Check this sight out. http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

 

http://www.4lo.com/4LoCalc.htm

 

I have used the Randy's Ring & Pinion and 4lo.com calculators together when choosing gear swaps... works pretty well, IMO.

 

So let's forget the math for a minute here guys.

Does everybody agree that this is a good swap? Cause I am thinking it will be (well would be I still have to bug my sister's bf), I'm thinking it's going to work in the winter as well because of the lower gears.

Um I have a question tho, if I put my truck in low gear (4x4 low), does that mean it's "super low"? Like the crawling speed would be like really slow? Also will the truck be slower with the gear ratio's? Like, say my first gear goes 15 KM/H does than mean that my truck will still go 15 or not?

All these questions just cause I'm dumb, but I think I'm gonna buy the truck from him or just the axles and switch them with mine. Anything I should look for? I think it's an 88-89 f150, any problems there?

Basically I know I'll get bad fuel milage, but for me I'll probably end up getting a car anyways so what the heck.

At least I'll be able to burn some ricers in the process! Burn rubber baby...

Aaron

 

Yes, any gear swap will also affect your low range 4X4. That's good, for any fun off-roading, and especially when trying to get a Chebrolet unstuck!

T think it will be a good swap, considering the money involved. As for any differences due to the year difference in the trucks, I can't help you. Try asking in the 87-96 truck forum, somebody there might have the proper expertise.

Good luck!

 

I agree that the gear change from using the other axles would be a good swap based on your intended use and that you have a stick with overdrive. You are going to lose some cruising speed, or rather your engine will be spinning faster at the same vehicle speed.

Here's the problem I see now with swapping the whole axles: Your '94 rear axle should have a speed sensor for the electronic speedo/odo and ABS brake system. I don't know if an '89 would have that sensor and corresponding tone ring on the ring gear. If it doesn't have it, that will be a problem. Also, if your truck has 4 wheel ABS (as opposed to rear only ABS) the front wheels have speed sensors as well. I don't think '89 trucks had 4 wheel ABS. I also don't know where exactly those front sensors go and if they can be used with the earlier axle.

It may be a better idea to keep your axles and just re-gear them. You can also use that re-gearing as an opportunity to put in whatever kind of traction adding differentials you may want for your intended use. I put a Powertrax Lock Right in the rear when I did my re-gear. Check out www.powertrax.com & www.tractech.com for info on some good differentials.

 

well I would just re-gear but it's too expensive. These axles are already done so it's just a swap.

Plus if I did re-gear it would just turn out to be way too much money. I don't have enough money for that, just sooner get the axles and put them in.

As far as traction aids I don't know what the axles have but I would just sooner have a trac-loc. Cheap and easy.

Does anyone know anything about my previous questions? About the speed/tranny thing? I like super low gears

 

Ok, as for your creeper gear question, yes, with the transfer case in 4Low and your transmission in 1st gear, that is your creeper gear. Your transmission can be used in all gears while in 4Low, though you most likely wont need to shift beyond 3rd while in 4Low since that would defeat the purpose of shifting into 4Low. Your transfer case low gear ratio is probably around 2:1, so that means the truck will go half as fast in Low as it does in Hi for the same transmission gear and engine rpm.

Your axle ratio affects the total gearing of the truck, doesn't matter if you are in 4 or 2wd or in Low or Hi in the transfer case. Slower (lower ratio) axle gears will mean lower vehicle speeds and higher engine rpms in all gears.

Here's a thought: use your current axle housings/shafts and just replace the ring and pinion sets, carriers, and diffs from the other axles. If the gears in your friend's axles are good, you could get away with paying a mechanic (a private guy, on a side-job basis) for installation and install- or overhaul-kits ($100 per axle, depending on what's needed) for your truck's axles, instead of buying new gear sets ($200-300 per axle). A shop most likely wont touch it if it involves using used gears, but a knowlegeable mechanic, experienced in doing gear installs and having the necessary tools to do so, who wants to make a few bucks on the side would be happy to do it.

That may save you some money and solve the incompatibility issue with your ABS system (if one exists).

 

Well you see I dunno know if I want to let a backyard mechanic work on something as delicate as a rear end. And plus what would be the point in switching the gears between the axles?

Is there a way for me to still have a speedometer when we are finished installing the axles? It doesn't bother me if I don't have ABS.

Mostly this would be a bolt up swap that would cost me alot and would be a great mod for my truck.

If I was going to pay someone to do it I would want something like 4.10's and trac-loc. But you see it just get's too expensive that way, everyone knows that.

So would the speedometer/odometer still work or would I have problems?

 

Not a backyard mechanic, an experienced mechanic who takes side jobs.

Without a speed sensor the electronic speedo won't have any info going into it.

 

Moose, check the 89 rear axle for a speed sensor in the diff housing. Someone on another thread said 8.8 axles in F150's started using speed sensors in '87, so if that's true, your rear axle swap should be a thumbs-up.

 

SoCalDesertRider thanks,

Do you know what year trucks had the speed sensors in the rear ends? Cause if you did that would make it so much more easier to decide whether or not I want to do this.

 

I can only safely say that '92 and later trucks had the rear ABS system (my truck is a '92), and '93 and later Broncos had the 4 wheel ABS system. Both types of ABS include the speed sensor on the rear axle and 'tone ring' on the ring gear, inside the axle housing. The repair manual shows the front wheel speed sensors mounted in the steering knuckles (4 wheel ABS). I do not know what year Ford began using rear ABS in F150's.

 

but what would give you a speedometer? All I want is to be able to have a speedo and and odometer, I'll figure out abs later.

Would my speedometer work or would I have to find a different way to make it work?? I'm confused...

 

The speedo/odo and the rear anti-lock brakes use the same sensor. It's located in the top front of the diff. If the earlier truck has the anti-lock feature, then it will have a tone ring and the sensor opening is very likely to be the same. If that is the case then you could put your sensor in his axle and have speedo/odo and RABS