rear axle swap

[I Bleed Blue]

I was curios if the 8.8 out of a 2nd gen would bolt right up to a 1st gen? They are the same widths but i dont know if the perches or anything are different. Wanting to make my 1st gen 4 wheel disk

 

[FR-425]

Yep, direct fit. I have a 98' 5.0 3.73LS rear in my 94' Any first gen 91' 2,3 or 4

No additional parts needed; get the rubber brake line with the donor axle and you can bolt in!

Major braking improvement! Got mine out of the 98' with 38,000 on the clock. crashed out in front. Bone Yard $300.00 still had factory pads with 80% (good indicator for wear and tear)

Stay away from a high mileage unit unless you plan to rebuild before install. Especially Limited Slip. (LS)

Check the tag for gear ratio.

It must match the front.

If the tag is missing don't buy it (someone has already been in there.)

However it would be worth pulling the cover to see if someone put a locker in there! Bonus! worth rebuilding if not smashed.

I'm hit'n the Bone Yard again next week to do just that! LOCKER HUNTING (poaching)

Be courteous and put any covers you pull back in place with all bolts! Just the right thing to do.

 

[I Bleed Blue]

Sweet good to know! I'd be re-gearing, locker, axle shafts and all the bearings would be getting replaced before install.

 

[arco777]

I installed a 140K mile complete 8.8 out of a 2nd gen in one of my Explorers as well. The brake lines match up fine if you keep the one that attaches near the drivers side framerail.

Unless you want to tear apart your drum brakes the only challenge you'll find is adapting the parking brake cable. I ended up shortening my stock cable, notching the bracket for easy removal, and joining old and new cables together.

It has been said that the proper way to do the swap is to change out the master cylinder. I believe I used a 95 model remanufactured master cylinder for a model without cruise control, as it was a perfect fit. Opinions are split on whether this is necessary or not, with proponents citing drum brake rear bias inherent in the stock master cylinder.

While junkyard hunting look at the tags as FR-425 suggested. The tag (and looking inside) will indicate the gear ratio and whether or not it is limited slip equipped. Keep this in mind because some aftermarket lockers are designed specifically for open differential carriers and not the limited slip carrier.

 

[jd4242]

I also suggest the 95 mc.ive done many swaps with them and work flawlessly every time.my first time I didnt and brakes sucked, swapped to 95mc and worked great.they are cheap and good idea to update and flush the system. .

 

[FR-425]

TIP:

Pick up a flare plug. (I forget what size it is 7, 8, 9mm)

If you are going to have the rear brake line out for a day or two; plug it so you don't gravity feed air into the ABS block.

Gonna make bleeding much easier.

 

[jd4242]

94s tend to be alittle different as most have 4wabs..

 

[arco777]

I installed Speed Bleeders when I did my axle swap and flushed the brake fluid out of the whole system at the same time.

 

[jd4242]

I installed Speed Bleeders when I did my axle swap and flushed the brake fluid out of the whole system at the same time.

So did I.those things are great!!

 

[Explorin'VA]

I bolted up a rearend from a 2000 to my 94. It's very simple. I kept the existing junction block mounted on top of the diff. Then I ran new hard lines from the junction to the disk brakes. I used two left hand side brake hoses to make this work with the existing junction block. It works fine with the stock Master cylander.

 

[x5050160]

Does anyone have a part number for the 1995 master cylinder that is needed for the rear axle swap.??

 

[BKennedy]

You can get the master cylinder at just about any auto parts chain, but usually its special order. You need the MC for a 1995 Explorer with no cruise control and no rear proportioning valve. I got one for my 94 with cruise and just plugged the sensor fitting with a 3/8" plug because I was in a time crunch and could not find the other locally.

 

[allmyEXes]

I know this is an old post but 2 weeks ago from the JY purchased a '97 LS 3:73 diffy. My '91 is 3:55 front and rear so I am going to transfer all the disc brake assy's to the 3:55. When I stepped away from the the guy with the torch and other destruction tools to go pay the owner, the "stripper" cut the rubber hose and used a large bolt cutter right through the e-brake cables where they "pair" together. I am going back to the junkyard to strip the cables off of another '97-'98 that they have there and my question is how much of the cables to get ? I am going to start at the rear disc assy's on both sides and work forward. How far forward should I go ? I think there is a connection towards the front under the driver seat area. I will get the MC too but it is probably ABS but I could at least use it for my core swap when I purchase a '95 non ABS master cylinder. Thanks in advance for any advice !

 

[gmanpaint]

Are you saying, your going to try to do a disc brake conversion on the 1st gen housing, using the parts off the 2nd gen housing?
You can simply re-use your existing E-brake cables if so. They are the same on 1st & 2nd gens. If you have to have them, then just take what you need from another donor, or buy new. There is 3 cables from front to back, just get the ones you need.

If you just wait it out, until you can locate both deeper geared diffs, then just swap them out whole, I think this would be a better option.

Or... Re-gear the rear 2nd gen now, and use the ratio that suits you best, then gear the front when you can. As long as you never put it into 4wd, until then, your fine. Can even remove the front driveshaft, for those CRS moments.

 

[allmyEXes]

Yes, converting the 1st gen housing to 2nd gen disc brakes. I wasn't aware that the cables would work, Thanks.As far as the gear ratio goes, I am using the 3:55 ratio with a C-4 final drive ratio 1:1 at the driveshaft with 31.1" tall tires. It is a 97% highway truck and 3% trail truck to get in and out of the canoe launch spots at our local small rivers. The math on tire height, rear gear and trans...final drive ratio works out to a usable highway ratio. If I had my math notes here I would post them. I'm building a very,very mild 4x4. Thanks for the info.

 

[allmyEXes]

I'll start a new build thread Thanksgiving week. I should have the rest of the parts by then. I went and got my notebook out of "MO".
Basically the math numbers were this:
Close to stock tire height was28.9". The A4lD final OD ratio is .75.
The new tire height is 31.1 actual and the C-4 is a 1:1 final drive ratio.
This makes the ratio on the pavement a little short but still highway drivable and we won't be getting on the 70 mph Interstate to go anywhere. Probably 55 to 60 mph max.
The stock '91 Explorer transfer case is a BW 1354 electric shift and I don't plan on submerging the electric shift motor (do you like that statement? "I don't plan on submerging the shift motor") lol