How much wider is an Explorer 8.8 than a Ranger 8.8?

Also, since Explorer's have rear-disc brakes, will I need to upgrade the Master Cylinder for things to work properly?

And finally, since the Ranger E-brake isn't compatible with the Explorer's, what exactly will I need so I can have a functional E-brake?

Thanks

 

X is about 1 inch wider on each side.

you will need the bigger MC.

not sure about ebrake...

 

If your truck is equiped with '4wheel ABS' the master cylanders are the same.

You will have to fab up the parking break, or ditch it.

 

are you sure about that jason?

 

It would make sense that the majority of the Ranger Drivetrain would mirror the Explorer's, but I figured to run 4 wheel disc brakes, the MC would have to run higher pressures or something.

 

You can get adjustable valves. To adjust the amount of fluid sent back.

Check summit.

Also remember, if you do this.

though most of your braking comes from the front, your rear brakes actually engage first. If you are running too much pressure to the rears, you will have a stiff pedal and as a result, not be able to get into the pedal far enough to fully use the front brakes.

 

^ Learn something new everyday!

 

100%. It is the same mastercylander in the Ranger as Exploder if it is equiped with 4wheel ABS..

Note: The key to the whole thing is in the ABS. The ABS system controls the proportioning in these vehicles. So with the Explorer and the Ranger sharing the same 4wheel ABS modual and thus Master Cylander, the two systems work the same. Now if you only have 2wheel ABS or no ABS, they they mastercylander and ABS systems would need to be either installed, or a new proportioning vavle installed like Leo pointed out above.

 

Jason, thanks for the help. I appreciate that a lot

 

yeah thanks jason, ive always seen that a new master cylinder would be needed.

sweet...

 

your welcome.

 

you shut youre mouth when youre talking to me...

 

i wasnt talking to you so...







aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

you get the back half of the parking brake for the explorer rear, and join it up under the bed by the front hanger of the driverside leaf hanger

 

on a 93-06 ranger, the explorer axle is 1.5 wider, making it .75 wider on each side

and on a pre-93 its 3inch wider, making it 1.5 on each side

 

Your existing master cylinder is basically an Explorer master cylinder with a proportioning valve already added to make it work with the drums you have.

The part numbers for 2 door Explorers and Rangers MC for later model trucks are the same in most cases. This means you can REMOVE the factory propotioning valve to use the disc brakes with the Ranger.

That's what I'm doing on mine when I get the brakes off the Explorer. The Explorer rear discs will fit on the 31 spline Ranger FX4 rear axle -- which I have on my truck.

Tom and I have been discussing this and we think the 4 door Explorer master cylinder would add braking capacity as it should have bigger pistons.

 

Huh? IM confused. Did you mean calipers? Or are the pistons in the master cylinder that much bigger, for a 4 door?

 

There is a different part number for the master cylinder (that's what I was talking about) and there's no reason to do that other than to get more braking power for the heavier vehicle -- and that implies a bigger piston. How much bigger? I have no idea -- but 10% or even 5% would be a significant increase in braking force over stock and could help offset bigger tires, etc.

One thing I found online was a guide to using JY parts to upgrade brakes. The author claimed you can tell if a MC was designed for disc/disc or disc/drum by the size of the fluid reservoirs. On all systems the piston sizes and the reservoir size are generally proportional, and the rear is generally given a smaller piston on drum systems, and the reservoir is a different size also.

I don't know if this is generally true or not; but I have seen vehicles with rear drums with the asymmetrical MC reservoirs.

But one way or another, the smaller Ex's use the same MC as the Rangers, and the bigger 4 doors use a different one -- all the rest is inferred.

 

Can? Should? Or have to?

 

Can -- yes. Pain in the butt to bleed afterwards, though, lol.

Should? I would think yes. If the same MC is used on an Explorer WITHOUT the valve, then it probably shouldn't be there.

Have to? I would think you could leave it there, with reduced rear braking effectiveness -- although for all I know it will make very little difference. I'll be trying it with and without when I do the conversion of my brakes and I'll let you know!

 

Please do. I'll keep my 28T 8.8 for the time being, until I want to lock the rear. Once I do that, combining a locker, 35s, and off-road, I'll need the 31T 8.8.

I should have my D44 by Thanksgiving. Then I'll start buying other parts.

 

Very cool. There's a lot of us planning, doing, or already done SAS on this board. Very cool.

 

Man I learned alot from this one thread! Thanks guys!