Ranger axle under an X?

[J. Kennedy]

I have read a LOT here about people doing the spring over axle conversion. Remove rear axle... grind off spring mounts...weld mounts on top of axle... fabricate new shock mounts... and hope everything lines up.

In traffic today behind a ranger, and I was staring at the rear axle and it hit me. RANGER LEAFS ARE ABOVE THE AXLE AND HAVE SHOCK MOUNTS!!

Why not just steal a rear end out from under a Ranger? Can it take the extra weight? What is the ratio?

Its so simple I must be missing something obvious...

 

[Stephen S]

I don't think the Rangers have the Ford 8.8 with 31 spline axles like the Explorer does. I'm thinking I read on here somwhere that they only have 28 spline axles, which are not as strong. The Explorer rear axle is a much stronger, more heavy duty axle, than those of the Ranger. I'm sure you could figure a way to rig a Ranger axle under an Explorer, but you'd be swapping out a good part, and replacing it with a weaker one. Besides, it is probably more cost effective to just do an axle flip and weld new spring perches than having to buy a whole other axle to put under there.

 

[tdavis]

Won't work.

Ranger 8.8's are narrower than Explorer's.

And, if you have rear disks, you would have to move them.

 

[BislamJoe]

I'm sure you could do the swap, but why? The Ranger 8.8 is narrower, and I think has only 28 spline shafts. I suppose you could pull the spring perches off one and slap 'em on your Explorer 8.8 though. I don't think anyone has tried that, but who knows?