

 

yes, the only way the explorer will "bolt up" is if you run it spring under thus LOWERING the truck a good bit. If you want to run an explorer axle you WILL have to weld on the spring perches and shock tabs.

 

Ehh, if you're really good with a plas... you can use the stock perches... I would just get new ones, spend the money..

I sure hope you don't plan on going cheap if you're running 40's man... Please do it right the first time! Save yourself money in the end!

I too would say get a d60 for your rear, but if you plan on keeping the same track width, you won't find much else out there... Unless you plan on narrowing a d60 (Which IMO would be what I would do, if it were me)

 

i am going to just pull one out of a ranger cause i can't weld the perches on or shock mounts.

 

Just make sure it's a 4wd 8.8... If I recall, they didn't put the 8.8 in anything but the 4wd's... 2wd's had the 7.5.. Like you have

 

4.0L 2wds have the 8.8 also. It is really easy to tell the difference of 7.5 to 8.8 just by the size of them and looking at them. The ranger 8.8 will only gain you a larger ring and pinion and a mildly stronger carrier. If you really want to spend some money and make an 8.8 stronger you can use a full detroit carrier locker and alloy 28-spline axle shafts. This should get you a somewhat decent axle if youre gentle with tires in the 40" range.

I personally wouldn't have an issue running 35s even on a 7.5 with a locker so the spiders are gone, the only reason I'll go to an 8.8 is to get the 31-spline axles from an explorer and the stronger 5.13 gears (the pinion gets really small on a 7.5 5.13 gear set) and for the ability to run a no-slip locker which they dont make for the 7.5