need help with 4.56 8.8 gear swap

[Clint]

well i guess 37's finally took there toll on my 8.8 i got a loud popping sound and drove it to a shop on my base(navy) well u rent the bay and u get all the tools well when i opened it i found a carrier in two pieces and upon pulling out the carrier i found a nice piece missing off the pinion gear so i figured bye iwth the 3.55 so now i have a 4.56 gear set here and i need to know general swap directions i am very mechanicaly enclined and ive messed with axles before but never had to worry about pinion depth or shims etc.... any help would be appreciated and if u any of u have a carrier u would be willing to sell cheap it would be appreciated because i can't afford the install and a new carrier on a e4's sallary please help

 

[Hotweels]

It's easy as long as you have not messed with any of the shim's, just put back the same shim's and check the pattern that will be a good starting point but more adjustment will probably be needed, for more info check out randys ring and pinion web site there is a link on this site somewhere.
It would be a good idea to have someone who has done gears before helping you but it's not rocket science.

 

[Clint]

hey thanks man that's what i was thinking but some people were telling me it was impossible for me to do it .......i have a guy that has done it once before and he's helping so that's good .....i appreciate the info

 

[unclemeat]

I do not think that you can fit a 4.56 gear in that carrier. I think that you need a stock 3.73 or 4.10 carrier.

 

[Clint]

the carrier i have being shipped is out of a explorer with 3.73.....

 

[tdavis]

There is no carrier break in the 8.8 rear axle.

You will need a new carrier for the front d35 (I think the break is 3.73 and up for it).

Was it a limited slip carrier? They are easier to destroy, since they have less material in them to make space for the LSD.

To get an idea of what's needed to install in the ford 8.8, read this for an idea of what you need, and what to do.

 

[Clint]

my f150 uses a IFS ford 8.8 in the front my explorer does nothing anymore since it sits in az collecting dust ...just too many issues with it ......so now i have my daily drive (98 f150 7" totall lift 37's) and my 51 CJ3A D44 F&R wrangler spring etc...not finished yet ...but the explorer din't like the abuse of arizona trails h

 

[Heath]

Tom, that makes it look much harder than anything I would want to take on... I think I'll stick to R&R type of projects...

 

[Clint]

well i got it done and it wasn't has hard as everybody really puts it ......but u do have to have the tools pinion depth tool ...and magnetic base dial indicator ....press ..all that good stuff i would try it in my home garage but hey .....btw sold the cj3 to my brother in law and im taking the waggy d44's and yj leafs and putting them to use under a Zuk and tom ive seen your rig and i really like the idea of your tube bender mount because im in teh military and my orders are calling for san diego in about 5 months so i know i won't have a big garage.....

 

[tdavis]

I found using the bumper mount for the tube bender a good thing. It's portable, and you can level it pretty good - and then just sight down the tube/figure out the difference for the bends.

As for doing gears - it's not difficult, the hardest part is the patience to do the bearings, and reading the gear pattern. This is assuming you have the proper tools also.

 

[Heath]

Well if I could buy the tools for less than the cost of the install then it would be worth it...

 

[Hotweels]

Well if I could buy the tools for less than the cost of the install then it would be worth it...

You can buy the tool's needed for about the cost of setting up both diff's, harbour freight 10 ton press $129 1/2" impact gun $200 mag base dial indicator $150ish and a inch pound beam type torque wrench is about $75 shop around in pawn shop's and used too stores and i can bet you can get everything for under $350 plus you can make that back by showing other people how to setup gear's

 

[TheRookie]

Wait, you had 37's and 3.55 gears ?!?!?! Man that thing must have been a dog.

 

[Clint]

yeah it was but it wasn't as bad as u would think !!!!!!!!