No Door Sticker, Only Diff Tag. Gears???

[BonesDT]

I don't have any door stickers for some reason. I do have a tag on the rear diff. Can I figure out my gearing? Anyone have those codes?

 

[Yomie]

on your diff tag there is 2 lines, usually the 1st part of the 2nd line is your gearing, if it says something like 3L73 that is 3.73's with a limited slip (L signifies limited slip)

 

[BonesDT]

duh. sorry about that i just got the tag a little wet and it became clearer. i thought it said "1 10 98" a date. but it really says "4.10 88" (whatever the 88 means). hahaha. thanks anyway. so im guessing i have the inferior open diff? is this true?

 

[Yomie]

the 88 i assume is the Ford 8.8" rear end, and yes 4.10 is 4.10 gears open

 

[yob_yeknom]

Cool. 4.10's on a 2 door. Must have great low end acceleration.

 

[BonesDT]

yea i was suprised too. i guess that explains a lot. before i knew much, i thought the SOHC was a monster engine. but now i hear its not as good as i thought. but i have better acceleration stock than my friends pimped out grand-am.

i guess this is going to save me almost a G when putting on bigger tires

 

[Robert]

My '97 SOHC Sport also has 4.10s. I lost a little bottom end when I put my 32s on it but it isn't bad and is still quicker than a lot of vehicles. My setup is the equivalent overall ratio of having 235 75R15 tires and a 3.73 axle which was a common offering by Ford so I am still using my engine in the RPM range that it was designed. If I were to go to 33s though I would give more consideration to switching to 4.56s just because I like more bottom end acceleration and since my SOHC gets better mileage at 80 MPH than it does at 70 MPH it would probably help a bit in the mileage department.

 

[BonesDT]

what size tires did you guys get stock, i think my stocks were pretty big. i have 255/70r16, which i think coverts to 30". yea i love the way my car drives now, im a little sad that i am putting bigger tires on.

 

[Robert]

The only tires that came with the 4.10 were 255 70R16s. That was the reason for the 4.10s. In the later years though Ford started including the 3.73 with the 255s and I think they dropped the 4.10 from the option list the last couple of years (maybe only temporarily though). In '97 when I ordered my Explorer, when 255 tires were ordered the 4.10 came standard. Adding the towing package gave me the 4.10 LS. When I put my 265 75R16 tires on, my handling didn't change enough to warrant concern. My new tires are way more comfortable than my stock Firestones were. I wouldn't be sad about getting larger tires. I would be happy (in fact I was). I'll be even happier next year when I go up to 285 75R16s.