03 fliptrac $700 daily driver (summer of fun with 4 sport tracs)

[410Fortune]

No because it has backlash and you guys can’t tell but it’s chunky not smooth like something is broken inside… clunk crunch clunk when i turn the pinion. I suspect the pinion bearing went and shortly after the pinion gear. 270k not bad! The rear 8.8 on this truck has been rebuilt some point I know because it has aftermarket axleshafts… hopefully they did a good job! Seems fine for now

Front diff likely very few if any fluid changes ever

The reason there is no d shaft is because the diff started giving me issues last summer

Bought a 08 ranger 4.1 Low mile front diff from stepson for $50 yesterday. That way I don’t have to run this unknown miles unit

 

[97Sandbox]

Thanks for clarifying. My Mounty has about that much backlash. It makes some noise when coasting, but no crunching (yet).

Do you need special micrometers to set these up if you replace the bearings? I'm surprised my local salvage yard wants $250 for any 4x4 front axle.

 

[Josh P]

Thanks for clarifying. My Mounty has about that much backlash. It makes some noise when coasting, but no crunching (yet).

Do you need special micrometers to set these up if you replace the bearings? I'm surprised my local salvage yard wants $250 for any 4x4 front axle.

If you've never set gear lash, not the thing to learn on. I'd ditch the crush sleeve for a spacer.

 

[97Sandbox]

I haven't. It seems like a reasonable process, but I don't have the right kind of mic.

I guess I'll just keep an eye out for a better axle from a lower mileage rig. Are all the D35 IFS units in Explorers/Rangers the same except for the 95-97 CAD?

 

[410Fortune]

Yes same diff up to 2011
Only 95/96 v6 had the cad

97-01 explorer, 01-05 sport and trac, 98-11 ranger and of course mountaineer and Mazda pickups same sla Dana 35 regular rotation ifs front diff


If you guys ever need front differentials, just let me know. We always have them because we sell tons of rear axle to Jeep guys.

250 is ludicrous these should be 50 bucks at the junkyard

As Josh pointed out when you’re setting up gears and backlash, you have to take into account the crush collar that will crush on final torque so most of us delete the crush collar and go with a spacer that way your measurements stay accurate

 

[Josh P]

Yes same diff up to 2011
Only 95/96 v6 had the cad

97-01 explorer, 01-05 sport and trac, 98-11 ranger and of course mountaineer and Mazda pickups same sla Dana 35 regular rotation ifs front diff


If you guys ever need front differentials, just let me know. We always have them because we sell tons of rear axle to Jeep guys.

250 is ludicrous these should be 50 bucks at the junkyard

As Josh pointed out when you’re setting up gears and backlash, you have to take into account the crush collar that will crush on final torque so most of us delete the crush collar and go with a spacer that way your measurements stay accurate

Also, the spacer doesn't let go like the crush sleeve can.

 

[donalds]

I've had Aftermarket crush sleeves let go but the spicer one seems to hold up 2 burnouts and launches so far
It took 300 pounds of force to crush the spicer 1

 

[dvdswan]

250 is ludicrous these should be 50 bucks at the junkyard

Agreed. JYs here get 100-150 depending on size. You see D60 fronts go for 1k on CL though.

 

[410Fortune]

Finished up 26” led bar tuck
This will really help for winter driving back here in the woods

Marked centerline on light and truck

Finishing work w razor and file. Cleaning up the rough cuts I made before

Now I carefully marked the mounting hole locations by marking the locations of the mounts on the truck with sharpie. Then I removed the metal l shaped mounts from side of led bar. And held them in place on the truck. Marked the hole locations and drilled them out first from the front for a pilot hole. Then from the back to size

Wrench and socket to tighten bar to drilled header panel

Finished product

The led bar will be wired with new fuse relay and a second factory fog light switch that is already mounted in the custom radio bezel

I have an entire spare white front clip for a sport trac if I ever get tired of the light bar I can just swap the whole front bumper cover

Next I replaced
Both led pod lights, the ones I had filled with water
The new ones were dismantled and re sealed with lots of black permatex

Next I dropped the front differential and rebuilt the custom front driveshaft I have
The new front diff was drained and new axle shaft seals installed


Now the trax has 4wd again and winter lighting
Studded snow tires going on
She’s ready for winter … which is good because it’s almost December

Wheels, calipers, 32mm cv nut, ubj pinch bolt removed
With steering turned and a small pry bar the cv axles can now be removed from Diff

Diff on the ground

That grey fluid, to me, screams pinion bearing ate itself

Front driveshaft is custom unit to adapt the 4406 t case to the explorer d35 front pinion
This shaft had slip yoke and uses a 1330 joint at t case and 1310 at diff

Shaft was disassembled, cleaned. Slip yoke lubed and assembled with a new/used boot
New lifetime spicer joints

 

[dvdswan]

Great detail on the light bar install. Grey fluid in the diff, never a good sign. But the shiny shimmers, something is starting to die.

 

[410Fortune]

Fun with diffs
I got to take my pick from the 4.10 late models front diffs we have
I chose low mile from 05 sport trac

Diff cleaned up

Old seals removed with wood chisel and seal puller
Surfaces cleaned
New seals treated to extra flange sealant and driven home with hub socket and brass hammer

Late model tracs have very long arm on 3rd bolt along with a anti vibration counterweight
Usually remove the cwt I’m not sure it would clear the v8 oil pan

Cv axles cleaned
New brake pads installed, I go through a set of front pads a year/ two years living back here… it’s crazy

 

[CDW6212R]

Nice, but doesn't your seal puller yank those seals out in one or two whacks? I've had mine for 25+ years and don't recall needing to use a screw driver or chisel etc, to get any seals to come out. The two outer axle seals are very big and tough to deal with, but I think I've had little trouble with those either.

