What Dana?

[4X50 Exploder]

Ok, so I finally have the money in hand to rebuild the entire front end. I go to the parts store and need to know what I have Dana 28 or 35 for some of the parts...

I know that there has to be a thread on how to ID this but after searching for an hour, I gave up! The parts guy was no help; I thought I may be able to get a correct answer here in a very short time. I need to get the parts ASAP, before the extra cash finds its way to some other project...

How can I visually tell if I have the 28 or 35?

There were two sized U-Joints (End cap), Are they associated with the type of Dana? (I figured I would just measure those to see what I have)

Thanks in advance,
Jay

 

[IZwack]

35

 

[4X50 Exploder]

35? Can you be a little more vague? Are you saying all '92 EX had a Dana 35 in front?

 

[Pollarican]

All 91-94 Explorers had the Dana 35, TTB (Twin Traction Beam). After 94 they went to the control arm type IFS.

 

[4X50 Exploder]

All 91-94 Explorers had the Dana 35, TTB (Twin Traction Beam). After 94 they went to the control arm type IFS.

Thanks! Why the guy at the parts counter can't find that while I am standing there trying to spend $800???

Just for future referance, What would the stock rear end be or how can I ID it?

 

[Pollarican]

You have the Ford 8.8 Axle with drum brakes. As far as what gear ratio you have, there is an axle code printed on the sticker located on the inside of the driver's side door that you can cross reference with this website and it will tell you.

 

[Tbars4]

...This should help future readers who wonder what front TTB axle they have and what rear ale goes with it...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256656

 

[Maniak]

Sometime, somewhere, many years ago, it was "written" that the dana 28 was an option on the explorer. Since "someone" wrote it, its now in all the parts books, and computer systems even though it was never an option..

Soo, whenever you need parts for the front of you X and they ask you if it is a dana 35 or 28, you know the answer is dana 35..

~Mark

 

[4X50 Exploder]

Thanks for all the input! Everything is in hand or on order to rebuild the front end except the brakes and lift kit. I went with premium parts and dispite saving almost $300 online, I came up about $200 short of being able to get the JD, Stage II, lift at the same time. If I can manage to keep my pockets from draining, I should be able to order the lift toward the end of the month... I guess it's better to get each phase of the build done before having too many parts on hand...

 

[unclemeat]

If you are rebuilding the front and have it apart, replace the axle pivot, radius arm and sway bar bushings.


I believe that the 8.8 rear axle on and Explorer is a 31-spline.

 

[fixxxer]

unclemeat you are correct, it is a 31-spline

 

[410Fortune]

LOL this came up the other day... d28 or 35

94 explorer

Here's a little help

91-94 Explorer
Dana 35 ttb, 8.8 31 spline drum brakes
95-2001 explorer
Dana 35 IFS, 8.8 31 spline DISC brakes

ONly the Ranger and BII ever got the Dana 28 TTB, always followed with a 7.5" rear
When the ranger got the 4.0L option in 1990 (i believe it was 90) then the D35 became an option in the Ranger... some of the Ranger Dana 35's were a POS hybrid axle, and most ranger 8.8 rears are 28 spline, until the edge, then they got discs and 31 splines behind the SOHC

last year of the TTB was 1997 in the Ranger

(Now please correct all my mistakes, I am sure I made some! I am a bit rusty here I am finding out... been hiatus from the forums for 1.5 year or so for the most part

 

[4X50 Exploder]

If you are rebuilding the front and have it apart, replace the axle pivot, radius arm and sway bar bushings.


I believe that the 8.8 rear axle on and Explorer is a 31-spline.

Thanks, they are part of the order from JD that should be here on Monday. I wish I could post a photo. The U shaped holder for the 3.5" swaybar bushings seems to be canted forward on my rig. I am wondering if that is normal or if it should be completely straight down???

I am also currious about my Radius arm drop brackets. They are the only component down there that looks brand new! These Don't seem like they would take alot of abuse or fail on a stock rig. There is no damage to anything under there so it leaves me scratching my... head, wondering why? Pretty sure they were not an upgrade, don't think this thing saw anything other than dirt road useage.

I wonder if someone didn't attach to the axle to recover it and bent both the Swaybar bushing mounts and the drop brackets...

 

[Maniak]

The radius arm brackets are normally replaced when the bushings go bad and then not replaced. Over time, the RA itself will whack the hole for the bushing and eventually bend/rip it.

If you wheel with the rig its very possible to bang/bend/rip them that way too..

We have had both issues (Previous owner let the RA bushing go too long and we have bent/cracked our RA brackets already from wheeling.

~Mark

 

[fixxxer]

That is what happened to mine. The passenger side RA was really past help when I acquired my Ex. and the bracket on that site was cracked where the RA stud passed through it and where the RA bushing seat was so I only had to replace the bracket on one side. I got my bracket from a vendor on amazon.com and it was very inexpensive at the time. Less than $30 if I remember correctly. I would have gone ahead and gotten the passenger side bracket too if it had been in stock at the time.

 

[4X50 Exploder]

DANGER! Got me thinking...

...this usually means trouble or more money! (Both, most of the time)

Should there be longer arms on the sway bar when lifted?

OBTW, Just received an email from JD…

“Well, unfortunately we discontinue all the Explorer lifts, but we have since brought them back partially, The Explorer stage 2 lifts no longer come with any rear axle components, you get the coils, I-beam brackets, coil buckets, radius arms and 4 shocks with boots(for the front). The current price on that lift (5038B) runs 1289.00. Hope this helps clarify.”

These guys are really starting to get to me! Silly me, I am only trying to give them more of my money, and I have sent several emails back and forth just to find out they do not upate their web site... Glad it's not all on order to find this out when it arrives. Any recommendations for good companies that still want us Explorer customers?

 

[410Fortune]

JD = James Duff?

 

[4X50 Exploder]

JD = James Duff?

Yea, Sorry

 

[Maniak]

Is it me, or has James duff really gone down hill since they moved (couple years ago)? Outdated catalogs, raised prices, don't stand behind their products???

I used to rave about them.. now I seem to only want to rant. They used to be great to deal with and stood behind their products.. no so much anymore.

~Mark

 

[red.EDDIE.4x4]

Any recommendations for good companies that still want us Explorer customers?

Rough Country
http://www.roughcountry.com/ford_83-97_midsize.htm

and

Superlift
http://www.superlift.com/Catalog.asp?P=K490&V=241