Rear Axle Q
Rear Axle Q
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by RangerPilot
Whistling, whining, rumbling, roaring, something to that effect. The important part is that the sound is eminating from the rear axle.
Why, what makes you think yours is going bad?
Why, what makes you think yours is going bad?
I just still worry last time some shop told me my axle was worn and it was going to break and lock the rear wheels and have an accident, it's just going through my mind, but the other shop removed the cover and found nothing wrong just a normal wear, and they filled the axle with new oil, and that's it, other than that everything sound OK, BTW, these truck are very hard to hear for noises or sounds they are just noisy.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8,462
Likes: 4
From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
An axle replacement is quite expensive and lots of labor hours, so I'm sure the guy told you something was up.
If it's quiet and the wear pattern looks good, there's nothing to worry about it. You would hear the whine of it over anything else if it was going bad, trust me on that.
If it's quiet and the wear pattern looks good, there's nothing to worry about it. You would hear the whine of it over anything else if it was going bad, trust me on that.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by RangerPilot
An axle replacement is quite expensive and lots of labor hours, so I'm sure the guy told you something was up.
If it's quiet and the wear pattern looks good, there's nothing to worry about it. You would hear the whine of it over anything else if it was going bad, trust me on that.
If it's quiet and the wear pattern looks good, there's nothing to worry about it. You would hear the whine of it over anything else if it was going bad, trust me on that.
BTW, How good of a reputation have the Rangers rear differentials?
Do they last, even with some off road driving?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8,462
Likes: 4
From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
7.5" or 8.8"?
The 7.5" isn't exactly a strong rear end, but it'll happily tolerate day to day driving and minor off-roading.
The 8.8" is quite heavy duty for the Ranger...it's been used in F-150s and in many high torque and horsepower (500+) applications. It will tolerate a lot of abuse and has a wide selection of ratios, parts are cheap and easy to find, but rarely needed.
The 7.5" isn't exactly a strong rear end, but it'll happily tolerate day to day driving and minor off-roading.
The 8.8" is quite heavy duty for the Ranger...it's been used in F-150s and in many high torque and horsepower (500+) applications. It will tolerate a lot of abuse and has a wide selection of ratios, parts are cheap and easy to find, but rarely needed.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by RangerPilot
7.5" or 8.8"?
The 7.5" isn't exactly a strong rear end, but it'll happily tolerate day to day driving and minor off-roading.
The 8.8" is quite heavy duty for the Ranger...it's been used in F-150s and in many high torque and horsepower (500+) applications. It will tolerate a lot of abuse and has a wide selection of ratios, parts are cheap and easy to find, but rarely needed.
The 7.5" isn't exactly a strong rear end, but it'll happily tolerate day to day driving and minor off-roading.
The 8.8" is quite heavy duty for the Ranger...it's been used in F-150s and in many high torque and horsepower (500+) applications. It will tolerate a lot of abuse and has a wide selection of ratios, parts are cheap and easy to find, but rarely needed.
Mine is 3-73 I think?
Where did you get that #?
Last edited by cadriver; May 31, 2007 at 07:31 PM.
Trending Topics
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8,462
Likes: 4
From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Nope, I mean the axle ring gear size. Two sizes are available in the Ranger, the 7.5" and the 8.8". In addition, the 8.8" comes with two spline counts, 28 and 31.
When you look at your axle tag:
What engine do you have? I seem to recall you having the 4.0L, which would give you the 8.8" for sure.
When you look at your axle tag:
What engine do you have? I seem to recall you having the 4.0L, which would give you the 8.8" for sure.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 6 Best Deals Available on New Fords & Lincolns Right Now
Brett Foote
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
AN axle replacement is dirt cheap IMO. $125-200 per axle (guesstimate), take off wheels, and drums (or calipers and rotor) pop off cover, take out cross pin, and c-clips, remove axle 
reverse for install
My 7.5 with unknown miles holds up to my abuse. I dont think the oil had ever been changed in it. Dark black it was. Got a posi in there now. Does just fine with 5,500prm 1-2 hard shifts (with tire bark) and my 2-3 shifts.
reverse for install My 7.5 with unknown miles holds up to my abuse. I dont think the oil had ever been changed in it. Dark black it was. Got a posi in there now. Does just fine with 5,500prm 1-2 hard shifts (with tire bark) and my 2-3 shifts.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 649
Likes: 1
From: north carolina
i think i read somewhere that the 7.5 rear end is really close to = strength as the 28 spline ranger 8.8. the 31 spline 8.8 is the stronger of the rears. but as light as the ranger is, unless you put moster tires or a torqu. monster engine infront of it. both axles will hold up. the only axle i have had issue with is dana 28 ifs. i have blown out a few axle shafts on those. a friend of mine with a dana 35 blew out his front hubs but he had 38"s on his truck. so that to me was to be expected.
Edit* both the 7.5 rear and the 8.8 rear have the same downfall, they both use "C" clip retainers for the axle shafts. also remember the Fox body mustang? 79-93.. well from 79-87 used a 7.5 rear end, even on the GT with the 5.0 H.O. and if you drove them with some kind of sense they rears held up... till you hopped up the 302 and what not but even the 8.8 rears have a hard time keeping up with a well or over built (if there is such a thing lol) engine.
Edit* both the 7.5 rear and the 8.8 rear have the same downfall, they both use "C" clip retainers for the axle shafts. also remember the Fox body mustang? 79-93.. well from 79-87 used a 7.5 rear end, even on the GT with the 5.0 H.O. and if you drove them with some kind of sense they rears held up... till you hopped up the 302 and what not but even the 8.8 rears have a hard time keeping up with a well or over built (if there is such a thing lol) engine.
Last edited by frankenbroncoII; Jun 1, 2007 at 02:54 PM. Reason: added info
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
yeah pilot Im talking about self replacement. If you're mechanically inclined at all it's easy
franken I would agree that from what i've read that from a strength aspect a 7.5 is almost as strong as the 8.8 because the 8.8 still uses 28 spline axles. I find no issues with using C-clips, but I guess that would depend on applications. I've got a friend from Indiana Running low 9 sec passes in his Impala that still uses C clips in his 8.5" 10 bolt
franken I would agree that from what i've read that from a strength aspect a 7.5 is almost as strong as the 8.8 because the 8.8 still uses 28 spline axles. I find no issues with using C-clips, but I guess that would depend on applications. I've got a friend from Indiana Running low 9 sec passes in his Impala that still uses C clips in his 8.5" 10 bolt
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by BuffmanLT1
AN axle replacement is dirt cheap IMO. $125-200 per axle (guesstimate), take off wheels, and drums (or calipers and rotor) pop off
try $850 including labor, and the worst part is they only repair what's broken
not the whole axle.
AAMCO
