Regearing the front differential - possible solution | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Regearing the front differential - possible solution

Also Lynchy, the lunchbox locker doesn't require you to have your gears set-up like the truetrac does. You can put it in yourself. Hardest part is removing the rear diff from the truck.

Bottom line: it's cheap, and works really well from everyone I've seen who has one.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Oh, and one more thing, mate:

Since you have a limited slip differential, the lunchbox locker you will need is the PowerTrax No-Slip for the Ford 8.8.

All of the others (Aussie, Powertrax Lock Rite, etc) are made to go into an Open differential.

No-Slip is the one that is sized and designed for a limited slip, and from what I hear, it's great
 






Thankyou Sir for the infomation. At this stage I'm just shopping, but I have been caught a few times with an unloaded arse and bugger all traction. Power trax No slip seems to be a goer. Cheers mate.
 






Yes, a lunchbox will work in the IRS 8.8. Some mods to the locker are required since the IRS axles are held in with circlips, not C-clips, and so the ends of the IRS axles are larger in diameter.

I know of only 2 people who have installed an Aussie locker in their 3rd gen, but both were very happy with it. One of them is Bigone65 on this forum...you only need to watch his offroading videos to see how well it works. I'll post a write up when I install mine...it'll be when I install my new, re-geared diffs.

TrueTracs are also an option..for the 3rd gen you would use a Dana 30 front and an 8.8 rear model. TrueTracs don't give 50/50 split all the time between the two wheels in slick conditions, that can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it and/or how you use your truck.
Ive been wanting to get an LSD for the rear of mine. I have 3.73 gears and 4wd. So after reading this i understand all i have to do is buy the true trac and take it to get installed. Is that correct? no other parts required?
 






From what the people at Eaton said, correct.

Since you'll have your diff out already....if it has a lot of miles on it you might as well have them replace seals at the same time and whatever else it might need to freshen it up.

If/when you do it, please post up your review of the TrueTrac!
 












That's not too different than what you have in your diff already.

Clutch type limited slips wear out, the advantage of the truetrac is that there are no clutches, just gears, so nothing to wear out. It also is less likely to slip when you need it.

Another alternative if money is an issue would be to have your installer just take your stock limited slip and add a couple of extra clutch plates to tighten it up some. Still would eventually deal with the problem of them wearing out though.
 






That's not too different than what you have in your diff already.

Clutch type limited slips wear out, the advantage of the truetrac is that there are no clutches, just gears, so nothing to wear out. It also is less likely to slip when you need it.

Another alternative if money is an issue would be to have your installer just take your stock limited slip and add a couple of extra clutch plates to tighten it up some. Still would eventually deal with the problem of them wearing out though.

i dont have a stock one.... hence why im looking for one, or any option to fill the open diff....

thanks for all the help btw!:thumbsup:
 






i dont have a stock one.... hence why im looking for one, or any option to fill the open diff....

thanks for all the help btw!:thumbsup:

Ah whoops for some reason I thought you said you had a stock ls. Truetrac if you don't offroad, aussie locker if you do.
Posted via Mobile Device
 






Ah whoops for some reason I thought you said you had a stock ls. Truetrac if you don't offroad, aussie locker if you do.
Posted via Mobile Device

I do offroad, and i want something that is directly compatible with the 8.8 irs, which doesn't require any mods to make it work cause in my experience if it isn't made for it theres a reason. So that brings me to a LSD at best cause it is directly bolt in and doesnt require any modification.

Thanks so much for the help bud!
 


















Hey, hey, hey! Sweet mate.
 






Regeared differentials are back from the shop!

Will do the Aussie install and a writeup for that, and swap in the new diffs!

Look for updates in a few weeks!

cant wait man!!!
 






It's DONE!!!

Over the last two days I finished swapping in the new front and rear diffs with 4.10 gears and Aussie locker in the rear. It was a big job but better than spending the money to have a shop do it. I learned a whole lot about the driveline and suspension in the process too so that's a bonus.

Haven't test driven it yet..too tired and I'm already 4 beers deep into a sixer so that rules out driving lol.

Will take her out for a short spin tomorrow to break in the new gears and I'll also post my 3rd Gen Aussie Locker Install writeup in a new thread.

Thanks to everyone who helped with the research on this!!
 






Good on you mate!!!!!!!! Great news and look forward to the write up. You certainly deserve more than a sixer amigo!!!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 






Ronin, I was wondering... what kind of MPG your getting with the new gears? Thought i read it somewhere but cannot find it!!!!
Thanks
 






Don't have any numbers yet man, I've been on a trip and away from my truck for the last few weeks. I'll be getting back in a few more and will start posting some numbers then, though.

I expect it will be back up around the MPG I was getting stock, maybe just a bit less.
 






Ok sweet, I got in argument with a fella about that he swears when you lift, and put bigger tires on, then do 4.10s or a low gear your MPG will drop significantly. The only come back i had for him was the lower gear compensates for the taller rubber can you explain that real quick so he'll understand? haha thanks
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Well bigger tires without changing gears is basically the same thing as if you went to a numerically lower gear ratio on stock tires

Imagine taking a stock explorer with 3.55 gears and regearing it to 3.27 or lower. That would be OK for highway mileage maybe but if you have hills or any city driving it would suck gas because the engine has to work harder to get the vehicle up to speed. That's exactly what happens when you put on bigger tires without regearing on these trucks.

So by putting on numerically higher gears, say 4.10's in my case, that makes it easier for the engine to get truck to get up to speed, so your mileage should get better. Basically with 265/75/16 and 4.10 gears it's the same (from an RPM standpoint) as having stock tires on 3.73 gears. If you go to high with the regearing then you cause the engine rpm to go higher at normal driving speeds...if its high enough it could lower mileage even though your acceleration is great. It depends on the engine but the 4.0 SOHC seems to like RPMs to make good power and get the best mileage.
 






Back
Top