switching rear axle question
 

would my truck run any different if i were to switch my 7.5 3.73 open with a 8.8 3.73 LS from a 95 explorer xlt ?

no enough that you would notice, except when braking..mmmmmmmmm 4 wheel discs..

o, even if its a bigger axel? alrighty

Yes, the heavier axle will slow you down a bit. Probably not what you're looking for. You need to have a problem you want to address that an axle change will solve. So: what are you trying to accomplish?

One puts a heavier duty axle in to reduce the chance of breakage; one regears to shift the power to certain speed ranges or to restore the effective ratio after tire size changes and so forth. Simply dropping in a heavier axle with the same ratio is a net loss.

Also you would have to deal with hooking up the exploder parking brake. Possible residual pressure problems with the disc brakes, and changing the axle's spring perches and shock mounts.

Rand

the ex. 8.8 is a touch wider than a ranger 8.8 too i think...

1.5" overall , .75" a side if I'm not mistaken.

The downsides are close to the upsides on this one . May have to work on the disc brakes, but you will have disc brakes. I've seen disc brake kits for $400; if you want them , it'd be a good time to get them. Ls, cost varies, but you could save by buying the axle with Ls already , at least $100? Much stronger axles. The parasitic loss due to the extra weight of the parts will be almost unnoticeable. I'd cut the spring perches and shock mounts off a junk rear in a junkyard, and a decent welding shop could weld them on for you, for a reasonable price. If you were building up an axle anyway, this seems to give a good bang for the $.

Ahaha the 31 spline 8.8 does not weigh enough to slow you down, even slightly noticeable...

I don't think the 95 explorers had disc brakes, but, I only think, i'm not sure.

95 and up exploders had disks.