I'm looking into get a locker . And I think I have decided to get the lock right setup and I have read a lot of reviews on it and done some research but i was looking obese if anyone could answer a few questions I have . I go camping a lot and last year I got stuck a lot just making it to the campsite ... so I've put 31 Goodyear duratrac brand new to help anbefore it had 225 60 on it . So now I'm just making the next step . I drive it on the road often and I'm just wondering how good the turning weeks with a locker like how it disengages. I'm just looking to understand it a little.more before I purchase . I will be buying a little car to drive daily soon . Any input would.be great. Also is it really gonna make a huge difference like people say in making my 2wd more.capable of going places ? Right now I have a open dif 7.5 which I'm sure you guys already known that .

 

I have a bare bones Ranger like yourself but 2000. I swapped in a 8.8 with limited slip and put on 31s. You probably haven't used the new tires much but you will be amazed what a difference just having A/Ts makes. Run a little off road (light off road) with them and see what I'm talking about. If you are good then you don't have to worry about putting money into a locker.

If you do decide you need a little more off road capabilities then I would recommend an 8.8 with limited slip over putting a locker in your 7.5. For one putting money into a 7.5 is a waste. Two it's way cheaper to get a whole axle and upgrading to an 8.8 is a good idea anyway. And if you get lucky you will find one with 4.10 gears which is what you should be running on those new 31s anyway.

 

I do wanna get 410s ... I think that's a good idea too but what is the gain from 7.5 to 8.8 besides weight capability for towing or load ... I don't do either and there both 28 spine so why does everyone dog on the 7.5 with a 4 cylinder is it really needed ? Sorry bout the questions just looking for input and understanding I'm new to rangers

Thanks
Kevin

 

let me know what you decide, i kinda want to do lockers too, but not sure, i have plans on building my tuck up, have no idea when i'm doing that but i love going off road

 

No problem, gotta learn somewhere. The 7.5 is perfectly fine for 4 cylinders. Hell some guys keep there old 80s trucks on there factory 7.5 inch axles when they drop in 5.0s! They are a tough little axle. The shafts are the same as you said. The durability of the diff itself is the issue and under a lot of strain (like a locker) the insides could be toasted. Like I said I personally would not put anything in a 7.5 inch, if you want to mod an axle with LS, locker, or gears it's better to start with a good platform, like an 8.8.

For a 2WD DD there is absolutely no reason to have a locker. Period. Majority of the 4x4 guys on here don't have full lockers, just limited slip. It will serve you better IMO. Instead of buying a Ford Trac-Lok or a gear driven LS like the Detroit TruTrac and installing it in your 7.5 is will be a lot easier and cheaper to swap in a whole axle that already has LS. I could get a LS 8.8 here for $100 easy. Pre-01 3.0 4x4 Rangers also came with 7.5 inch with LS and in varying gears so you could look for those as well. If you wanted to put one in your axle a new LS will run around $500. Then you have to install it. If you can get a stock LS rear end with low miles it will literally be install and go. Worst case you might need to rebuild the Trac-Lok ($70), do new brakes ($50), and maybe a pinion seal ($10). Just make sure it either has 3.73s like you already have or 4.10s and lower mileage.

Search some local yards @ car-part.com

 

hell well theats not bad few question, gonna sound dumb but, whats the DD eman after 2wd and what does LS mean, sorry for the stupidity thanks

 

DD daily driver LS limited slip

 

HAHA I forget, not everyone is up on the terminology. It doesn't take long if you stick around!

 

yeah drive train is my week spot lol but anyways thats not bad, does anybody know what kind of rear end i have in my 89 or know how i can find out like what code it is,

 

7.5 inch

 

Look at your cover on.your rear end ... you.should be able to figure it out... or door jam there is a thread on here that tells you the numbers that stand for each axle and gearing ...

also back.to other post . the reason why I thought of locker is because sense I don't have 4 wheels drive I feel like I need the best I can get but like you said it isn't needed ... you can really getvthe full 8.8 for that price from a junk yard that's cheap..

 

thanks bud, and thats what i thought too but if that axle is really that great and i know that i shoudl be able to find an axle for around that price,most the guys around me are good on prices

 

Go to car-part.com and search around a bit. Hell if you give me your zip code I can look it up for you.

 

Swapping a 90s or 00s 8.8 onto your 89 might be a little more complicated. The 93+ axle are an inch wider on each side so the spring perches and shock mounts might not be in the same place. Someone who has more 1st and 2nd gen knowledge will have to confirm that. I'm not sure.

 

Id really like that 98391... ya I wanna get one and installed before summer and I want with 410 gears if I can find one that would be awesome .

 

well if i remember correctly i belive i read on hear that any axle will fit any year ranger, but i would imagin a second gen with a 4.0 should be good, i think the first year was 92 not 100% sure but any ways my door jam code is 84 7.5" open, 3.45, i though wow thats ****ty i can't belive that i took my friends contor with oversized tires ( only P235/75R15 but still over 4 inches bigger than stock size) and how i've gotten out of some pretty tight spots before, I'll have to look into a different axle i can't wait to see what it will do with a lower gear ratio and a limited slip, i wouldn't mind having posi though but i'll be damned if i'm going to weld my diffeerential gears of spend the rediculouse money to buy a posi gear thing

 

overall if you get a locker in much of anything, it will engage and disengage in turns which could get kind of annoying, quoting some people who actually own lockers. thats why i'm going limited slip. personally i wouldnt get fords trak lok because some say they just arent reliable. if i were to do anything id probably go ahead and get a nice aftermarket one like a detroit or i think even spidertrax makes one. its just the money is the factor you'll have to over come. just saying what some other guys said on other forums. good luck guys

 

yeah i'm thinking limited slip

 

Yeah you will have to look it up on your own, car-part saves your zip code for the searches so you have to punch it in so the pages show up.

 

I run a locker in my Ranger, the PowerTrax NoSlip. The extra traction is amazing, a clutch type LS can't compare. The only thing a LS seems good for is doing cheerios in a snow covered parking lot. The rest of the time it leaves you hanging.

I only notice the locker because I know its in there. If I tossed the keys to someone else and let them drive it, they wouldn't notice on pavement. I have an auto, so that does make a difference.

I say 8.8, locker, and be happy!

 

Really I may do that later but first the axle then from there what's the difference between no slip and lock right ??

I tried that site but have a question will the 9 inch brakes fit on 15 inch.wheels and what setup should I search for I know I want 410s and whats the locking or not locking ?

 

hey kevin is your truck a manual, if so you might be good with just a limited slip, i've gotten out of some pretty sticky situations by putting it in either reverse or second gear and giving it hell, any ways it could be better for snow though,

 

10 inch brakes would fit with 15 inch wheels. 9 inch brakes should definitely fit.

No slip is a smoother, more $ version of the lock right. I couldn't exactly tell you how it works differently, but just engages smoother than the Lock Right.

I wouldn't worry about the locker in a vehicle with a longer wheel base such as a Ranger. The reputation for being sketchy in a manual comes from the Jeeps that have a shorter, more twitchy wheelbase.

 

Kevin, you're current axle has 9 inch drums and 15 inch wheels stock lol

 

Thanks for the input... I only.asked bout the brakes cause it asked me on car part .com so I wanted to.go.bigger if i can with 15inch wheels .. whats the difference between the fx4 with locking or withought locking