I'd pick the diff with the best looking pinion seal as well as the mileage. BTW, do you have a small enough 90* drill to put a hole inside the housing and down into the middle bottom bolt threads? I looked at mine yesterday, and it likes tight to fit a 90* drill tool in and next to the ring gear.

Would many of the late Rangers etc, have a 3.73 gear? I could use one more stock diff in case I have another problem before rebuilding one(and regearing to 3.31).

 

[410Fortune]

Tons of 3.73
I’m ahead of you a little

Yes seal puller will get them but I’m working with one arm, my wrist is healing
So I have to do things a little diff whacking the seal puller wasn’t in the cards
The chisel method can be done in the vehicle in a pinch as well

Drill 1/4” hole here and bottom most bolt becomes a drain

 

[CDW6212R]

Very nice, just what I had in mind for the drain hole. That should be a standard modification of all front diffs.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

i dont know what locktight they use on those arms, but i almost swear i am going to break the bolts trying to loosen them

 

[allmyEXes]

I'm catching up ~ 10 days' worth on your thread. Please excuse the excess questions and comments. Recently here, we've been scrambling around like squirrels getting ready for winter. Turns out we are about to get an early December cold blast. Brrr.
*BTW, I like the mirror mod from last month. We'll talk more later about that.
*The 26" light bar. Being adjustable is probably not so critical in your application, at some point on the wife's 2002 Sport Trac like after the 2wd 5.0 conversion, I would like to add the 26" light bar. Our intended application for this truck is highway use. So that means that the light bar addition would be to see the deer 5 seconds sooner. And to make up for the shady spot in front of our truck. Many of the very new "overgrown domestic" late model trucks ride behind us and flood us out with light such that our truck is driving into a shady or blank spot. We need to light that spot. But we can't blind the oncoming drivers that are blinding us too (some of them). We would need some adjustability. I see from your installation pics that I could make curved or radius shaped cutouts to be able to adjust the light.
*That's pretty smart drilling the front diff drain hole through the bottom bolt threaded hole. I'll remember that one. Recently after I made a mess removing the fluid from the MM 4R70W, a local Mustang friend/mechanic suggested that I first drill a 1/8" hole in the bottom part of the transmission pan FIRST (where the drain plug will be installed) before removing it to get the fluid out.
*Hopefully Baylee is able to give you a hand, no pun intended, while your wrist is still healing.
*The differential swap pics are nice to be able to see. That is the most that I've seen of one other than glancing under brother's '99 5.0 MM. Do you have a standard AWD front diff available to replace his? He has 270K on his recent purchase and the AWD could soon be going out.
*ADDED: @Josh P, Jamie, Tell me more about the spacers vs crush sleeves and where are you getting them?

 

[410Fortune]

i dont know what locktight they use on those arms, but i almost swear i am going to break the bolts trying to loosen them

Seriously tight! I use my 20v dewalt
Impact that can rip over 1000 ft lbs and it still takes a second… but she gets them out

This light bar location is adjustable
Up and down a little in its brackets but it’s mounted above the headlights… I would never run this bar on the road around other Vehicles.

That’s what the yellow lower lights are for. I also have two tiny motorcycle headlights I was going to add… but they have fans in them for cooling, so I decided not to run them because I know those fans won’t last long. Down near the license plate off to either side I was going to add two small lights pointing straight forward… some driving spot lights. I also looked at mounting them in the grill, the little side vertical al grills… was going to cut a small round hole and have them poke through. But there is nothing to mount them to back there… so I abandoned that project for now

I absolutely love the side
Mirrors such an upgrade in looks and functionality!! The 06-11 ranger mirrors are just better!

I have help in the shop when I need it… but shop time is also “me time” so I enjoy working alone and my parents us music now with 52” tv! (I hung a smart tv in the shop)

So the crush collar, that’s what most ring and pinion setups use, when final torque on the pinion is crushed a sleeve and you are supposed to account for the crush when you set your gear lash. If you get it wrong then you have to add spacers or start with a new crush sleeve…the alternative is a non crush style sleeve that does not change with final torque.. makes it easier to setup. Now I have not done this, I don’t do my own ring and pinions yet… I have always had help
But I have researched it enough to at least have an idea of what it means hahahah

Ring and pinions are on the list of things I plan to do in house, starting with one of my own rigs. A few years back I didn’t do my own exhaust or alignments either… now I do those

Here is where I was going to put these little halogen beams… until I saw the cooling fans. Not worth mounting those fans won’t last a season back here in the wet and wild

One of those two locations
I’ll be looking for a better spot/driving light that can go there

Happy Turkey day dudes!! Going to be a great weekend. Working on eddies engine asap right after we fry and eat two 20# birds

 

[allmyEXes]

Good info about the light bar. I just remembered about a pair of "cat eye" driving lights that are on one of the shelves here. I'll put them on the '97 Explorer in place of the LED lights that I replaced the stock lower lights. One burned out quick. May stick the good one under the back bumper on a push button switch to signal to tailgaters that they are too close.
The ones that you have with fans could probably run in the extreme cold with no fans.
We recently replaced the bearings and crush sleeve in a 9" in the 1970 Mustang. We got the shop neighbor, retired heavy truck mechanic, to help us crush the sleeve. Don's correct, it takes alot of force to crush it. Need a special table bolted to the floor to hold a loose chunk and to hold the yoke to get this done. Last time we did the 9" sleeve crushing in the vehicle.
Happy Thanksgiving! I have a tank style water heater to replace element o-rings in.
So far, we've had 2 Thanksgivings. One last Saturday and one last night.

 

[CDW6212R]

Happy Thanksgiving, and eat too much.

 

[allmyEXes]

I rounded up the lights. These are from ~ 1997. The same year of the truck that they would be going on.