Has anyone used a early 90's explorer rear end? I'm looking for a rear end for my F2 and at the junk yards by me seem to have a lot of them. They all have 2 wires coming out of top what are they for?

 

might be for the rear antilock not sure though I had a 87 f150 with wires coming out of the diff they were for antilock
you might have to move the spring perchs but it just might fit good luck

 

It'll be too wide. Look for a pre-'73 Ford rear end.

 

Don't discount that Explorer rear just yet. If you will click on the Articles/Specs tab at the top of the page, you can find the articles on axle swaps. These are very informative and well written. I'm not sure about the axle width on your truck, as mine is a 53, but I am using a 93 Explorer rear with drums. I'm still builing, but hope to have it running and driving in about a month. If you look hard enough, you can get a Trac-Loc rear and rear discs. Mine is an open unit with drums, but its a cruiser. The Explorer axle tubes are big at 3 1/4", but I relocated the factory spring perches and used F250 shock plates. Worked out pretty well. I bought the whole Explorer for $250 or so, took the rear and salvaged the rest for $180. I didn't think that was too bad.

As for the wires, I think they are a speed sensor of some type. Not needed after the swap.

 

Its actually narrower than the pre 73, right around 59 wms to wms, so it should be a nice fit, they have 31 splines, 95 and up have nice disk brakes. Many have a LSD. The wires out the top are the abs brakes no need to mess with them I just left the plug in for a plug The 8.8 is a great axle and is pretty comparable to the 9 inch in strength. It comes in the 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. So that may be an issue depending on what you have up front.

 

You guys have been a great help and resorce. I guess I should start thinging about posting some pics.

 

I plan on the explorer rear. I've been on the hunt for a salvaged 5.0 explorer that I can pirate the entire drivetrain from for my '56. I remember from my E4OD rebuilding days that they had a TSS (tail shaft sensor) that measured rpm's for the speedo. My assumption is that wire you are looking at is also a little black sensor with a magnetic pickup in it measuring rpm's of the rear axle. computer sees a different rpm from front to back, whoa! we need abs engaged! voila. again, this is my assumption... if you were to pull that wired-to-do-hickey off and see either a "gear" or a little magnet adhered to some revolving piece, I'd stick closer to my assumption.