Another silly question. I bought a 2001 ford explorer rear end. I put it where it would be aligned with the bump stops and it seems like the center of the rear end is not in the center of the frame? Has anyone had this issue? Or am I doing something wrong?

 

Subscribed! I'm pretty sure I've heard that the offset is normal and nothing to worry about.

Just picked up an Explorer rear end last weekend. Not to side-track the thread, but curious... did you mount under or over the leafs? And what did you do for shock mounts and spring plates? I kept the Explorer plates, but pretty sure the F-1 leafs are narrower (2" vs 2 1/2"?) - not sure if that poses a problem.

 

One axle is longer than the other, just the way it is from the factory. Nothing wrong with this offset at all.

 

You can narrow the Explorer spring plates and keep the original shock mount on the plate and then fab a new upper shock mount.

Mine is on top of the F-1 springs with every other leaf removed.

 

so after a little research and running the vin on the rear end i got from the salvage yard it turns out this is from an AWD model. I do not know much about this so i dont know if that matters to me, or if it is ok. anyone know that?

 

There only part about it being AWD is if the rearend you have might actually be a FRONTend. Most 8.8 rearends that I have seen have the ring gear fairly well centered between the hubs which moves the differential over to the right side a few inches. Was the Explorer a 5.0L XLT model...those all have the 3:73 Trac-locs with 31 spine axles.

 

Its an 8.8 rear end. It is a 3.73 posi rear end. im not sure the exact model it was off of.. it might actually be off a mercury mountaneer

 

On almost all vehicles made after the 80's the engine/transmission/driveline and rear axle are offset towards the passenger side to allow a better foot pedal package for the driver.

 

ok so i guess i should be fine to move along with this . i should have no issues with it being off of an awd vehicle if im reading this right.

 

Exactly, that is the rear end that I have. From a 2000 5.0L XLT with 3.73 tracloc, disc brakes, and 31 spline axles. The differential is offset a couple of inches, works fine.

 

Thank you... so the drive shaft will just be slightly angled back towards the drivers side and it wont be a problem? If this is the case thats great news !

 

There should be an angle on the driveshaft as it forces the u-joint to move and keep it lubed. Doesn't matter if it is the up/down or the side/side. Sounds like you have a good unit, the 8.8 is just a tad narrower than the stock rearend...as I recall about 0.75 inches.