Bkennedy's SAS and Rebuild Thread

[Kirby N.]

Careful with pressing in joints. I thought mine would be great for that, then I bent the ears on one axle shaft. Now I use the old hammer and socket every time. Or the drivetrain place that sells spices will install them for free when I buy from them.

 

[BKennedy]

I am still considering mounting the rear sway I got from RockRanger, but the space where it would mount to the axle is taken up by the shocks/shock mounts. The front OEM sway bar is mounted to the frame. Any reason that the sway bar wouldn't work as well mounted to the frame above the axle, providing I could locate the space? I can fab up some links with disconnects that attach to the axle. The sway bar is fairly small in diameter but it should help a little, which is all I need. I could do like the TJ's and install disconnects, but leave it connected for all but the real twisty stuff.

 

[Rick]

It will work the same.

 

[BKennedy]

The sway bar is a no go, not without a lot of redoing stuff I already did and like the way it turned out. I can live without it because there is just no extra room up there.

I installed the skid plate front section. The old trans skid plate used to go all the way up to that cross member with the bolts in it just in front of the exhaust Y pipe. I shaved off about 25 pounds removing that big chunk of metal. The trans is tucked farther up than the OEM trans and is protected by the radius arms. I have had the rig sitting on the radius arms on a rock and it was nowhere near the bottom of the trans pan. I think the trans will run cooler without all that heat being trapped in there. I kept it all so I can always put it back.

Trans skid plate installed, you can see how it covers up everything which is good, but traps all the heat from the trans and exhaust.

I also set up and tested functionality of my ring gear bolt torque apparatus. It will work just fine, whenever the bolts arrive.

I was cleaning up the Detroit and found the manufacture date code, 2002. That sucker has been in there for 18 years and still looks and functions like the day it was installed.

 

[Rick]

I've never had a transmission skid plate, knock wood the transmission has never been touched.

 

[mounty71]

If you're worried about the ring gear bolts staying in place, since you need to replace them anyway, you could try safety wire bolts so they can't back out again.

 

[BKennedy]

If you're worried about the ring gear bolts staying in place, since you need to replace them anyway, you could try safety wire bolts so they can't back out again.

I'm not worried about them backing out again. With the longer bolts, thread locker and torqued to he correct specs, I think they will stay in there another 18 years.

 

[BKennedy]

I just thought of something


@410Fortune , will removing the tone ring change the gear pattern? It looks like the ring is lightly pressed on the outside of the seam where the ring gear and carrier meet with a small tab to keep it in place so I am thinking no, but wanted to be sure.

 

[BKennedy]

USPS tracking says my ARP ring gear bolts are "DELAYED". I did everything there is to do before getting the carrier back into the pumpkin. Even cleaned up the work area, and repainted the diff cover and diff guard.
Cleaned up the axle housing

Waiting.....

 

[410Fortune]

I don't think removing the tone ring will change any gear mesh pattern or anything like that, I don't see how it could!
Dang covid shipping delays are the big suck

 

[BKennedy]

I checked and the tone ring is a light press on the outside of the carrier flange with a tab to hold it in place. Leaving it off. I am still waiting on the ring gear bolts I ordered. USPS tracking says they are en-route to the next destination for the past four days. I know if I order another set from somewhere else they will show up the next day, so am going to wait a few more days.
Its the only thing keeping the Explorer from being on all four tires. I even wire wheeled all the layers of old paint off the diff cover and repainted it a nice dark earth color, just because I have the time, the paint and like the color. Repainted the old school diff guard but didn't strip the old paint off because first fun off-road trip it will be all scraped up again.

 

[Rick]

I don't know what's going on, but I have a few things stuck in the shipping system right now as well. Two UPS one USPS. One was supposed to be delivered 2nd day air today. Now it shows it won't be delivered until Tuesday. I sure hope I don't still have to pay for 2nd Day...

 

[BKennedy]

I got some AR parts for free from a dude in New York. He flat rated it to me and it showed up in three days. Its funny how when I pay for something, its usually delayed with some COVID excuse, but when I send something or someone sends me something, it only takes a few days. The vender hasn't responded to my request for information on where the ring gear bolts are, so I might be disputing that in a few days.

 

[BKennedy]

I ended up ordering another set of ring gear bolts from Speedway. See which one shows up first.

Edit: Speedway says they shipped and it should be arriving tomorrow (Tuesday). Now, to cancel that other order.....

 

[BKennedy]

Vendor for first set of ring gear bolts issued me a full refund, maybe the second set will show up on time.....

 

[BKennedy]

Speedway Motors ships superfast, I got the ring gear bolts at my door about 5PM. Going to put the axle together today and give it until tomorrow for the thread locker and RTF to cure before filing with gear oil. I use Lucas 85-140 gear oil. That stuff pours like cold honey. I hang the bottle upside-down so it drains into the diff, cut a hole in the bottom for a breather and come back in a few hours, takes all day for three quarts.

 

[BKennedy]

I got everything installed. I pulled the diff fill plug and its shot. The hex is starting to round out and I don't want to put it back in there.

Are the 8.8 differential fill plugs just a 1/2-14 NPT threaded plug? I'm having trouble locating a replacement by vehicle on-line.

 

[410Fortune]

I think they are, bolt should work
If you need a fill plug I can send one, I have a few 28 spline Ranger axles here we torched bits off of?

 

[BKennedy]

I haven't done much in the past few days. I got a tension headache that I get from time to time due to a old neck injury. Feels like someone is pushing a hot metal bar through my forehead. Only way to get it to stop is to knock myself out for 24 hours. Feel better today. I replaced the pressure line in the power steering for my daughter's Ranger today since it was leaking bad at the upper fitting.

Axle waiting for fluid fill. Figure I would put the tires back on after I fill the diff to give me more room under there.

I was a little worried about having to relocate the brake lines but they still have plenty of flex in the soft lines. The new kit widens the axle by one inch.

I also cut off a piece of a old hex wrench and pressed it into the end of the diff fill plug, then welded. I have a 3/8 deep socket that fits that hex perfectly and there is a lot of surface area to spread out the load. This should work as well as a new plug, but time will tell.

 

[Rick]

I've ordered a bunch of stuff from Speedway this year. You are right they are super quick shippers which is extremely helpful while in the midst of a project.