hey im new to this whole rear differential thing with trucks, i used to work on sport compacts so this is a whole new world to me (drive trains arent my strong point any ways). just looking for some clear answers on a few things. i have a 04 ranger 4x4.. now i know its not real 4x4 cause it has an open rearend (please at any time some one correct me if im wrong) and im sure when in "4x4" the front power is mostlikly split somthing like 70/30 or somthing.. now my questions are.. what is the best way to make the rear diff LSD.. and how do you make the front 50/50? also if the diff in the back is an 8.8 then is the diff in the front an 8.8? cause if you change the gears in the back then you have to do the same in the front, so would you buy the same gears? also if switching to a 8.8 lsd what would you recomend? i noticed that ford sells them but i am confused if the 8.8 in the ranger is a 28 spline or a 31 spline. if some one could just clear things up for me hear that would be great.. or just tell me how to make the rearend lsd and if i would need to change my gears (honestly i dont see a problem with 3.55 gears but im sure 3.75's would be a bit more torquyer for me). please chime in

 

ok first on the splines.. unless you have a FX4 Level II ranger you have 28 spline.. level II rangers came with a stronger axle.. which is 31 spline. its the # of "teeth" you could say on the axle.

next yes if you change the rear gears you have to change the front accordingly

now 90% of the time 4.0L 4x4 trucks came with 4.10 L/S rear ends.. go outside to your truck to the door jam and get the axle code off it.. we can tell ya what you have..

for the front to get 50/50 to each wheel pretty much your only way is a locker..

 

now is a locker going to do the same thing as if i where too weld the rearend? or is a "locker" the brand name of some diff i can swap it with.. cause if i lock it like i think your talking about how am i going to make a turn at 30mph in 4x4? dont i need the inside tire to spin faster and outside to spin slower visa versa?.. ill check the code tomorow.. thanx for all the help you really did clear some things up.. please anyone else please jot down some general knowldge about the drivetrain..

also when you say the level 2's have beefyer axles im assuming in the front?

 

oh yeah one more thing the reason why i dont think i have an lsd is cause when i do a break stand i only get one tire fire.. lol.. the passenger side one spins never the drivers side.. except today i did try out the 4x4 in the snow and noticed right after i poped it out of 4x4 my drivers side rear tire spun when i took off.. so your saying it is posible i may have a lsd already.. hmm i hope so.

now my srt4 had an LSD and i always left 2 strips.. this is why i beleave my rearend is open..

screw it im going to check the code now..

another q is... would it be better to switch to manual hubs?

 

ok axle code is 97

edit* searched the code and it looks like Open 8.8 w/ 4.10 ratio (common on 2wd 4 cylinder).. wtf.. i mean cool i have 4.10's but that sucks its open.. so tell me what i need to do to make it LSD, i looked at the exsplorer axle swap but i dont think it will work now cause i have 4.10 gears..

 

no locker is just that as you said it locks the front end.. yes its not recommended for street driving..

no rear axle.. stronger trans too.. and class 1 torsion bars in front usually...


there is no manual hubs for live axle trucks.. you could convert over to 98-Mid 00 PVH ranger's but that takes swaping out part of the front suspension, there is a thread on it if you want to read up on it.. the 98-mid 00 have manual hub conversion...

ok first yes you have a 8.8 4.10 non L/S

second you could do a explorer axle swap but no need..

alot of guys do two things

1) find a 28 spline stock L/S unit on ebay and swap it out usually can get it for under $50... i got mine that cheap..

2) go with a Eaton Posi unit.. tons of threads on this one

 

everything you learned from sport compact stupid stuff, reverse it all, the front of a ranger is weak, stupid, weak, stupid (when pretty heavily modified, stock form its fine) and if you plan on putting a bazillion HP down your going to want more than stock front or rear... end of story


why do you want a front locker and rear LS?
what do you have planned?
what do you have done?


i just read some of the thread, my lockers setup wrong and i only have troubles with it at slow speeds on solid surfaces... if your goin over 10-15, i dont notice the locker, except it want to pull to center HARD

if its setup right, in 2wd you shouldn't notice it, im not sure how its supposed to feel when its got power going to it since mines "Setup wrong"

 

Leave it open. L/S is essentially a nicer way of saying still acts like an open diff.

your gearing is fine. Leave it alone. When you do to the front, do to the rear when it comes to changing ratios and such. Now since you have an open 8.8, you have just a regular 4x4 Ranger, no fancy FX4 Lvl2's or what have you.

