How to swap to 4.10s for less than $400?

[yosh18981898]

I'm really getting sick of my stupid 3.27s. I've been researching and found that I can pick up a rear axle off a 2000 with 4.10s and discs for about $200 from a junkyard. The next part is figuring how to get 4.10s in the front for just as cheap. I would just buy the drivers side (the one with the pumkin) axle arm from a junkyard, but Ford didn't make first gens w/ 4.10s so the junkyards don't have them. I refuse to pay the $650 per axle that a shop quoted me to do it. I am very handy with modifying/fixing my explorer but I lack the shop and tools to do it my self. My question is can anyone think of a way to get 4.10s in the front for $200? I am willing to do any work that doesn't requires more than an impact wrench, socket set, hammer, C-clamp etc...

 

[Robb]

The R&P with install kit is gonna run you about $200.

Knowledge and tools to install them properly...............priceless!

 

[yosh18981898]

I've got plenty of time to search for CHEAP used parts

 

[Robb]

You DON'T want a used install kit................not that you would ever find such a thing. The kit will run $80+. You may find a deal on the r&p, but I wouldn't personally pay more than $80 for used gears.

I bought my r&p w/ kit for about $170 of e-bay new (Yukon, so who knows who really made them). That is the cheapest you will find them.

 

[yosh18981898]

I hoping more to find a complete used d35 pig and swap that in myself, what does that involve? I've seen plenty of d35 pigs go for way less than 200 on this board.

 

[Robb]

but Ford didn't make first gens w/ 4.10s so the junkyards don't have them.

I hoping more to find a complete used d35 pig and swap that in myself..................... I've seen plenty of d35 pigs go for way less than 200 on this board.

That would be, pretty much, your only bet for doing it for $200...............although I have never seen a complete 4.10+ D35 pig on here for under $200 (and it would have to be local, cause shipping would kill it). If you can find one, go for it. Outside of that possibility, you are looking at $400+ for your front diff to house 4.10 gears.

 

[Doug]

There is no way you're regearing a front axle with the tools you listed. at the very least you're going to need a ft/lbs & inch/lbs torque wrenches and a dial caliper. regearing is no joke, if you dont do it right, you'll eat up your gears.

 

[yosh18981898]

Thats why I said this:

I'm hoping more to find a complete used d35 pig and swap that in myself, what does that involve? I've seen plenty of d35 pigs go for way less than 200 on this board.

and I can get a torque wrench and dial caliper for cheap. I'm not actually planning on regearing it myself..... just putting a whole different pig with 4.10s in myself.

 

[yosh18981898]

My newest idea:

what if I took my current d-35 pig out and and got some cheap used 4.10 gears and then took it to a shop to have it regeared? Wouldn't it be alot cheaper than taking the whole truck to them? I know, I know, its still going to be more than 200......

But really, if I bought a dial caliper and a torque wrench, couldn't I regear it myself? I am very mechanically inclined and have repaired several different parts of my explorer. I have never done an axle before, but how hard can it really be. I've never looked at any mechanism and not been able to figure out how it works and how to take it apart and put it back together. I'm studying to be an automotive engineer, so basically I'm studying to become the person who designed these things in the first place. I really think I could do it, so long as the cost of tools isn't more than having it done somewhere.

 

[Doug]

How hard are differentials? If you have to ask that question you should not be regearing an axle. When setting up the gears your tolerances are with in thousandths of a inch. If you dont do it right, you'll eat up the gears, bearings, housing or all of the above. You can go out and buy cheap tools to do this either, the crush sleeve requires about 300ftlbs of torque to crush. Buy some used gears for and an install kit and have a professional do it for you or you'll be doing it again.

 

[RockRanger]

here is how I went to 4.10 gears fot under 300.

Complete dana 35 and 7.5 from junkyard $600
First rear axle they gave me bad let me keep it & resold -$180
Sold hubs off of old dana 28 -$100
Sold extended radius arms that came with dana 35 -$60
Total Cost $260

Some 4 banger rangers came with 4.10 gears so you just have to look around. The first axle I got from the junkyard had bad pinion bearings in it and I had a 90 day warrenty. Called them up and told them it was bad and they got me a new one. When I went to pick the new one up they said just keep the old one. I ended up having a friend of a friend of a friend bent a housing and needed a new one so I sold it to him

 

[yosh18981898]

Yeah but the 4.10s in a 4 banger ranger are dana 28, not dana 35 so they won't work on the explorer

 

[yosh18981898]

Another Idea:

Could I take a dana 35 pig w/ 4.10s from a non-explorer based dana 35. Say a TJ, YJ, or XJ?

Or would there be problems because of reverse rotation, different housing etc...?

 

[Robb]

The Jeep D35 is a solid rear axle. The axle (and pig) is nothing like what is on the front of your rig.

 

[yosh18981898]

Thats what I thought...


I think my best bet is gonna be to find someone in my area with a shop that wants to teach me how to set up gears. I know I could learn.

 

[Bronco638]

Setting up ring & pinion gears (backlash) is not overly difficult, it's just time consumming. Of course, you'll need the proper tools and the know-how but even experienced mechanics give themselves two or three hours to get it just right. As previously mentioned, getting it "just right" is necessary to avoid turning your diff into trash.

Dave.

 

[yosh18981898]

After doing some more research, I found that Ford made 91-92 4-cyl. rangers with dana 35 TTB 4.10s. So the junk yards do have what I'm looking for after all. All I need to get is the 3rd member thing that houses the gears and carrier. This will already have the 4.10s perfectly set up from the factory. Then I can just take the old one off my truck, bolt the new one up to the axle arm, reconnect the drive shafts and I'm good to go, right? I just have to find one in my area for about $200. I wont be doing this untill next summer so I have plenty of time to look.

 

[nissanboy]

this is a little off topic bot some of the new ranger fx4's come with 4.56 gears from the factory. that would be an awesome swap if you cna find one in a junk yard. well only aweseom for second gen owners.

 

[yosh18981898]

awesome if you've got a second gen with 33 or bigger tires. I'm only planning on running 31s for a long time, so 4.10 is as high as I want to go. I think the 4.10/31s combo will give me great torque for towing, hill climbing, and a decent crawl ratio, without destroying my gas milage and top end speed.

 

[RockRanger]

After doing some more research, I found that Ford made 91-92 4-cyl. rangers with dana 35 TTB 4.10s.

Glad you found the axle i was talking about. Some are a hybred dana 28/35. they use dana 28 gears but bolt into a dana 35. I got lucky and got a true dana 35 but be aware of that axle as well.