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axle swap question...pretty sure never been asked

N

NOVAggie

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Fairfax, VA
ok so I am taking my Ranger back to stock so I can build the Jeep.

The Ranger has a 7.5 rear axle with a detroit locker and 4.10s

How hard would it be to swap it in to my XJ? would this just be a bad idea? not worth it?

any thoughts please!
 
an 8.8 with a 7.5 inch ring gear???
 
Jeepkid8037 said:
Doesnt the stock d35 have a 7.5" ring gear...
Click to expand...


Something like that....and that's why nobody uses them who wheels very hard on bigger tires. I also don't imagine that the axles are very strong.


JUST SPECULATION though....I don't KNOW about rear ends from rangers. But If I were looking for a rear for my jeep....the Smallest I would consider would be the Chryco 8.25"


And the 8.8 isn't used in rangers...Those come from Explorers.
 
JohnX said:
And the 8.8 isn't used in rangers...Those come from Explorers.
Click to expand...

you are so wrong. . .

8.8's came in rangers.... (drum brakes only)
8.8's came in explorers with disc's
 
but arent they only 27 spline or somewhere around there
 
yea, i think they are 28 spline, but yea, somewhere around there lol
 
My bad on the 8.8"...I thought they only came in Explorers? Didn't I say I know nothing about ranger rears??? :)


As for my statement on the 8.25" being MY choice for a rear....IT IS MY choice for the smallest rear I would run with locked 33's and stock axles. I assumed if he has 4.10's he would be around 33 inch tires, and he said it is locked, BUT I don't know about the axles(stock?).

MY CHOICE...not the only possibility.
 
JohnX said:
Something like that....and that's why nobody uses them who wheels very hard on bigger tires. I also don't imagine that the axles are very strong.


JUST SPECULATION though....I don't KNOW about rear ends from rangers. But If I were looking for a rear for my jeep....the Smallest I would consider would be the Chryco 8.25"


And the 8.8 isn't used in rangers...Those come from Explorers.
Click to expand...

teh 8.8 IS used in rangers, of the 4wd flavor.
 
JohnX said:
7.5" ring gear??? You're joking right?
Click to expand...

well i am asking the question arent i? I am runnign 33s with the axle now with no problems.

All I hear on Jeep boards is how bad thd 35 is! So I thought I would ask since it is already locked adn has 4.10s.

Instead of a smart ass remark, why not respond with your reasoning not to. I am not going to ask questions i already know the answer to.
 
what engine is in the Ranger?
what size tires have you run without breakage?

run what you got - people use the excuse for the dana30 all day long - i already have it, and i locked it, and then i bought shafts, then i trussed it, then i blew a ring gear...


if you are scraping the ranger anyway - might as well... re-use the perches and spend the 50.00 or so on paint, welding rod, grinding wheels and throw it under the XJ...

the one thing that no one has mentioned yet is that the ranger rear ends are considerably shorter WMS-WMS than the exploder, which are shorter than the stock rear ends by something like 3"

so look into some wheel spacers...

though if they are too narrow, you might run into the issue of the Toy 8 form the early mini-trucks which are too narrow to even be mounted because out leaf springs are so far out, they would be mounted on the flanges that hold everything on.
the IFS toy 8" is a little wider, but still cant be run without inboarding the leaves...

get out your measuring tape and have a go at it...
 
NOVAggie said:
well i am asking the question arent i? I am runnign 33s with the axle now with no problems.

All I hear on Jeep boards is how bad thd 35 is! So I thought I would ask since it is already locked adn has 4.10s.

Instead of a smart ass remark, why not respond with your reasoning not to. I am not going to ask questions i already know the answer to.
Click to expand...


Sorry, I really thought you were joking...a lot of people around here post stuff like that just to get attention. I apologize.
 
JohnX said:
Sorry, I really thought you were joking...a lot of people around here post stuff like that just to get attention. I apologize.
Click to expand...

stop talking about me behind my back!
:D:D
 
ok, to answer the first question, I agree the 7.5" isnt the best axle, probably would bolt in relatively easy, it is SOA (but I am not sure of the perch width compared to an XJ)

But now for the know-it-alls. Rangers were available with the 7.5" or 8.8" axle since the early 90's. The 28 spline 8.8 was used until 2003, a 31 spline 8.8 was available from 2001-2005 (mostly with the FXII package w/torsion diff). They are drum brakes, but they are 10" drums (not too hatefull).
The only real difference from the Explorer rear is that they are drum and they are SOA not SUA.

and the comment of the ring gear size no less than 8 1/4? lets not bring up that debate... The D44 guys are gonna get nutz.. hasta
 
Ludakris said:
and the comment of the ring gear size no less than 8 1/4? lets not bring up that debate... The D44 guys are gonna get nutz.. hasta
Click to expand...


I wasn't refferring only to size...I was referring to overall strength. You know....not the size of the wave, but the motion of the ocean.
 
XJ_ranger said:
what engine is in the Ranger?
what size tires have you run without breakage?

run what you got - people use the excuse for the dana30 all day long - i already have it, and i locked it, and then i bought shafts, then i trussed it, then i blew a ring gear...


if you are scraping the ranger anyway - might as well... re-use the perches and spend the 50.00 or so on paint, welding rod, grinding wheels and throw it under the XJ...

the one thing that no one has mentioned yet is that the ranger rear ends are considerably shorter WMS-WMS than the exploder, which are shorter than the stock rear ends by something like 3"

so look into some wheel spacers...

though if they are too narrow, you might run into the issue of the Toy 8 form the early mini-trucks which are too narrow to even be mounted because out leaf springs are so far out, they would be mounted on the flanges that hold everything on.
the IFS toy 8" is a little wider, but still cant be run without inboarding the leaves...

get out your measuring tape and have a go at it...
Click to expand...

It is the 3.0 motor and i have run 33s, but mostly 32s. I am not scrapping the ranger, but not wheeling it anymore and thought why keep a locker in an axle not used offroad.

Good point about width, I will measure that and see. I was jsut concerned about fit and if a Ford 7.5 is stronger/better than the Dana 35.
 
JohnX said:
Sorry, I really thought you were joking...a lot of people around here post stuff like that just to get attention. I apologize.
Click to expand...

I gotcha, but I am a newb, not here long enough to be allowed to post stupid shit on purpose...

I am soooo new to Jeeps so I am just trying to learn everyhtign I can adn build my XJ on a budget, but not make a POS either.
 
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