Regearing

[2stroke]

Who said to adjust the pushrod? That wouldn't accomplish anything. Sounds like I'll put in a 95 MC. I can get it for $75 free shipping from my preferred brake supplier (made in USA).

 

[natenkiki2004]

Is the 1995 MC a bigger piston or something? I don't see much difference aside from the plastic tank on top.

 

[jd4242]

Who said to adjust the pushrod? That wouldn't accomplish anything. Sounds like I'll put in a 95 MC. I can get it for $75 free shipping from my preferred brake supplier (made in USA).

If you search some say to do this.. $75 isnt that bad..i suggested advance because you can use a coupon and it comes out to like $30

Is the 1995 MC a bigger piston or something? I don't see much difference aside from the plastic tank on top.

The insides are different,its made for disc brakes.the outside should looks exactly the same..some models have a slant tank and some have the square tank..

 

[2stroke]

I found a problem with my rear brakes on the Mazda today, so I am going to try and get my new rear axle on next weekend. I don't plan to re-gear the front for over a month, so that means I'll be without 4x4 for quite a while. I ordered a 8.8 swap kit from ruff stuff that is exactly what I need to put the explorer axle under a ranger. It comes with spring perches, u bolts, and shock mounts. That means with some measurements, I can have the axle 90% ready to go before even touching the old axle. I figured out how to measure pinion angle, so I will set it to stock on the new axle. Come saturday, hopefully all I have to do is disconnect brakes, unbolt driveshaft, unbolt u bolts (or cut) then mount the new axle. I may take some time to cut and weld the sway bar mounts to the new axle. I want to also replace the outside axle seals and pinon seal. The question I have is rock auto sells the pinion seal as a "grease seal" which has me concerned. Also, I was wondering if it is proper practice once the new seal is in to just torque the pinon flange nut to spec and call it good.

 

[jmdirk]

you want the angle of the piion to be the same as the output of the transfer case under load. Good rule of thumb is that with the weight of the vehicle resting on the axle, pinion angle should be down about two degrees to account for axle wrap. down two degrees from the transfer case output, not down 2 degrees from level.

1st gen and 2nd Gen MCs are slightly different. Different stroke, very small difference in diameter, but not enough to worry about too much. Stock ones for drums brakes have a residual valve to keep a little pressure on the rear drums. As jd said, this causes rear brake drag when used with discs.

I did a fair bit of research on MCs doing my SAS and tried to write it up here:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=424023

If you already have 4WABS, it complicates things a bit because everything (proportioning etc.) is done in the ABS module, not in the MC. If you do an ABS delete, use a non ABS MC (or and ABS MC with an external proportioning valve). If you want to retain ABS you should,in theory, swap in the compatible ABS pump etc. If you continue to use the drum brake ABS (which does all the proportioning) your rear discs won't operate well because the ABS will knock down the pressure to the rear too low. Discs require more pressure than drums. If you continue to use the drum brake ABS, the discs won't operate optimally and may actually perform worse than the drums

 

[2stroke]

Mine came without any ABS. I'm afraid it's rushing it too much to do it this weekend. I'm just going to slap some cheap shoes in it and do the axle swap in a couple weeks. BTW the brake problem I'm having now is my rear shoes are cracked and grab hard. This is due to being soaked in fluid when both wheel cylinders blew a couple of months ago. It's never ending with drum brakes, and a PITA to fix when you need to.

 

[2stroke]

Time for an update, the project is going exactly as I originally planned. I just made the final order to rockauto. I hope to finish up my rear axle this weekend and have it in next weekend. I opened it up, and it is limited slip (seems to work great), but the oil has never been changed. Its a thick black goo coated to everything. Still the bearings and gears seem fine, but I'll try to clean it out as best I can. I'll run the front and rear axles on cheap oil for a couple weeks for break in, and to clean them out, then switch to the good stuff.

For the rear axle I plan to tack my brackets on, then have a professional weld them on fully. I will then paint it good. Also, I decided on a mustang 8.8 diff cover. It has a magnetic drain plug, plus I like the look of the cooling fins. Any problem filling the diff to the fill hole on that cover, or should I use the stock fill plug?

