hey all knowing Ford Truck Gods I have a few questions for you guys.
Okay first off I have a '84 Bronco with an 8.8 3.08 open rear end and I recentily acquired an '88 Bronco 8.8 3.55 possi rear end. The spider gears in the '88 axle are chewn up to all hell and the '84 axle is fine seeing as how I'm driving on it now.
I was wondering sence both have what look like the same spider gears in them, if I could just do a spider gear swap from the '84 axle into the '88 axle and keep the possi and the 3.55 gears in there as well.
Also one other question I have. I was reading in the other axle posts and a "tone wheel" came up. Now I recon that a tone wheel looks like a mini flywheel behind the ring gear and instead of the T-case housing your speedo gear then the axle with this tone wheel is were the speedo gets the mph reading yes?
So my speedo is going into my T-case so I don't really need this tone wheel do I?

So basicly I want to take my spider gears from my '84 (the axle I'm driving on now) and put them in my new '88 axle with the possi and 3.55 gears. Can and will this work?

Thank you.

By the way I would like to get this done by the summer time so I can take my truck to the drag strip and kick some rice burnner's ***!!!! So any helpfull lil tips and tricks are very much apprecated. Thanks again!!

 

Same spline, same pin size? Should work, what do you have to lose putting it together?

Also, look into beefing up your limited slip with extra clutch plates etc. Search that out while you're doing the job. Stockers are not that strong, and weaken with age.

 

alrighty!! Thanks 85e150six4mtod.
Now do you know what numbers to run to find out how meny splines and the pin size or is that one of those things were you don't know till you tear into it? By the way what is the pin? is that the shaft that the spider gears are on either end? Sorry I'm really ignorant when it comes to diferencals. more like the only termilnoligy I know is the ring and pinion, spider gears, axle shaft,....okay I know enough to get me by on that stuff. But knowing what parts are and the accual process of going through a rear end is something I have not tackled as of yet.

Any pointers?
If I had to get a quick 30 second lession on going through a rear 8.8 axle?

What is a pin and how do you figure out the size? take a micrometer to it? and all spider gears are the same size in the 8.8's right?

Thanks for the help ahead of time...I'm going to need it.

 

OK, my advice to those who have not done a diff before is to have someone else do it. These integral axles require you to work on you back in the dirt under the car, not the best place to learn the trade. Read this and see the level of precision required to do the job right. Not impossible, but do you want to do this twice under these circumstances?

8.8 Axle Gear Install

As for the pin size, IIRC, the sizes are 5/8 and 3/4 or 3/4 and 7/8--different enough to tell by eyeball.

You MAY try posting all the numbers on the tags from the diffs. Numberdummy might help you with that. Also, the data plate on the door of the truck tells what axle, although probably not down to the spline detail.

30 second lesson? 30 HOURS with a master mechanic will bring you to a level where this is easy.

google "8.8 gear install" and find the above link, this one and a host of others:

So you want to install your own gears: A 'how to' 8.8 gear install - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts Serious Explorations

 

okay these are the numbers off of the rear 8.8 I'm running right now:

WDR C 4EO9
3 08 8 8S8O6A

The tag on my door said"
Axle: 18

As for the tag off of the axle I just got, I don't have the tag for that one

Also does anybody know if there is any other numbers I could run to find out the spline info and such anywere elce on the axle?

 

There is another site, barred from being posted here, but their list shows 31 spline axles for this diff.



Edit: It looks like my other posts are being held...if so, this will be a triplicate post....

 

So theoretically I can just swap my spider gears over to the posi carrier in the new axle and shim up the carrier, put a new diff cover gaskit on her and do a axle swap right?

PLEASE SAY ITS SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!