Adding a Locker to the rear diff

[Fbird]

Looking at adding a powertrax locker to the rear useless open diff in my 06 2wd 4.0L. I have NOT dealt with lockers before as I'm more of a street rod guy not a mudder. Any daily driver issues with them? I know the work very well but still on the fence of a LSD carrier swap vs Locker drop in.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Looking at adding a powertrax locker to the rear useless open diff in my 06 2wd 4.0L. I have NOT dealt with lockers before as I'm more of a street rod guy not a mudder. Any daily driver issues with them? I know the work very well but still on the fence of a LSD carrier swap vs Locker drop in.

lss carrier wilk cost more since install. the ptrax ca be done much essier. the only thing with the ptrax is that its an auto locker so if you give it throttle around a corner itll lock and then youll go sideways. similiar with an LS but its not linesr itll hit ya so as such, they can be less streetsble especially the aggressive ones. howveer the ptrax is known for being less agressive. still on the fence myself about whether to do a ptrax or a tight ls in this one. ptrax is good for rocks and what not, but mort of it is mud and heneral trails where a locker isnt necessary and this sees a good amount of street driving too

 

[RangerX]

Get a locker only if you’re going to do a LOT of offroad driving. Otherwise, go with a limited slip.
I’ve driven with each for many years, and a locker is not street friendly.
Do you just want more street traction?

 

[Fbird]

well given it was STUCK with the dog leg rear in a 3" deep "ditch" of wet grass you're not going to do much "EXPLORING" in this stock configuration...lol.
Ideally I would buy a used center section for a Sport Trac that is LSD...then steal the LSD carrier
BUT
I'm NOT sure that the carrier will swap from an OLDER model due to the tone ring? Anybody know if the earlier carrier would work?

 

[Fbird]

ok...got bored looked up stuff... So an early model 2005 Sport Trac Posi carrier is # 1L2Z-4204-BA. OPEN carrier # E7TZ-4204-E with gear set # 3L1Z-4209-CC for 3.73
and the 2006 Explorer OPEN carrier # E7TZ-4204-E with gear set # 6L2Z-4209-B for 3.73

YAY this means the CARRIERS are interchangeable. Ford adjusted the GEAR to accept the tone ring...not the carrier

SO..
an earlier model CARRIER will work with the later (2006 + ) gear set!!!

 

[CDW6212R]

The tone rings should swap to almost any 8.8 ring gear, the ring began on the 98 Explorer for example.

Try to find a used Torsen diff, which used to be $500 new, and now last I looked is over $800. Those are maintenance free, and came in the early 2003ish Ranger FX4's. Otherwise look at swapping the whole rear center section from another Explorer 4th gen.

 

[Fbird]

there are NO LSD 4th gens. THATS the entire issue. The rear housing uses a 4 bolt mount unlike the 3 bolt mount in the 3rd gens. Not sure that the 3 bolt actually bolts in or not???? but I do know the carrier from a 3rd gen WILL go in a 4th gen case.!

IIRC The Ranger diffs are 28 spline not 31

NOTE: MOST rangers are 28 slpine only the Locker LEVEL II diffs are 31 spline...yes about $800

 

[Winter Hawk]

I put a locker in my 1989 Ranger 2X4 and am NOT happy. The description said clicking when going around a curve was normal. This thing BANGS and slams. I sent it back and was told everything checks out perfect, pay for shipping if you want it back. I did, then had a local differential guy install it. He said he has put a number of them in for people, and no one is happy with them. Get a limited slip instead; you'll be a glad you did!

 

[CDW6212R]

there are NO LSD 4th gens. THATS the entire issue. The rear housing uses a 4 bolt mount unlike the 3 bolt mount in the 3rd gens. Not sure that the 3 bolt actually bolts in or not???? but I do know the carrier from a 3rd gen WILL go in a 4th gen case.!

IIRC The Ranger diffs are 28 spline not 31

NOTE: MOST rangers are 28 slpine only the Locker LEVEL II diffs are 31 spline...yes about $800

Hmm, I thought that surely the LS was an option for all Explorers. The FX4 Rangers are very old and rare by now, finding just the diff, would be scarce for sure. It may end being a choice of installing an LS used or new, versus another brand and the center section has to be taken out and worked over. That's more time and money, than I'm sure you wanted.

