Tell me about your rear end

TC · Post by TC » Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:53 pm

...not the one that stinks.

I have heard that the stock BII rear end will not handle the torque of a 302. I know absolutely nothing about rear ends.
Is the Dana 44 the superior rear end, or is that what is in full size Bronco's? If so, does an axle swap usually include the front end as well? Does it also include the brakes and lug pattern?
Basically, what should I get for the BII? I need to get wheels and tires, but I think that it might be better to wait until I find an axle.

TC

Rockcrawler · Post by **Rockcrawler** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:02 pm

it depends on how much you like the skinny pettal. I have know people that run the stock running gear without any problems. but if you want an easy swap you can get a ford 8.8 out of and exploder and a dana 35 front.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 7:27 am

I wouldn't put a 44 in the rear. if you are going to go to the trouble go with a 8.8 if you want the smaller lug pattern and go 9" or 60 if you want to go beefy. the only thing is with the 9" you will have a big 5 and with the 60 you will be 8 lug.

Phillippi · Post by **Phillippi** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 9:54 pm

out of curiousity whats the problem with d44 rear? With a rear 8.8 that is EB size is the explorer but its a 5 on 4.5. That doesnt match the d44 front..........

Ive been looking for a 9" around here, but they are WAY pricy. Even old beat up ones are a ton and then you have to rebuild/regear them.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 8:34 am

I just feel like there is more after market for the 9" and the 8.8 from an explorer is almost a direct swap. around here you find 9" left and right. I got 3 housings laying around that I got for free. you can find them under alot of cars and trucks, so just look for an old 70's F100 that is junk and give $100 for the whole thing...

also the 9" is an easy setup for gears and aftermarket carrier/spool.

from what I have been told about the D44 rear is that it is a lateral move from the 7.5. not much gain, and if you are swapping in a rear anyway might as well go for a stronger unit.

Post by **Nobody** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:54 am

I ran my stock 7.5" rear end behind my V8 for a couple years. At first with 33's, then 36's. The 36's did it in. It will work for awhile, but plan on swapping in a stronger axle sooner than later. 7.5's are 28 spline like many of the 8.8's and 9". Even so, the bearings/bearing caps and spider gears are smaller and weaker.

Your best rear axle choices are going to be: Ford 8.8, Ford 9", Dana 60, 14 Bolt.

The 8.8 has c-clips and is prone to the axle tubes spinning, but is otherwise a good choice. If you get one from a ranger or exploder it will have the same wheel lug pattern, and already be the right width. The exploders will have 31 spline axles and possibly disc brakes. Ultimately, this would be the easiest swap.

The 9" is proven and popular axle. You can find them from older cars that are the right width and lug pattern, and possibly even disc brakes....but they are rare. Chances are you'll have to get a full size and cut it down to the right width. If you run it full width, the 9" would probably be your cheapest option.

The Dana 60 is the way to go if you want to step up to 35 spline axles. This is the way I went since I only like spending money on something once.

14 bolts are incredibly strong and extremely heavy. If you want super strong for super cheap, this is the axle for you. The weight and size is too much for me to consider.

marinebroncoii · Post by **marinebroncoii** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:47 pm

A lot of Jeep guys are scrapping their D44's in favor of 8.8s since they are the same bolt pattern and much stronger. I went with a D60 8-lug full floater with a Trak-Lok diff in it, and I did a disc conversion on it too. I would recommend the 8.8 if you are staying somewhat stock and a 9 inch if you are going with D44 front, and a 14 bolt or D60 if you are going with a D60 or HP D44 HD.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 8:07 pm

that sounds like a response to a personal ad

TC · Post by TC » Fri Feb 03, 2006 1:45 pm

Nice. Thanks for the input. I think that I'm going to go 8.8, since I can find rolled Exploder's everywhere.

ranger5.0 · Post by **ranger5.0** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:49 pm

Why you guys want to waste your time with an Exploder rearend is beyond me. The ranger rearend is a bolt in for the BII. The exploder needs the spring perches flipped to make it work. That is why the exploder rear works good in heeps cause they are spring unders.

Plus the ranger rear would probably be cheaper since it is a truck and not a SUV...

TC · Post by TC » Sat Feb 04, 2006 1:11 pm

Oh. I didn't know that. I think I'll go with a Ranger. Do you know what years had the 8.8? Also, do I need to change the whole thing, can't I just take off the differential cover and switch the splines interally? I've heard that you can... or is that a whole mess that I don't want to get into?

ranger5.0 · Post by **ranger5.0** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 8:16 pm

You want the whole axle drum to drum. I believe that 4.0L started to come in rangers in 1993. If you get a chance, get the rear leaf too.

NightKrawler · Post by **NightKrawler** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 10:43 pm

ranger5.0 wrote:Why you guys want to waste your time with an Exploder rearend is beyond me. The ranger rearend is a bolt in for the BII. The exploder needs the spring perches flipped to make it work. That is why the exploder rear works good in heeps cause they are spring unders.

Plus the ranger rear would probably be cheaper since it is a truck and not a SUV...

Because the Ranger rear end is the smaller axle shafts that are identical to the 7.5" 28 splines and all. The Explorer rear end is the better swap and the Ranger rear end will not bolt in. I know it won't because I once had a 94 Ranger rear end and the spring pad distance is wrong by about an inch on both sides.

ranger5.0 · Post by **ranger5.0** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:29 am

no v8? why drive? · Post by **no v8? why drive?** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:24 pm

The ranger spring pads are an inch wider and is also offset to allow clearance for the gas tank while the b2 is centered. The ranger 8.8 diff is really no stronger than a 7.5 because the r&p pretty much never fail. Its almost always the axles or the outer bearings which are the same size between the ranger 7.5 and 8.8. The 8.8 will give you bigger brakes, but so will an exploder axle. I suppose you could blow spiders easier in the 7.5, but hardly ever see a trail run 7.5 thats not welded

. The 4.0 was offered in rangers starting in '89 and they will all have 8.8s. I made the mistake of swapping in a ranger 8.8 years and years ago before I knew better, but since its almost as much work as an exploder 8.8 theres no point not to use an expo one. Only difference is you have to weld on shock mounts. I find exploder 8.8s are cheaper as well because they are much more plentiful in wrecking yards and ALL exploders had 8.8s. You will want a '95 or newer one if you can find it though, because it will have the rear disk brakes.