SOA Easier?

[Explorer_Phil]

So, I'm planning on doing a SOA on my EX (in a couple years) and a thought occured to me at work (which is why I can't do a quick visual comparison or anything)..... Instead of welding on new axle perches, why can't you just turn the axle upsidedown and use the perches from the SUA? The diff looks like it's generally in the middle, so I can't see why you can't just turn the axle over by just rotating it with the driveshaft as the axis of rotation.

Any thoughts?

 

[IZwack]

Neh you cant just flip the axle upside down -- then rotation would be backwards and you would be going reverse while in Drive (the ring gear has moved to the opposite side of the pinion gear - hence carrier and axle shaft rotation is opposite). In addition, pinion bearings will die due to lubrication problems. And then there'd be no way you would ever be able to bleed the brakes because the bleeder is at the bottom and air would just accumulate at the top or the caliper's volume.

 

[John_Rock]

Not to mention, but the Explorer 8.8 axle is not symmetrical. Flipped over like you suggest, the driveshaft might rub the gas tank. A SOA doing it the normal way is cheap and easy.