 

[Fbird]

just went to the u-pull it...found an 04 Exploder with a d4 code....l73 tag. (3.73 same as current 46 code) While the drop out only uses 3 bolt mount I will be getting it and find out if it is a direct swap or NOT. Worst case is I gut it and use only the carrier... 31 spline LSD...

will be a couple months before I work on it as I am down a daily driver with my f-150 being KILLED!...but will take proper numbers of yoke angle and mount heights to verify if it is a bolt in...minus 1 bolt..... pic eval appears to be just that....1 less bolt on the forward frame cross-member... will post results. BTW u-pull-it ...diff drop out is $100///

 

[Fbird]

better yet...couple local yards have '04 explorers (4x4) with d4 door tag L73 diff tag...$220. I think I will spend the extra $120 on NOT doing anything (as I can't currently) except drive up...and have them place the drop out housing in a box in the back of my explorer!!! $120 is a small price to pay for ME NOT doing anything except driving to pick it up vs laying/crawling around underneath a POS in a junkyard for 3+ hrs

 

[Josh P]

If you don't need the diff cover on that drop out, I'd be interested.

 

[Fbird]

well just so happens that the diff cover is THE SAME gen 3-gen 4 so....at least the rear 2 bolt will line up, also same u-jint per gen.....so I imagine that the gen 3 with 3 bolts will essentially BOLT in with NO MODS to my Gen 4 and drive down the street....time will tell (about 2 months before I can actually perform these tasks....medical issues (4 broken ribs))

Josh ....be glad to hook you up will be a ling minute...but yeah!

long minute

 

[Josh P]

Never find the covers separately in a U pull it due to the amount of labor involved to remove it. Send a message whenever you're ready.

 

[CDW6212R]

I think most of the differences were the control arms and axle lengths, but the hubs and bearings changed too, and the early models had more issues with gear whine etc. I don't know what might have changed with the diff, I hadn't looked into that at all.

 

[Fbird]

for the drop out.........all bearings, seals are the same, same u joint same BOLTS.......not sure why they went 4 bolts insteadof 3 as the 3 bolts had been around for a while with no issues??? but will know soon. Again if needed I will gut it and swap carrier only...not my first rodeo sitting up used gears....especially if I REMOVE them. measure- record backlash and pic of pattern....pinion will not be disturbed

 

[CDW6212R]

I would change the pinion seal if possible, that's a common leak item like an engine main seal etc.

 

[Fbird]

update. ARGH....so dropped the rear diff to swap in an early model posi from a sport TRAC, Yes it will bolt in place....BUT the axle bearings and seals are incomatable. YUP they had to screw something up to prevent this from being easy. Case bore size is different from 5th gen to 4th gen (when they included posi unit) so you cant use the 5th gen axles then you can't use the 4th gen axles as THEY do NOT have the abs rings ON THE AXLE ..they use a tone ring inside the diff. Now a person MAY be able to disassemble a pr of 4th gen and a pr of 5th gen AXLES and put it together.....but what a freaking MESS since cv joints are disposable maintenance parts.

So the HARD way. tear BOTH diffs apart and swap the 8.8 posi carrier ONLY and re-set-up the gears. ARGHHHH S0 $150 for a used posi carrier and about 8-hrs to make it all work right! still not bad.

 

[Fbird]

UPDATE! So it seamms the 2002-2004 models that had a LSD use a different axle STUB in the carrier. FACT! BUT some come with advanded Traction control which includes a 54 tooth tone ring on the OUTER CV HUB (yay same as 4th gen) Also note: i just pulled a 04 axle with (carrier mounted sensor) and the outer cv hub is the SAME size as a 06-10 model...so worst case is you knock the tone rings off the new model and "press" them on to the early model axle.... early-late axles are of the same overall and same compressed length same sples....just different axle OD bearing in the carrier and different seal "size- ideology"

Plan A: use 2 EARLY ADVANCED TRACTION CONTROL" axles and it's a BOLT in swap (minus 1 bolt...lol)
PLAN B: 2 early axles and ADD my late model tone rings...bolt in swap
PLAN C: **** goes sideways remove LSD carrier and install it in late model dif unit... PITA.

will know in a few weeks.

 

[Fbird]

more data...seems MOST all axle makers NOW only make the early model WITH the included tone ring on the outer CV housing(ford discontinued the axle number without tone ring) INSTEAD of differentiating between the 2 models of "with differential mounted abs sensor" and "without differential mounted sensor"...so makes it pretty easy...simply need early model axle WITH a 54 tooth tone ring. One of those things where 1 axle fits both models. install coming soon.