Need some advice...

[KJL]

Ok so i picked up a 1992 EX 4 door (manual trans, push button 4x4) a month ago or so and my over all plan is to make it a well equiped hunting rig. im on central ca so the trails are not that bad mostly logging roads. i just went hunting yesterday in eagle meadows, d6 for whoever knows the area in my/my wifes 2000 sport 2wd and it went everywhere i wanted to go (in part my MY driving skills lol). although i didnt get anything thanks to some guy on a 2 stroke dirt bike blasting down the mountain backfiring the entire way... thanks dude!

anyways, the motor is going to be mostly stock, i dont need huge horsepower or anything.

exhaust is going to be as quiet as possible (there are a lot of guys that go up there in big ass diesels and loud pipes and i literally watch the deer run away even before the loud trucks come around the bend). i was thinking of opening up the exaust for better flow but as far as putting a Super 40 on, thats not going to happen.

i was thinking of a 3 inch lift, maybe 4. i dont need a lot of clearance up there. plus whatever size radials i can stuff under there.

i keep going back and forth with throwing a winch on there cause the deer up there are not all that big, nothing i cant strap to my shoulder harness and drag out. not like CO elk, my old man has a sick 76 BKO we use up there.

idk what to do with the axles, do i lock the front and rear? i deff hem to be want to be strong and as far as i read the 31-splines are pretty strong. (my
2000 rangers 28s did not hold up to my crazy teen driving years ago, had to rebuild that thing twice!)

what are you guys using for lockers? i am up in the air about Detroits cause of the price and that my buddy had one on his dodge and the damn thing always locked up when we would take a turn on city streets and it was annoying.

what do you guys think of my plans for it? also what advise can you give me on the F/R axle upgrades?

 

[wood1]

Lots of guys run a 2" budget lift, an aussie locker in the back and a LS in the front (Jeep dana 35 rear LS fits our front axle I have been told), some good 31s or 33's with a bit of fender modification, I'd be shocked if that didn't do it for you. Just make sure your front axle u-joints are always in good shape. Actually if you rebuild your 8.8 LS tight you might be able to do without a rear locker. I rebuilt the one in my old stang and it was tight, added extra clutch plates, had to file the axle ends to get it together and use a brass drift to get the spider gears back in... with synthetic gear oil it didn't chatter unless I was on it a bit and always burned both tires.

Have a look in the link in my sig line. Lots of goood info.

 

[KJL]

how do i know if ive got LS or not... i havent really paid attention to front and rear axles before so i dont know much about what was put in, in the factory

also, i dont mind trimming the fenders at all but i dont know if i wanna run 33's seems like a lot of weight to have to spin. i think ill be ok with the 31's but ya never know lol

I was looking at the gear ratio charts on 4 wheel parts and i think 4.11s are going to be good unless someone has a better idea...

the 76 BKO mentioned above has 33" SuperSwampers on it but you need that in CO with all the clay soup out there. but that has a 302ci under the hood.

 

[wood1]

Well, if it's a LS you could rebuild it. Clutches and synthetic lube would be cheap. If it's an open, then that is the carrier you need to be able to install a locker. Can't do it with a LS.

I run a 31 with 3.73's and they are fine. 33's need lots of trimming methinks...

 

[KJL]

its open. im on a budget (arent we all), i mean just had a kid budget lol. what are my options for upgrades? i dont believe i need an ARB or anything like that but something that works well on the dirt but isnt going to be annoying on the street.

i am in the process of putting a duel pump air compressor in the truck (where the spare tire used to be) but idk if i wanna run an air locker. the q industries q-89 duelly, not very big but i won it in a 4 wheel parts give away so free is free! im not looking to run air tools on it mostly just for tires i think

 

[wood1]

How about a lunchbox in the rear? Pretty cheap. Aussie makes a good one from what I read. Air lockers are expensive.

 

[KJL]

what exactly is a lunchbox? ive seen it around on this forum but im not sure ehat it is... i assume its the 3rd member.

i was thinking of going with Aussie but again wanted everyones input on them:

front: Aussie Locker XD-13527 Dana 35 With Hardened Cross Shaft (Jeep Differentials 1993 And Earlier Plus D35TTB Front Differential Applications)

rear: Aussie Locker XD-48831 Ford 8.8 31 Spline

 

[wood1]

It installs inside of the existing open carrier. There is an install PDF here

A locker in the front will cause you a great deal of trouble turning, the boys are suggesting a LS in the front.

 

[KJL]

That's a damn good point... What LS do you suggest

What's the deal with the jeep rears fitting in the front d35 ifs diffs? Can anyone conferm for deny that?

 

[wood1]

BAM!

Mark and the boys are very knowledgeable fellows and speak from experience. I'm just repeating them. Read it for yourself my friend...

 

[KJL]

yeah i think ill go with a L/S

i didnt see anything on a Jeep rear diff going on D35 ... thinkin a search is in order (but we all know how that goes sometimes)

 

[wood1]

Look under my Useful TTB Threads in my sig line. Under Gears/lockers/differential. Limited Slip D35.

 

[KJL]

from what i gather, having a full locker in the front wouldnt be to bad for street driving... how bad is the turning with it locked in?

for reference, i just threw my 92 in four low in the dirt ally behind my house and it was kind of a b*tch to turn, but then again it does have a small spare on the front. thats about as much as ive driven it since its my toy and it sits in the garage awaiting bigger and better parts so i assume the hard turning was because of the smaller tire... am i correct?

 

[wood1]

Yikes, that is a good way to break parts, odd sized tires in 4 WD.

A locker on snow will pretty much make it impossible to turn effectively if you are on the power at all and it is locked. A locker in back is livable, not so much in front. You could unlock one hub for driving to your hunting road I suppose, maybe you aren't worried about snow? I know some places in CA do have winter.

 

[KJL]

The odd tire is the reason I don't drive it lol. I literally haven't had time to go get even a used one.

Not much snow here during hunting season. The only time I can expect to be in snow is on the way up to snowboard on all weather highway 4. So no I don't expect much snow.

It there a link you could direct me to for the step by step on the jeep D35 rear LSD and maybe a list of info on the jeeps they come in and what I would need to change to get it to work? Sorry it's a lot but I like knowing EXACTLY what I need and where to find it

 

[wood1]

Dude, at some stage of the game you have to take the bull by the horns and do some work rather than just ask someone else to provide you with answers... start reading, do some searches... read some then ask questions.

 

[KJL]

i have been trust me. nothing i have found seems to be very clear, thats the only reason i ask

 

[wood1]

Dude, have you found what you were looking for? Did you look at my thread? There are like 90 links about the front axle in our first gen explorer.

Here is my thread

This shows the insides of the axle