Wanna upgrade but need help

[Sam 04 xlt]

Ok I have a 04 explorer but made in 03 just did timing chains and new heads not I want to make it into a off road beast but need help where to find some 4.10 gears and lockers I am going through Btf for all upper control arms and spacers. But what is a good place to find diff gears and lockers for the 3rd gens

 

[HiImBrian]

Ok I have a 04 explorer but made in 03 just did timing chains and new heads not I want to make it into a off road beast but need help where to find some 4.10 gears and lockers I am going through Btf for all upper control arms and spacers. But what is a good place to find diff gears and lockers for the 3rd gens

Do you have 3.55 or 3.73 gears? Open or Limited Slip?

If I recall you cannot fit 4.10 gears in the 3.55 carrier. You have to upgrade to 3.73 carrier and upgrade the gears yourself.

 

[Sam 04 xlt]

Damn it 3.55 limited I wanna put 4.10 and lockers so I can have bigger tires and possibly off road thanks for the infor I'm going to start looking for a 3.73 case

 

[HiImBrian]

If you're 4wd you'll need a 3.73 front differential as well. Your gear ratios have to match.

Check out Powertrax lockers. They are the only one I know of that will fit our 3.73 with limited slip.

 

[Ronin8002]

The 3.55 carrier in the rear diff will work, it's the front that needs a 3.73 carrier to go up to 4.10.

When I got my gears done on my last truck I went through www.ringpinion.com, but you don't have to go with yukon brand to get a decent set of gears. You can also just use that site to get the right part numbers and then look around on rockauto.com for the best price on the parts you need.

If you want a locker that just drops into the rear limited slip carrier you have right now, you might check out the powertrax no-slip like Brian said...they make a model for the 8.8 limited slip diff. I don't know if it will work with the IRS diff without modifying though. In that case, you might just put in an open carrier and go with a Spartan Locker.

 

[Sam 04 xlt]

So I read axle codes wrong its a d4 so 3.73 limited

 

[Ronin8002]

Cool. So your front carrier is the right one to gear up to 4.10 or higher.
I think a new replacement open carrier for the rear is probably in the 50-75 dollar range. The powertrax no-slip that goes into the existing LS carrier is around $500, but if you were to swap in an open carrier, you could save some money (the Spartan is less than $300 shipped from Rockauto).

 

[HiImBrian]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I have a 3.73 limited slip in the rear of mine. I would love to upgrade to 4.10's (or higher) and a locker but not quite sure how to do it. I like the idea of having the limited slip when the locker is not engaged. Especially because I'm only 2WD.

 

[Kazer]

I like the idea of having the limited slip when the locker is not engaged.

I wanted this too, but after driving for a week with the locker, i wouldn't trade it for LS or a E-Locker. This spartan is 100x more street friendly than i imagined, and i can't hear it when i make tight turns. If you keep your foot out of it around 90 degree turns it wont lock up, but if you do get on it, all you hear is a few squawks from the inside tire.

I regret not getting one sooner

Oh and i should add... it feels like its actually harder to break the back wheels loose than before with just an open.

 

[HiImBrian]

I wanted this too, but after driving for a week with the locker, i wouldn't trade it for LS or a E-Locker. This spartan is 100x more street friendly than i imagined, and i can't hear it when i make tight turns. If you keep your foot out of it around 90 degree turns it wont lock up, but if you do get on it, all you hear is a few squawks from the inside tire.

I regret not getting one sooner

Oh and i should add... it feels like its actually harder to break the back wheels loose than before with just an open.

Are you running it with 3.55 or 3.73 gears? When I get on it when rounding a corner I want to be sure I don't lose traction...

Summitt has Ford Racing 4.56 gears for the Ford 8.8 for like $170 that peaked my interest but when I search for a 4.56 locker they're all like $600...

 

[Kazer]

3.55s. Even with a modified v8, 3.73s, and 265s i seriously doubt you will be able to break them loose on dry pavement. From my experience, when I get on it around a corner on dry pavement the truck will squawk the inside tire once then lock up, grab hard, and run. I tried this with the truck in 1st and still wasn't able to break them both loose. The tires i have may have helped this though

 

[HiImBrian]

As she sits now, maybe.

However if I go through the trouble to drop that differential and crack it open, 4.10 gears or higher are going in there with the locker.

I need to shop around a bit and find an affordable set of gears and a locker that will fit in the 3.73 ls carrier I've already got. After the money I've thrown into the ex over the last month I want my next mod to be just a little lighter on the wallet. Ideally around $500-$600...

 

[Sam 04 xlt]

Ok I'll look for an open case and get some 4.10 gears and I was leaning toward the spartan lockers heard great feedback about them I have 4wd so I'm planning on doing both axles
Then bigger tires and lift

 

[Ronin8002]

You would likely be the first to do an auto locker in the front of a 3rd gen. Not sure if anything out there is a direct fit. At any rate, you'll have to do the brown wire mod, since the 3rd gens always have some power going to the front wheels even on pavement...might be enough to lock up an auto locker in the front diff and make for some interesting street manners. Plus it could be a bit limiting if you have to drive in the snow...if you needed 4wd then you have no choice but to drive with a locked front. Not necessarily an ideal setup. That being said, I am not sure if a locker is really needed up front. I never got stuck in my last truck with a locked rear and open front diff. I am sure Kazer can chime in too on that.

 

[Sam 04 xlt]

See this coming up Thursday I'm doin the brown wire mod I hate the feeling on the 4wd auto tryin to engage when I take turns so hopefully after that ill drop in some 4.10 gears and lockers I would like to get open cases for both then drop gears and lockers I hate getting stuck and want to know for sure ill be able to get out of the toughest terrain and do you know if Btf is still fabricating the spacers and control arms