old guy, wife said get a hobby, 94 explorer

[Albino 94LTD]

Setting up gears is not for the faint of heart. To do it right takes a fair amount of skill but, that's cheap for a set of gears.

You will still need to regear the front or only drive in 2wd

 

[jmczzz]

Setting up gears is not for the faint of heart. To do it right takes a fair amount of skill but, that's cheap for a set of gears.

You will still need to regear the front or only drive in 2wd

hey wait up until now you guys have been telling me it was simple and easy

 

[jmczzz]

Yes & no. You have to change the pinion gear as well, and that means having the backlash set professionally. It's not a simple swap of the carrier.

Then your going to have to get the front gears done to match.

wait it's not simple and easy...

 

[jmczzz]

should the front be the same ratio?

 

[gmanpaint]

Lol, no. We have never said doing gears was easy. We said it is a costly item to have done by a shop, if you only changed gears.

We said it was easier to swap the entire axle with the gears already in them. This means both front and rear, of the same ratio.

If you only do the rear, you can never ever, never ever, use 4wd...... ever.

 

[jmczzz]

Lol, no. We have never said doing gears was easy. We said it is a costly item to have done by a shop, if you only changed gears.

We said it was easier to swap the entire axle with the gears already in them. This means both front and rear, of the same ratio.

If you only do the rear, you can never ever, never ever, use 4wd...... ever.

yes i got that, just making light of it all thank you jmc

 

[jmczzz]

New question, I do not see any value in the plastic trim along the bottom of the trucks body. I want to address the rust issue behind and above those. I've found lots of threads on how to body work but I have a different question.
If I decided to eliminate these apparently useless pieces of trim and make the body underneath smooth and painted to match the main body color will I be perfoming a 1st gen modification to the "Sport" style esthetic that will raise cries from forum members?
thanks for opinions, jmc

 

[410Fortune]

No crying here, I call that crap "tupperware" and it is the first thing to go on my trucks.....
Plastic trim and flares, running boards, they all trap water behind them and cause rust. Plus on the trail they are just in the way....
Remove that crap!!!
I will be all SMILES!!

Cheaper and Easier = swap entire front differential (called a pumpkin) and the whole rear axle with units from a 3.73 or 4.10 truck
Expensive and more difficult = have the ring and pinion gears changed in your current diffs

You are looking at $300-700 to buy a used front diff and rear axle and bolt them in with new fluids and brake parts
You would be looking at $1500-2500 to have a shop install new ring and pinion gears in your current differentials, and then you would still need brake parts, etc......

 

[jmczzz]

No crying here, I call that crap "tupperware" and it is the first thing to go on my trucks.....
Plastic trim and flares, running boards, they all trap water behind them and cause rust. Plus on the trail they are just in the way....
Remove that crap!!!
I will be all SMILES!!

Cheaper and Easier = swap entire front differential (called a pumpkin) and the whole rear axle with units from a 3.73 or 4.10 truck
Expensive and more difficult = have the ring and pinion gears changed in your current diffs

You are looking at $300-700 to buy a used front diff and rear axle and bolt them in with new fluids and brake parts
You would be looking at $1500-2500 to have a shop install new ring and pinion gears in your current differentials, and then you would still need brake parts, etc......

Ok good! crap goes so i can do body work. I have some experience. I am still waiting on 2 j yards to tell me gear codes. thanks jmc

 

[jmczzz]

I got a code 35 with mynew reader. = no ege position signal, rpm low. exhaust gas recirculation system.
could this be from hole in muffler? jmc

 

[jmczzz]

i am going back thru all the post in this thread to try to make a list of the wokable 3.73 and 4.10 rear and front complete axles that would be a direct swap into my 94 sport. i need to know what model, year ect i am looking for.
" i am confused" is an understatement.
any help would be apreciated.for example
look for 'front and rear axles from a 1991 to 94 auto or manual 4WD with 3.73 or 4.10 gear code'
thank you, jmc

 

[Mbrooks420]

You’ve got it exactly right.

Matching 3.73 or 4.10 gears from a 91-94 Ford Explorer. Transmission doesn’t matter. 2 or 4 door doesn’t matter.

An axle code of D4 means a limited slip. More desirable if it still works, however an open rear will accept a cheap “lunchbox” locker which is a fairly straightforward install.

The other option is a front from a 91-94, and a rear from a 95-2001. This will upgrade to rear discs, but you’ll have to swap master cylinders. Very common swap.

 

[gmanpaint]

I did the rear 8.8 conversion on the 94 Ex. Used a 97 disc 8.8.

Stock Master cylinder works perfectly. Some swap to the 95 Master when the brakes do not feel right after the swap. I would wait until after, before deciding on this.

There are also Rangers that use the same axles, but have to be careful with them, as they have a few diff versions, and only one will work for your Ex.

 

[jmczzz]

I did the rear 8.8 conversion on the 94 Ex. Used a 97 disc 8.8.

Stock Master cylinder works perfectly. Some swap to the 95 Master when the brakes do not feel right after the swap. I would wait until after, before deciding on this.

There are also Rangers that use the same axles, but have to be careful with them, as they have a few diff versions, and only one will work for your Ex.

I found this but i will have to wait till Monday to see if they have the rear to match.
1994 Front Axle Assembly Ford Explorer 3.73 101 miles from me Grade A $240
thanks jmc

 

[jmczzz]

You’ve got it exactly right.

Matching 3.73 or 4.10 gears from a 91-94 Ford Explorer. Transmission doesn’t matter. 2 or 4 door doesn’t matter.

An axle code of D4 means a limited slip. More desirable if it still works, however an open rear will accept a cheap “lunchbox” locker which is a fairly straightforward install.

The other option is a front from a 91-94, and a rear from a 95-2001. This will upgrade to rear discs, but you’ll have to swap master cylinders. Very common swap.

I found this but i will have to wait till Monday to see if they have the rear to match.
1994 Front Axle Assembly Ford Explorer 3.73 101 miles from me Grade A $240

 

[gmanpaint]

That's a lot of work for a 3:73 gear swap. Try to hold out for axles with a 4:10 ratio if you can. Took me about a year to find them, when I first did this.

 

[jmczzz]

i also found this
1991
Rear Axle Assembly
Ford Explorer

4.10 RATIO, 4.0L, AT, XLT 113,825 A 8646 $275 Midwestern Auto Salvage, Inc USA-OK(Tulsa)
158 miles from me. But what I don't understand is why i did not find a front with the 4.10 ratio?
wouldn't both with 4.10 ratio be the best choice for my sport? thanks jmc

 

[gmanpaint]

i also found this
1991
Rear Axle Assembly
Ford Explorer

4.10 RATIO, 4.0L, AT, XLT 113,825 A 8646 $275 Midwestern Auto Salvage, Inc USA-OK(Tulsa)
158 miles from me. But what I don't understand is why i did not find a front with the 4.10 ratio?
wouldn't both with 4.10 ratio be the best choice for my sport? thanks jmc

Using the stock axles, Yes, 4:10 is best for your tire size.

4:56 is ideal for 33's, but sadly, Ford never went deeper than 4:10.

If they say the rear is 4:10, then the front came 4:10 also.

They always match from the factory, as they have to. If they don't list the front, it might have been sold already.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Seems like a decent deal to me.

 

[jmczzz]

I am 90 miles from home and sitting in a parking lot with a blown transmission. All the fluid started leaking out and I bought 5 qts and Some blue stop leak stuff. I made it a few miles but then it started slipping. I added more fluid and got to a parking lot.
Any body want to buy it? U gotta come get it. Make me an offer. Super cheap. No kidding.
Thanks jmc