Ok, 28-31 spline coversion. Besides changing out the carrier and bearings and axle bearings, i will change to discs also. What i want to know is what else is involved, ie: will the 31 spline shafts fit in the housing (is an exploder 8.8 wider?) and are the tubes physically bigger, say the the bearing race size difference? N3elz, i know you gotta know some of this...

 

explorer's are 2" wider.. wont fit stock ford ranger 28" spline housing. too long.

 

As said above, the ex axle is too wide to just use the shafts.

You can't just swap out shafts from a 31 spline Ranger either, wish it was that easy. The problem is that the axle tube is bigger and the 31 spline shaft is larger than the 28 spline. You need bearings that have the large inner diameter for the larger axle shaft, but have the smaller outer diameter for the smaller axle tube.
Other than that, you would need new spider gears to match the larger 31 spline.
As far as I know, all carrier components are the same on the 31/28.

 

28 spline axle tube is 2.75" diameter
31 spline axle tube is 3.25" diameter

The carriers are the same, interestingly enough -- they use the same bearings between the carrier and housing as well. But the spider gears the axle shafts go into are obviously different.

The outboard axle bearings are different. 31 spline are 2.5" in diameter, 28 spline are 2.25" diameter -- obviously the 31 spline won't fit in 28 spline axle tubes. Needless to say they are different in their internal diameters as well.

I posted all this before, by the way, in my topics on my 31 spline buildup.

The centersection of a 31 spline axle is physically larger and beefier as well.

Both 28 and 31 spline can use the same ring and pinion sets.

Both have the ABS pickup mounted the same way.

There is information on Explorer axle conversion on http://www.therangerstation.com and other spots as well. I know The Ranger Station has some tech stuff for sure.

Yeah, take a look here: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech...plorer8_8.html

This is someone else doing what I did, more or less:
http://www.therangerstation.com/Maga...th_the_new.htm

And these are my posts here:
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=6064
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=4821
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=5999

And I put info on this topic as well:
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=6037

Search and ye shall find!

 

Thanks for the replies, was looking into this as an option but nevermind.

I'll be darned if i can find a freakin ex 8.8 for sale anywhere!