Using guts from a 28 spline axle in my 31 spline axle.

[robmurt04]

Is it possible to use the guts from a 94 Ranger (4.56 & LS) with my stock explorer axle? The explorer is 31 Spline and the Ranger is 28 spline. So if I'm correct I'll just have to change all the internals and also the axles? How much of a loss in strength am I gonna loose? I'm gonna be running 35" tires and doing mild off roading.

Also, will the 4.56 gears & LS fit in my carrier? (3.27 OPEN)

 

[supermanseth]

i think that there is no difference in the axle housing but the problem with what your talking about doing, besides the loss of strength, is that the explorer has an offset differential and as far as i know there arent any other axles like it that you could get for cheap, leaving you to get custom axles. Your would be better off saving yourself the headache and finding a LS out of an explorer from a junk yard and buying yourself some gears or one that has the gearing your looking for and a LS!! I think the second gens had a ls with 4.10 gears D2 - 4.10 limited slip (Explorer/Mountaineer). Around here the pull-a-part junk yards sell differentials for 48 bucks so you could have a front and rear 4.10 and rear LS for like 150 bucks after all the parts.

 

[91exploreron37]

An offset differential? The explorer is SUA compared to the rangers SOA

 

[robmurt04]

:scratch: So no?

Could I just use the 4.56 gears though and just notch my axle thingie?

A little late for this :bdrunk:

 

[mjones97]

the ABSOLUTE only thing that can be swapped from a 28 spline 8.8 to a 31 spline 8.8 is the ring and pinion.

 

[HahnsB2]

Correct, the housings are different (28 spline 8.8 taper at the end and use smaller bearings) , axle lengths are different, ect.

 

[supermanseth]

hmm, mjones are you sure about that, i have rebuilt a bunch of the 31 spline axles in the 04 and up police interceptor crown vics that are 31 spline and they share every single bearing with the 28 spline, the only thing that i remember being different is the 31 spline axle doesnt taper down at the end that goes in the spider gear like the 28 spline. I dunno maybe the vic is different :scratch:

 

[mjones97]

hmm, mjones are you sure about that, i have rebuilt a bunch of the 31 spline axles in the 04 and up police interceptor crown vics that are 31 spline and they share every single bearing with the 28 spline, the only thing that i remember being different is the 31 spline axle doesnt taper down at the end that goes in the spider gear like the 28 spline. I dunno maybe the vic is different :scratch:

100% positive. The 31 spline 8.8 has larger axle bearings than the 28 spline 8.8. It is obvious with the axle tubes being different sizes. The axle shafts are larger in diameter to accommodate for the more splines.