If you want more traction, look at getting the Ford Traction-Loc L/S. Best for your buck and it's a pretty simple install.

Also, if you're trying to match everything 50/50, you really won't achieve that out of a daily driver. My best advice to you is the Traction-Loc L/S, leave the front alone. Personally for daily driving, I like open a little better.... but thats my opinion.

Another thing, your truck is completly different from the SRT-4, driveline, performance, everything. What you did to the SRT-4 really won't apply except for basic knowlege on how a vehicle works.

 

you must have some shot clutch packs then cause mine will lock up in a sec if you go around corner to hard or get in slippery area...

 

even better...

 

oh you better bet his can lock up
in fact its kinda like my locker, you cant unlock it

mine worked GREAT for doing brake stands
but it has never worked since i got bigger tires and haven't done a burnout...


offroad its as good as a boat anchor in my diff, it SUCKS

 

i have no plans just the usiwal snowing other than that its gota be a DD.. i do have plans however to lift it with a superlift and do the 33" tires and rim deal.. my goal is to pretty much make my truck look like this but with a chrome safari bar.. (my truck is silver btw). as far as why i want it to be real 4x4 is just the added safty honestly tonight was the first night i have ever tryed the 4x4 and the way the truck slides around i was not exspecting it i figured this would be the best way to sorta keep that from happening.. i just dont want to get stuck. i had a 350hp srt4 and got stuck going up a 2degree incline in a dusting of snow (summer tires.. got caught in a storm, car never saw snow) so i kinda want to go ***** to the wall with this 4x4 stuff but want to keep the truck streetable.. and since the LSD did wonders for my srt4 at the track i figured snow traction would be great with a LSD in the rear.. catch my drift?

 

oh yeah and HOLY **** to the pic of that nuked diff.. defently dident see that till after i posted haha that SUCKS!!

 

well on stock and my 32's never had an issue with it... sorry to hear

 

haha, he did that a few weeks ago.. then his bronco tranny gave out, ****ty luck eh?


anyways, if you can deal with a little bit of pulling in the snow i would say go for the locker up front

but if you only intend on using it for street driving dont waste the money on the front end.

 

well compare our trucks and tell me why we may have different things goin down

 

well a l/s will still bite you in the *** with it sliding around if your not careful...

also are you still running the stock tires the goodyears? they pretty much suck all together so ya get new tires before you hate on your truck to much

 

thats why i said on mine haha.. read...

 

ok so scratch the front end lets just worry about the rear being L/S.. if i get this traction-loc from ford or find a stock 28 spline L/S on ebay am i going to need to change the gears or do they have nothing to do with it being L/S or open..

 

agreed unless you plan on it seeing alot of offroad action its not needed

 

un bolt the ring gear from current diff and bolt to new l/s model

 

I hear ya. Couple suggestions for ya for the snow. Throw 2-3 sand bags in the bed OVER the rear axle. That should help it from getting too squirrely in the rear. L/S will be fine for what you're looking to do. My opinion in getting into any serious 4 wheeling, find a beater and build that, and build the Ranger as a mild trail rig.

The difference in price is nice too. The Ford Traction-Loc is $255, a selectable locker is going to run you upwards of $750-900 depending on what one you go with. Best option is the Traction-Loc. Thats actually what I'm putting in mine to replace the detonated Torsion L/S in mine

 

Yep, thats the same diff Ford recalled in early 02 for the Manual FX4's... mine's an Auto. Did the same thing and they refuseto replace it and deny any recall on that


Then, like Matt said, 4 days after that happened, my Bronco's tranny gave up on me. So I'm driving my folk's 93 Exploder with no heat, no 4wd... but it's a manual so I'm having fun!

 

thanx for the help guys your awsome both of you i dident know i would get this much help.. this is great i wish i had this much help when i poped my motor 2 weeks ago.. but thats gone and passed. soundmaster i was going to go out tomorow and get some sand bags actualy funny you bring that up. as far as this traction-loc deal im really considering it. now i dont know what this kit looks like or what ill actualy be replacing (im bringing it to a shop) but do you have a pic of a diferential and what ill be replacing?

 

i dont know how you can drift corners and spin em in the snow with an auto, i guess i would have to own one to tell for sure, but it seems like it would shift on you at the worst possible instant and you'd be f'd... just my $0.02


anyways, yea don't build the ranger unless its going to be a SAS, not with a D30 and 28 spline 8.8... if your getting serious dont even consider the lift kits offered. i made that mistake uhmmmm

and on the sand bags, dont put too much too far back or your going to start losing traction on the front end, ie braking and turning