Rebuilding a 2004 Sport Trac 8.8 axle

[fastpakr]

Best I found was $100 on ebay from a dealer. $112 isn't bad.

 

[SN95GT50]

Will be replacing the axle bearings and seals, what brand do you Ford guys recommend for the 8.8? Should I go with Ford parts? Model numbers would also help.

Thanks, John

 

[AppleTech]

If you are going to be wheeling it while you're rebuilding put in a true locker like an ARB or electric Eaton or Auburn. You won't be happy with an LSD off-road, it is designed for a different use case.

 

[SN95GT50]

AppleTech, can't argue with you on that one, but, need to consider my budget. With a kid in college and another to start soon gotta watch the bottom line. My plan is to run it with the LSD while possibly adding a lunchbox locker to the front. At a later date, I will probably open the rear again and go with a locker of some sort. I wish I could do everything I want to at one time.

 

[SN95GT50]

Time for an update and a question...

First the question, looked at a shop manual for a Ford F150 and noticed that the bolts holding the cailper bracket to the axle have the nuts on the brake side of the bracket. Looked back at pictures of my axle from before I took the bracket off and the nuts with the tabs are on the differential side of the bracket. How do you guys have them? does it matter?

Attached below is my progress, a little more done since this picture. All of my TJ brackets are welded into place, everything is painted (chasis saver follow by a top coat). New bearings and seals. All hard and soft brake lines are plumbed (removed for painting). Reassembling now, that is when I got the bolt question. All new rotors, pads and shoes showed up over the weekend, new wheel studs should be here tomorrow. The next thing on my to do list is replace the clutches, due to the stink, that will have to be done in the garage, when the temps go up a bit.

Thanks,
John

 

[koda2000]

Don't know it this will help you, but IIRC my '01 Sport Trac, which had rear drums, had the nuts on the axle ends. The Explorer rear end I installed, which had disks, had the nuts with tabs. This seems to make more sense to me (making the swap more easy) so I used the nuts with tabs during reassembly.

 

[koda2000]

Don't know it this will help you, but IIRC my '01 Sport Trac, which had rear drums, had the nuts on the axle ends. The Explorer rear end I installed, which had disks, had the nuts with tabs. This seems to make more sense to me (making the swap more easy) so I used the nuts with tabs during reassembly.

 

[SN95GT50]

You know that feeling when you realize you screwed something up real bad...

For the first time since getting the brackets welded on and the tubes welded to the diff, I tried to load up the axles. Passenger side slid right in, Drivers side slid right in and then stopped about an inch short. fearing the axle tubes were bent. The guy who welded it up for me brought over a pipe with pucks to check the straightness and it was straight as an arrow. Tried inserting the shafts directly into the carrier and they slide right in. reassembled and no go. Tried sliding the short shaft into that end and it stopped short. Figured it out yet? The bearing was wrong. I slide a new bearing on and it slide right to where it should. Pulled old bearing out numberous pieces, seated new bearing in and the shaft slide in far enough to put the c-clip on. That was the best case scenario. Looked at the bearing boxes, national bearing, one said 6408, the other 6408 PT. Will be looking that up later.

 

[SN95GT50]

Pulled the TracLok out today, definitely the right choice to replace. 6.300mm on one of the stacks well out of tolerance, no material left on the friction discs.

New disc should be her on Tuesday, hope I can get the spring clip back in.

John

 

[koda2000]

Tip: Use a small 'ish needle nose vise grip to squeeze/compress the spring as much as possible to get it started and then use a hammer to drive it into place.

 

[SN95GT50]

Thanks, I will try that, saw that in a YouTube video as well. The thing looks dangerous, vise grip on the spring will help slow it down if it goes flying.

Here are my latest pics...

Thanks.
John

 

[SN95GT50]

Completed the TracLok rebuild last night. Use of the needle nose pliers to insert spring was easier than I thought it would be. Went better than I expected. I will be adding the remainder of the friction modifier tonight and the gear lube. Cleaning up and painting calipers tonight as well. Mount rotors, pads and calipers tomorrow night and she is ready for install.

I have a talk & tune as our Jeep club calls it for the install on March 10. Thanks for everyone's help and patience with me.

John

 

[SN95GT50]

Again, thanks for everyone's advice as I move through this. Plan to pull Dana 35 out on Friday and install 8.8 on Saturday.

Any recommendations on gear oil for the 8.8 with the TracLok?

 

[koda2000]

Again, thanks for everyone's advice as I move through this. Plan to pull Dana 35 out on Friday and install 8.8 on Saturday.

Any recommendations on gear oil for the 8.8 with the TracLok?

Valvoline full synthetic 75W140 (or brand of your choice) a bit less 3 Qts and you need to use the Ford/Motorcraft friction modifier, even if the gear oil says it already has friction modifier in it.

 

[SN95GT50]

Was able to read the tag...

Line 1: EHP OIL ONLY
Line 2: Y75W900FEHP

However, also read the instructions for the install of the carbon fiber clutch kit M4700C, who needs instructions when you have YouTube (obviously, I do). It lists in parts not included in the kit F3TZ-4121-AA which is a new axle tag indicating exactly what Koda2000 stated, 75W140 Synthetic, see link below. Also, as Koda states, 4 oz friction modifier, plus 3.5 pints (56 oz) 75W140.

Ford F3TZ-4121-AA Rear Differential Axle DATA Tag 75W140 SYNTH OIL ONLY | eBay.

Completed brake install and put rear cover on. Hitting underside of Jeep with PB Blaster regularly, got to say the bolts are pretty rust free.

Thanks again for everyone's help. Will post more pics when I have the thing mounted.

John

 

[SN95GT50]

See attached picture, been fighting this since installing the 8.8 in my Jeep. As you can see, the cable wants to slide down towards the backing plate. A couple of thoughts I have had...

1. The cable is off of a Cherokee and was recommended for this project, can someone look at the cable on their SportTrak and tell me if the square hole that the actuator slides into is smaller on the Ford cable?
2. What is the purpose of the round hole in the actuator? I could slide cotter pin in there to hold it in place.

Let me know your thoughts, to me it looks like the square hole in the Cherokee cable is too big for the Ford actuator.

Thanks,John.

 

[koda2000]

Looks to me that your cable is too long. When I changed a broken cable on one of my Explorers it was a real battle to get it to hook over the actuator. There was probably an easier way for me to have done it, but I did eventually get it on. That was actually my first Explorer repair done in early 2011.

 

[SN95GT50]

I TV turns out this is a common problem wh ed n putting an 8.8 in a Jeep. East Coast Gear Supply sells a pair of cables to re as love the issue. Ordered a set yesterday, should be here tomorrow.

Thanks for you r.c input, you are correct they are too long and the hole is too big.

 

[SN95GT50]

BTW: here is a picture of the final product...

 

[SN95GT50]

Cables from East Coast Gear Supply showed up today, got them installed and the fit is so much better. The hole where the actuator slides through fits and it does not try to slide down to the base. Also I don't have to screw the adjuster for the spot where the 3 cables come together to the max. Over all a much better fit. Which I would have found these earlier.

John

I TV turns out this is a common problem wh ed n putting an 8.8 in a Jeep. East Coast Gear Supply sells a pair of cables to re as love the issue. Ordered a set yesterday, should be here tomorrow.

Thanks for you r.c input, you are correct they are too long and the hole is too big.