Front Differential Problems

[luvbritts]

Hello everyone! New to this site and have a question for you Explorer fans. I have a 1996 Explorer Sport, 4.0 liter, 4X4. The front Diff is shot and I need to replace it. Was wondering what years, vehicles would have the same if I go to a junk Yard? It has vacuum lines running to it. I think 2. Anything else I need to know to get the right one? Vehicle is down now and I need to get it fixed. Its beyond repair as it was run out of oil when I got it. I thank everyone in advance.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Hello and welcome to the site.
The 95 & 96 were the only years that had the vacuum connect for the differential, so your pretty limited to those 2 years.

Maybe one of the other guys can tell you if it's possible to throw a front differential from a 97+ in there, but I don't know if it is possible.

 

[IZwack]

I am 80% sure it also possible to use a 97-01 front differential. The thing that I'm not 100% about is the mounting but you can grab one from a junk yard and compare the old versus the new to see if the mounting points are exactly the same.

That vacuum line is for the axle disconnect and so all you have to do is ignore those lines.

Of course the new differential has to be the same ratio as the original or bOOM!