I am going to check the local junkyards but i thought I would try on here. I am looking for an FX4L2 31 spline rear. Anyone know where I can get one ? I need basicly everything. I am thinking for simplicity that a ranger rear with drums is fine.

 

www.car-parts.com

You can use that to locate the axle at dissmantlers in your area.

 

its a hard to come by item

but check out some boneyards

 

which one is the correct one???

8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, exc. FX4; tag V330 series
8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, exc. FX4; tag V333 series
8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, exc. FX4; tag V305 series
8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, exc. FX4; tag V311 series
8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, exc. FX4; tag V313 series
8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, FX4 (locking), w/o Level II
8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, FX4 (locking), w/Level II
8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.56 ratio

i am guessing it is this one
8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, FX4 (locking), w/Level II

i used to look for them on this site but could never find the right one. looks like they updated it by adding the w/level II stuff

 

Should be this one only.

8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, FX4 (locking), w/Level II


Dang, they are showing none in Maryland and none in CA.. guess they are rare.

 

Theres one in San-Jose. $550

 

Thats not a "Level II" only the "Level II" is 31 spline.

 

why not get an explorer axle?

sport trac?

 

Are they mixing up the parts in the categories?

I selected

8.8" ring gear, 10" brakes, 4.10 ratio, FX4 (locking), w/Level II

That was one of about 10 that showed up for the whole country

 

oh yeah does the sport trac have the 31 spline ?

 

I could not even get that far to give me a list with that on it.

 

Yes. Carparts isn't very accurate. You have to read the description. Just because you looked up an L2 doesnt mean thats what turned up. Just like that one said FX4. Now if you call the yards, they may have L2's listed as FX4's.

SportTrac is the same rear as the Explorer. (spring under, wider, bla bla)

 

agreed. an Explorer axles are 8.8 w/ 31 spline axles with disc brakes. all you need to do is relocate the spring and shock mounts or just gut the explorer axles and install in your ranger axle housing(but then you wouldn't have disc brakes!). If you install the explorer axle housing w/ disc brakes in your ranger you will need to get the brake porportioning (sp?) valve under the hood by the master cylinder

 

shouldnt need the valve. i heard it the newer truck do all that in the abs module. maybe im wrong. bob can confirm that.

 

You are correct. If you have 4wheel ABS the Master Cylander and ABS units are exactly the same.

And you can not just swap the axle shafts.

 

You entered the Make/Model/Year and part right? And you are looking for the "Rear Axle Assembly" correct? That should get you what you need. Also be sure your looking for an FX4 LII year.. if it wasn't an option that year, they wont show it.

 

i just want an 8.8" axle and i'm looking at that search deal, whats the difference in all the tags?

 

i didn't say just swap the axle shafts i said to GUT the axle housing which i would take as to meaning the carrier also.

 

Still cant do it. The housing if physicly larger to accept the larger bearings to accept the larger axle shafts.

(not to mention the Explorer shafts are 3/4" longer than Ranger, and if you find the 31 Spline Ranger axle, why gut it?)

 

My rear axle is out of a '99 sport trac. 8.8 31 spline w/ discs. All you have to do is bypass the abs pump and hook the brake line directly from the MC to the rear and it will work fine for 4wheel disc. I had to remove the fuse to get any kind of pedal. ABS pump was freaking out.

I got mine freshly rebuilt with all brand new brake parts for 120$.

 

Thats a good deal Jay!

Why did you bypass the ABS? I would think that you would have completly removed it.

If you are only swaping rears though, there is no need to change anything.

 

Well i bypassed the rear since I went from drums-discs, and the abs pump has a proprtioning valve built in for the drums (drums use less fluid) and I didn't feel like re-hard lining the whole front brakes so I left them hooked up, i just unplugged the fuse so the abs pump doesn run. With 4wheel discs off of a 1/2 ton waggy and explorer, even with 38's I bet it can stop better than a stock ranger.

 

Explorers are a good bet -- just have to cut off and remount the spring perches primarily, and it's a disc brake conversion to boot.

I got luck with my FX4 axle conversion. Carl found me one complete except for the differential for $80. I was adding the locker and going 4.56 anyway, so the lack of a differential was no detriment.

 

Why not swap in the ABS assembly from the Explorer?

 

For some people it's just a matter of the work involved in changing over the spring perches. A lot of guys can't weld or have easy access to a shop and they want something "bolt in".