I replaced the axle shaft seals, but I also want to do the pinion seal. The best way I have found is to mark the nut, and re-torque it back to that spot when done. Do I need a new nut, or use thread locker?

 

[malohnes]

You should use the fill hole in the diff not the cover. I made that mistake and leaked fluid out the vent tube and bearing seals at the ends of the axles. You can use the diff cover fill hole to add fluid, that is mucho easier.

Sounds like your project is going well...good job!!

 

[Maniak]

You should use the fill hole in the diff not the cover. I made that mistake and leaked fluid out the vent tube and bearing seals at the ends of the axles. You can use the diff cover fill hole to add fluid, that is mucho easier.

Sounds like your project is going well...good job!!

I use both... I open the factory fill hole so I know when it is full but I actually fill it using the hole on the cover.. It is much easier to put fluid in through the cover.. especially if the spare isn't under there...

The first time I filled it I only use the cover fill hole.. and like you, I over filled it..

~Mark

 

[malohnes]

I use both... I open the factory fill hole so I know when it is full but I actually fill it using the hole on the cover.. It is much easier to put fluid in through the cover.. especially if the spare isn't under there...

The first time I filled it I only use the cover fill hole.. and like you, I over filled it..

~Mark

Exactly! I think you mentioned before in my thread about aluminum and steel diff covers a while back.

 

[2stroke]

Having a little hold up with getting brackets for the sway bar. I think I will fabricate this myself. I'll just find some thick square tube and cut it out with the plasma torch at work, then touch up with the grinder.

 

[2stroke]

Hopefully this is my last post until everything is finished. My rear axle is almost complete. I only have an AC only stick welder that is picky on rods. Luckily it turns out to work pretty well for welding on axles. I am not a skilled welder at all, but I feel confident that my welds, while ugly, are as strong as anyone. I welded inside and out of the spring perches, as well as the shock mounts. I measured as best I could on my truck, and I found that my pinion was angled up 2 degrees, so that is where I set my new perches. Oddly enough, while rangers are SOA with slightly different axles, and totally different frames, the springs are spaced apart the same as explorers. Also the diff is not centered. It is biased to the passenger side by a few inches. I put in new axle seals, and pinion seal. I stripped the axle, and will now wire brush it good. Once its painted, all I have to do is assemble the brakes. I will have it in this weekend. I have decided to delete the rear sway bar. I can post pictures if you wan't. Its just a Tiny little sway bar, and I doubt it does much at all. I tow, but I don't corner fast, and I rarely go over 60 mph.

For the front axle, I believe I am all set. I will list everything I have and let you guys look it over to make sure I am not missing anything.

-USA Standard Gear full rebuild kit
--koyo made in japan bearings
--spacers/shims
--ring gear bolts
--pinion nut
--pinion seal
--axle shaft seals (one is a strange cone shaped thing?)
--RTV and marking compound
--crush sleeve
-2 extra crush sleeves for when I fail twice
-4.11 Yukon gear ring and pinion
-(3) Moog 377 greasable U-joints (have to pull axle shafts anyway, figured I should as they are all bad)
-GMB U-bolt kit for the front driveshaft U-joint (My current straps have come loose, and the bolts are stripped)

I should have plenty of tools. I plan on borrowing a friends shop to keep warm and use his shop press. I have a bearing puller, in-lb beam torque wrench, and dial indicator. I am hoping to be doing the re-gear in 2 weeks.

 

[jd4242]

[MENTION=235549]2stroke[/MENTION] id look into the angle of the pinion a little better..if you measured the trans and it was 2* up i believe the rear should be set for aboyt 2* less than whatever the trans is so when under load it equals the same..double check this though, i cant remember exactly what it should be set at but I know its a little different from the trans..

Everything else sounds good.

Ps you can use a 2nd gen sway bar,its much thicker but as you said the rear sont make huge difference unless your up in the air alot

 

[Maniak]

If you have an iphone, get the Tremec app to measure your pinion angles..

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tremec-toolbox/id858643212?mt=8

~Mark

 

[2stroke]

All I did was measure the current angle of the pinion under my truck in relation to the springs.