I finished cleaning and painting the explorer rearend last night. I put it on top of the springs, but it would not match up with the pins. The pins are 40 1/2" apart and the holes in the perches are 40". I had read it was a direct bolt in. I tried to pull the springs in a bit with a rachet strap, but it was putting the driver's side spring in a bad twist. Suggestions? Should it bolt right in? Or do the perches need to be moved? Also it looked like it had a lot of pinion angle.

 

You are going to have to cut the spring perches off the explorer to get them to fit, & of course set your pinion angle. Pulling the springs in will definitly ruin the bushings in the springs.

 

I brought this subject up with the wife, she said don't even think about it

 

So this is not a direct bolt in? I just wanted to make sure before I cut the perches. By the way Jaye, where in SC are you?

 

Columbia, which pull-a-part did you get your rearend the one in lexington had them for $150

 

I went to Charlotte. I am about an hour from each. I got it for $138 with tax and core charge. I didn't think the one in Columbia was open yet.

 

I think my wife has a spare if you need one... Is there a tarrif on those going across the border???

Later Man...

 

There are two inColumbia both are fairly new one doesn't have a lot of vehicles mostly explorers & Ford pick ups

 

Bsteele52, I apologize for the misleading info. I forgot about pinion angle. I had pulled the Bronco II rear I had which lined up perfectly on my '48 f1 frame so I could move it around the yard. Most everyone talked about how easy the Explorer swap is, and since they come from the same platform, the perch widths should have been the same. Apperantly not. If you have to cut and rotate the pinion, you may as well put them at 40", lol. Again, my bad.

 

You will have to cut the old perches and weld on new ones. Remember, when you go to the hot rod shop to buy new perches, they'll probably be made for a 3" diameter axle tube. The explorer is a 3 1/4", so some mod will be necessary. I just scribed a line and angle ground them to fit. Use the explorer U bolts as they'll fit, and you'll have to mod the spring plate (oblong the holes).

 

First, I think you should litigate against Havi and take some of his good stuff (and do him a favor).

Seconded, it would be difficult to really tell the pinion angle without the housing fitting down on the pins so it’s out by ½ an inch in width, why not elongate the holes in the housing pads to fit (1/4 inch each side?) (the U bolts will keep it in place) and then check the pinion angle and if it’s not excessive and if needed put a small shim on the housing pad. I know it’s a little less the purist approved but it has been done many times before.

 

I have been able to get all sizes of these at a trailer parts supply place for a lot less that the hot rod specialty places. If you have a place like that I would check them out.

Later...

 

Havi, no problem, I'm just glad y'all are here to ask. We still work with racecars so getting the pads are not a problem. I thought about sloting the holes on the pads to get it to sit down on the pins. My brother suggested getting a small lowering block and offsetting the pin(we have a friend with the racecar that works at a machine shop). Not sure what I will do. We have a racecar to go letter, so no work on the truck today. Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try to get some pics up in the gallery before long.

 

My 8.8 rear was off about 1/2" on each spring perch. Really very simple to cut them off and weld a new set back on and setting the pinion angle was not hard either. Pics in my gallery under "rebuild pics".

 

I have run into this a few times with "its a direct bolt in".

I think direct bolt in means your still going to have to cut and weld spring perches. I had this problem on a 50 Ford car with a Maverick rear end "direct bolt in" project.