Regarding a Ford 8.8 - carrier, spiders & so on

I got a few quick questions: I picked up an 8.8 with welded spiders. I don't care for the welded gears but I hope to put an OX in it when the funds allow & it was a good deal. I have an opportunity to get a used (cheap) Limited slip for this axle. I don't really know anything about what's behind the cover of a diff (except stinky fluid! ) so I wanted to know:
1) would the ltd slip replace the carrier & spiders so I no longer will have welded gears?
2) When it's time for the OX, can the ltd slip carrier acommodate the locker or would it be necessary to hold on to the original ring & pinion & have that swapped back in?
3) I like having a limited slip on the street & I've wheeled with one before ... but refresh my memory: is it that bad on the rocks? (I am selectably locked in front). My XJ is street driven sometimes for hours at a time.

:dunce: Dunceclaimer: If my questions seem painfully naive, remember - asking questions is all a part of learning & I'm trying to do just that. :dunce:
Thx

Your carrier with welded spider gears was originally an open carrier. It is the big chunk of metal and bearings that the ring gear is bolted to.

If you purchase a limited slip carrier, you would replace the entire carrier that is in there right now and bolt your ring gear to it. Depending on the condition of the carrier you're buying, you might end up changing the carrier bearings and checking the gear pattern.

The OX locker (or an ARB or Detroit) are lockers that replace the carrier in it's entirety, much like a spool would do. They would also require installing bearings and bolting the ring gear to them.

The only thing that won't work with your currently welded open carrier is a lunchbox locker, like an aussie. That type of locker is designed to replace your spider gears inside an open carrier.

The limited slip carrier I had in my 8.8 put the emphasis on "limited." If it's used, there's a good chance it's toast. In all effectivity, it's just about the same as having an open carrier. There are ways to get it to grab more effectively, but if you were going through all the trouble of changing carriers, you might as well wait until you decide to put your locker in, since the procedure and consumables is the same.

RedHeep said:

.... if you were going through all the trouble of changing carriers, you might as well wait until you decide to put your locker in, since the procedure and consumables is the same.

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This got my attention. Now I have some thinking to do. Considering an OX costs upwards of 800 bones, it'll prolly be a while before I take the plunge. Meanwhile, I want to drive my XJ and feel good about wet/slippery traction. Can't honestly say I'll have that confidence with welded gears since I mostly use it in bad weather.

I dunno if I'd be so sure that the ltd slip is "toast" as you say. A couple years ago when we removed my D35 at over 100k miles, it still worked like it should. But I do appreciate your insight & the time you took to explain things to me. You obviously know more than I do about these things. As does everyone else ... :gag:


But I know I got you when it comes to shopping for a pocketbook ...

The ford traclock is known to be less than adequate brand new.

It can be rebuilt to be aggressive, check out the drag racing forums, the mustang guys specifically. They use 8.8's a bunch, and most are using limited slips with frictions and steels done alternately, instead of how the factory did it, to make it more aggressive.

Go read this about the factory trac lock and see what you think
http://www.corral.net/tech/drivetrain/gears.html

Ford racing rebuild kits are $70.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Ford Racing/397/M-4700-B/10002/-1?CT=999

The chances of just dropping your carrier in and having the gears mate properly are slim, so figure on carrier bearings and a shim kit.

Here's the test to figure out if it's working properly.
http://216.198.221.184/forums//showthread.php?t=153500

But how do you test it if it's not installed?

Mighty.Mighty_XJ said:

But how do you test it if it's not installed?

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you figure out a way to make one side stationary while you apply torque to the other side.

rebuild kits are $70, I'd plan on rebuilding it anyway if I was going through all of the trouble of doing the carrier swap. It's easier to rebuild it when it's not in the axle or has a ring gear attached.

You're going to spend way more on the carrier bearings/shims/gear setup.

You're going to spend way more on the carrier bearings/shims/gear setup.

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What gear setup? It's already geared 4.56. That's one of the things that made it an attractive buy since it'll match the front. If I have the OX done, there should be no real gear set up, right?

Right now I'm just looking for a happy medium between my future OX & the current welded spiders. I'm prepared for the other aspects of a rebuild.

i think what 87manche is trying to say is that even when the LSD is installed that you will have to do the same exact work as installing the OX. the gears do need to be reset, as the chances are slim that it will line up when installing the new LSD carrier. he saying to cut out the middle man.

just some thinking out loud:
does welded spider gears mean that the carrier is toast?
can you remove the welded spiders and replace them?
can you reuse the open carrier and install a lunch box?

im no expert, just curious. if you can remove the welded gears, installing new ones or a lunchbox locker would take less time/money than installing a LSD.

VAhasnoWAVES said:

i think what 87manche is trying to say is that even when the LSD is installed that you will have to do the same exact work as installing the OX. the gears do need to be reset, as the chances are slim that it will line up when installing the new LSD carrier. he saying to cut out the middle man. Oh I got it. Thanks for the Dummies version . That's one reason for posting the thread. School me like a 3 year old. Seriously.

just some thinking out loud:
does welded spider gears mean that the carrier is toast? Well, he removed the cover for me before the sale. I took pics to my 4x4 guys. They gave it the okay. By now they've actually seen it & still give it the okay.

can you remove the welded spiders and replace them? I considered that, but then the ltd slip popped up. Haven't bought it yet ... I guess I just remembered my old ltd slip & how useful it was. Nostalgia ...

can you reuse the open carrier and install a lunch box? I have a lunchbox now. I prefer selectable. The only thing debatable here is which brand ... & I'm pretty set on the OX.

im no expert, just curious. if you can remove the welded gears, installing new ones or a lunchbox locker would take less time/money than installing a LSD. Gotcha. Thanks to all of you for helping me decide.

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Guess I'll suffer the welded or just wait until I get my OX. It'll be a while before the rear gets under the XJ. But it's good to have it already in hand, w/ discs, already regeared & with a Rock Crusher cover to boot. Thx guys.