The install went fairly easy probbaly to easy for me. I was waiting for my axle to come out the back when we drove around the block.

I can definatly tell the diffrence when I take off and just going down the road.

Just have to remember monday after work to re check the u bolts and check my axle fluid again

Next weekend im swaping my stock blocks back in in place of the FX4 blocks didnt relize the size diffrence. When we were done I noticed the front lower than the back. I may be able to crank my t-bars some more.

 

cool

 

Looks really good dude! congrats....

 

having 2 people on a axle swap makes life so much easier...I had a 7.5 under my truck stock that i blew the ring gear out of offroad and i man handled it out from under the truck but the 8.8 kinda man handled me lol...looks good, wish i could of found a fx4 axle...good job

 

Whats the difference in fx4 blocks vs. xlt/edge blocks?





Looks good Myke.

 

looks good. The extra rear lift came from the larger diameter axle tubes!

 

I was glad my buddy was able to come over. My dad in the white shirt has done a axle swap before my buddy and I have never so he supervised.

3 people was just enough. My dad has had 2 back surgeries so he was limited on the lifting

There is maybe about 1" or 1/2" Of course those are out of a 2006 FX4 mine is a 05" Edge

I noticed the diffrence right away when we sat it down then when i got back and looked at it from the side I could tell. After driving it I noticed it more

The tube is also bigger but the blocks are diffrent also

Ran outside and took a picture

Old block 2"


New Block 2 1/2" plus axle diameter 10 1/4", the old axle was close to 8 5/8".

 

Looks good. I noticed the rear end sitting high too but then I put my lid on and now it sits level again. I like the FX4 blocks and if I were you I would give it a little time for everything to settle back down to normal again before I swapped them out. I notice your u-bolt kicked out a little too. I tried forever to get mine perfectly straight like they were from the factory but couldn't

 

Also just curious what you torqued your u-bolt nuts to

 

My friend torqued them to 80 ft lb.

Im gonna check them again monday night.

Im not even sure the spec on them.

Which one r u talking about

 

The spec is 76 lb-ft, so you are ok.
If you do decide to get rid of the FX4 blocks I'll buy them off you.

 

Lets see a side picture to see how much higher it sits with the FX4 blocks.

Nice work!

 

How much of a difference does the FX4 axle make? They are both 8.8's right?

Does more splines=more power??

 

The more splines, the stronger the axle. Also, all '02 FX4's and '03+ FX4 Level II axles have a gear driven limited slip in them.

You can also bolt on disc brakes off an Explorer to the 31 spline 8.8 axle.

 

Thanks.

 

I had the 8.8 with 3.55 gears My 31" tires made my truck a dog taking off and just going

This one had the 4.10 gears I needed to make it like stock again.

 

3.55? aren't they 3.73's?

 

Nope my stock axle had 3.55 in them

 

thats what my truck is geared at now with 4.10s and 31s, but i notice more of a power difference then you since im a 4 banger.

yea i had to call 2 of my buddies to help me get my 8.8 under my truck, it was alil heavier then i thought it would be but all in all it was worth every second of it

 

So your one of those guys, its nice to know I'm not alone lol. Every time someone goes to easy i have to stop, take a look around and make sure that I'm not going to get hurt or that I'm not doing something wrong because nothing I ever try to do on a car is easy. lol.

 

Why I say that the guy that came over to help works with me. We build International diesel engines.

There has been a few times where we have forgot to put the anchor bolt down for a fuel injector which is a very important part or the injector will fly out of the valve cover or shall I saw explod like a rocket out of a valve cover. forgot to set the static timing. Even put on the compresion ring backwards. I once forgot to put in cooling jets.

Now all these we build at work are first put on a dyno so they are all caught before a customer finds it

It happens we are all humans. Knowing that the axle is a majior player in moving down the street I was worried we may have had a "work moment" and forgot to tighten down the u bolts or somthing

 

I'm jealous, nuff said.