1997 Aerostar. Rear differential issues.

[toomuchjunk]

I have a '97 aero 2 wheel drive with a 7.5" rear end.
The rear diff. has problems. It is noisey and part of the rotation it is easy to turn as it should be and at another part of the rotation it is hard to turn.
Sorry kind of hard to explain. I think it has big problems inside.
It has about 200,000 miles on it.
A local boneyard has a AWD '97.
My question is,,is the complete diff. from wheel to wheel a straight swap??
Please help me
Thanks
TMJ

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check the axle code by the driver's side door pillar to compare both differentials. Maybe you should remove the rear cover first to see what's wrong before you swap the whole thing? It sounds like the bearings are going.

 

[Jose A.]

all Aerostar differentials have a "whine", but if you think you need to replace it, you can use one from a 1995 thru 1997. As to replacing it with a 4WD differential, I do not know.

 

[toomuchjunk]

thanks for the help guys
BB I think I agree with you on taking the cover off. I really don't want to get into that damn parking brake cable again.
Thanks again to you guys and explorer/aerostar forum
TMJ