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Ford Explorer Community - Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
Explorer Forum Covers the Explorer ST, Explorer Sport, Explorer Sport Trac, Lincoln Aviator, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Ford Aerostar
Unless you want to set your gears up twice (or pay to have them set up twice), you'll want to do it at the same time. If you install the posi unit with your stock gears, you'll have to remove your ring gear from the stock carrier, install it on the eaton unit, and set your gears up. Then, when you decide to change gearing, you'll have to remove the stock ring gear and install your new ring gear on the eaton unit, change the pinion gear, and set up again.
As LBarr2002 said, do it all at once to avoid having to set the gears up twice.
Also...right now Dead Link Removed is having a 10% off sale on their posi units. Their website says to call for details. The regular price is $487.95, so you might get a better deal there. Randy's is also a reliable company to do business with. I don't know anything about the company you have listed.
Eaton at Randy's Ring and Pinion
Having said all that above, there is a way to do this for significantly less money if you're inclined.
If you can find an Explorer with a ls rear in the junkyard (or trade someone on the board your open carrier for an ls carrier since most lunchbox lockers only work in an open carrier), you can pull the carrier and use it as your starting point. Put new gears on it and buy the Ford Racing Trac-Loc rebuild kit for about $100. Trac-Loc Rebuild kit .
Or...you can buy a Ford Racing Trac Loc for $249. That's the unit that is stock in my Mach 1 and has worked very well for road use. It also takes the Trac-Loc Rebuild kit, so if you wear it out, you can rebuild it without having to re-set the gears. It will wear out sooner or later. They seem to last anywhere from about 25k-75k before they need a re-build when the discs wear out.
BTW, both the methods above will require you to do a gear installation.
I've installed Detroit True-Tracs in several jeeps and other offroad rigs and don't really like them, but I've never put one in a street vehicle to know how they perform as far as both tires getting power. I've currently got the factory limited slip in my 96 v8 with 135k and am 99% sure it hasn't been rebuilt...it works awesome. I've probably only done 5 or 6 burnouts in my truck since I've had it but both tires have spun every time. As far as $$ goes, I'd try to get a used ford one and rebuild it. As far as gears go, mine are 3.73 and they seem good all around. I wouldn't want anything lower for everyday use.
I recommend either a Eaton posi or the stock unit (Trak Loc). I have built several of these units with excellent results. I put carbon clutches in them and increase the spring load. I have been running this setup as well as some of my Mustang customers with HIGH hp and zero failures. You can rebuild these units very cheap. Is your stock unit open or are the clutches worn out? For a street vehicle I tend to lean towards the Eaton or Trak Loc by far.
BTW- All Gen2 Explorer have 31T big Ford bearing axles, so yes it will be interchangeable.-j
