I put a 2005 8.8 Ford Ranger FX4 Level 2 rear end in my 2001 Ford Ranger Edge. My edge had a 7.5 and a sway bar.

I reinstalled the sway bar but it is rubbing the shock. Does the 8.8 have special brackets that mates it to the axle? I'm sure it isn't a big deal but was a little worried about the shock.

The emergency brake is loose. How can I make it tighter?

How do you know when leaf springs are worn out? I have the overload spring but more curious than anything else.

Could someone post a picture of the emergency brake cable lines in the back? I would like to make sure I ran them the correct way. The one in question is the drivers side. I could remember if it looped around the leaf spring or not.

Other than these small problems the install went very smooth. Oh and I found a nail in one of my tires...

Thanks,
Zach

 

You know...i've never seen an 8.8 on a ranger with a rear sway bar.



snappin pics for ya.....

 

Pics....

Just found out that my e-brake cable hits my shock while braked. lol......cable goes up and over the leaf, then into the driver drum.

 

I had one... back when the truck was stock...

 

The bracket on the passenger side of the 8.8 has to straddle the junction of the of the diff housing and the axle tube - if not, the sway bar will hit the shock. Also, the axle brackets are rotated at about 45 degrees, not straight up and down.

PS


PS


PS


DS



On a Ranger, the diff is not centered between the wheels. The bolts in the right side sway bar clamp go right up against the differential housing casting while the clamp on the left side is about 2" from the housing.

 

Bob......those silver shocks in my pics.....used to be yours! gooood times.

 

 

Off topic:


fx4wannabe, you wheel without tank skidplate? I have been a little nervous about wheeling anything where I might hit my tank without a skid plate yet.

 

I'm a little taller now too ya know......

I've wheeled w/o it.....actually never had ANY skids of any kind. Don't bother me much. Torsion bars get hung up way before the tank gets hit. Plus most my wheelin' is trails and deep snow.


Hell dude......i go down the strip at 14 sec down the quarter with 100+ octane strapped to my back! (71 chev w/ the tank behind the seat).

 

Hillyard/Zach M........

I've been told that the emergency/parking brake cable is non-adjustable....so no tightening up. I think.

 

The p-brake pedal mechanism should adjust the cable slack automatically. However, if the brake self adjusters are frozen or otherwise inop, you can still have poor parking brake operation.

 

if any of you pop a hole in your tank ive got one you can have!

 

I've wheeled hard and never had a tank skid. Never popped a tank yet either, thank God.

 

I'm not sure why the emergency brake pedal is so weak. I need to pull the hubs off and clean everything? I would like it to be closer to how it was before the swap.

I appreciate the picks because here is how I have it right now which is way off. I tried to install it like the 7.5...



and then one of my lid back on...yay

 

Try backing up and hitting the brakes a few times. If your self adjusters are working, that may fix the p-brakes. If not, you might want to pull the drums and check to see if the self adjusters are frozen - very common on Rangers that have been used offroad.

 

My E-brake cable was streched out so I had to buy a cable tensioner.

 

Is that located at the pedal or in the drums?

 

I pulled them off at the yard before purchasing it to verify things and then once I got it home I looked everything over really closely. However, it isn't a big deal to pull them off and check everything out.

 

Do they make poly mounts to replace the rubber ones for the sway bar?

 

There is no cable tensioner, at least on my truck, my cable was just too far streched out. So I bought a cable tensioner at advance auto parts which puts a bend in the main cable to pick up slack. It was easier and cheaper than buying a new cable.

 

Yes they do, I have seen them some where but they squeak.

 

^^Not if you grease them like you should with poly eurothane bushings....

 

I have the bed lid on there and it muffles a lot of the exhaust so I'm sure if I greased them up they wouldn't squeak. Does anybody know where to order some?