Hey all, just had a quick question. I'm looking to add a limited slip carrier in my rear axle (and front eventually) but I am uncertain of what my spline count (31 or 28) would be and I don't have the ability to pull the housing off and check at the time being. I have a 94 EB, stock axle, with 351. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jon

 

31 spline is what you have in your axle

 

Yep, the 28 spline is used in the smaller trucks (Rangers and the like).

 

Not true, ford ran both splines in the big trucks. My 96 Bronco 8.8 has a 28 spline axle and so does my friends 94 bronco and I've had my truck since new. Just Picked up another set of axles 31 spline today at the junk yard for $50.00 out of a 93 1/2 ton with limited slip.

 

i've never heard of a full size truck 8.8 with 28 splines. a ranger maybe but thaz it.

 

haha, ok guys, you have effectively gotten me confused. Guess I may have to dig into the axle afterall to find out for sure.

A second question, how hard is it to swap in a limited slip diff?

 

Same here, imagine my surprise when I bought a 31 spline Traction Lok to install in my truck. Good thing I decided to check the axle after I pulled one out, I would of really freaked if I had taken the open diff out. So now I have the 31 spline axles so I'll try again soon.

Perhaps it depends if you have a open diff or limited slip on what spline you get in the big trucks? I'll have to do more research on that.

 

bossind,

Its news to me too. The 28 spline (for obvious reasons) isn't as strong as the 31 spline which was the whoel resoning behind the 31's being in the fullsize vehicles. Yours is the first example I'm aware of with a 28 spline 8.8 in a fullsize.

 

I'll send pictures once I swap over. 31 spline was used in mustangs as well, wasn't nessary made just for trucks.

 

Yeah, I knew the 31's were available the other way but wasn't aware that the 28's were available in the larger vehicles.

 

I also have some large bearing 9" rearends in the garage from 1/2tons and they to came with 28's and again they are open diffs. I'll take some pics of those this week. So perhaps it does depend if you had a open diff or limited slip. I just bought a 1993 8.8 off of a ford 1/2 ton 2 wheel drive. The door tag says its a limited slipp 3.55s, got it for 100.00 bucks so I figured it was a good deal. I'll be picking it up this week after they cut it out. Can't wait to pull it a part and see what the axles are. I'm betting 31s because of the limited slip. My plan is now to rebuild this rear end with 4.10s so I can keep my Bronco on the road, and than swap the whole rearend when ready. Got some 4.09s off of ebay today for the Dana 44, so I think I'll find a used pumpkin and rebuild that as well. The whole gear setting up, shims back lash is a mystery to me so i'll just take the houseings and gears to someone and not my truck.

 

Update: ok took the rearend apart from the 93 1/2 ton that I knew had a limited slip and I'm happy to say the axles are 31splin. So now I have an extra 31 spline axles, and I have a 28spline traction lock for a 8.8 that I will not be using so I think i'll list that on ebay. And in january I'll have my old 96 rear axle for sale with open 3.55s. I have some disc brakes off of a ford explorer that i've allready redrilled for the 5.5 bolt pattern and the backing plates fit the 8.8 housing so if all lines up ok I'll have rear disc brakes for my bronco. Anyway I'll take lots of pictures.

 

I'd like to throw another log on the trac-lock fire. I have a 1994 Bronco XL with open carrier and I'd like to find out what type of axle I have and what my options are. I'm relatively new to Bronco Axles.

 

Do what i did, buy another rear end with trac-lock, I got mine for $100 bucks at the junk yard, if I was just after a traction Loc I could just swap the rearend and off I go, but I'm looking to change gear ratio as well. By buying the whole rearend you can save yourseld the trouble and money of having to have the gears set up.

 

Yeah, but then I have to figure out if the locking unit might be wore out. Also, there might be really stinky gears on there. It' might be hard to find 3.55's with trac lock.