Front diff options for a '91?

[pgrey]

Hi all,

I have a '91 Explorer that is being upgraded to become a better off road vehicle. It's not going to see anything too serious - no rock crawling, just 4x4 roads in the Sierras. It will also serve as our primary skiing transportation. It's getting 31 x 10.5s, and a 2.5" lift. It's got 3:73s. I'll make some sway bar disconnects and some skid plates.

I called Randy's Ring and Pinion and West Coast Differentials and got conflicting stories about what's available for the front of this truck.

Randy's tells me that I should put a True Trac in. WCD tells me that there's nothing that'll fit. Neither of them could tell me if I've got 28 or 31 spline axles and I couldn't tell them. Maybe that's the source of the confusion...

I was thinking about an ARB in the front and a LS of some kind in the back. That would give me good snow handing and great off road traction. It's expensive though.

My questions:

What diffs will fit the front of this vehicle?

Is the stock LS (after rebuild) as effective as aftermarket units?

Assuming that there are diffs available for the front, any recommendations as to what I should do (front and/or rear) to get good off road traction and not make the car understeer horribly in the snow?

I suppose I could weld the front and only lock one hub in the snow...

Thanks,

Peter

 

[Derrick C.]

Me personally I'd go ARB. Driving on snowy roads is a reckless thing to do with lockers. Unless your use to it. But still isn't a smart thing to do.

I'm not sure on spline count for the front but your rear should be a 31.

As for as lockers for the front. I thought there was everything for the front and rear of these. Well not everything but stuff like the tru-trac, detroit, qiuck lok, and ARB. I could be wrong though.