Hey all, I posted this in the diesel forum to not much luck. so i thought i would post it up here with you 4x4 guys. So my basic problem is i have a Sterling 10.25 with a Limited-slip 4:10 in my truck right now. I would like to have a limited slip with 3:55's how can this be done?

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...gear-swap.html

 

Buy a ring and pinion,an install kit and install it in your rear axle. You can keep your limited slip, rebuild it if you'd like, or go to a better one in my book with the Detroit Tru Trac. It can be installed at any local shop, or if you have the tools you can do it yourself, but you want to know what your doing or you can burn up a set of gears.

 

Ok. so can I take the 3:55 gears out of the V126A 3.55 10 2 5L05 axle into the axle that reads S 132 K 4L10 10 20 5F29 and still keep my Limited-slip? and is it possible to buy just an install kit? if so any good deals around?

 

Check CompleteOffroad.com, they usually have some good deals.

 

Honestly one of the cheapest ways you might be able to do is just swap out your rear axe for a junk yard axle. I purchased mine for $125. Just get one with the right gears and a limited slip and sell your old axle

 

Myself, if I did not have the dial indicators and knowledge I would probably just bring it to somewhere and have the rear end done for me. I would swap the 3.55 in instead of swapping the carriers.

If you are fairly handy, I would install the open 3.55 now (you said you had already installed the front axle) and drive it to be sure the mileage and stop and go traffic is better for you with the 3.55. If everything is beautiful, then I would take it somewhere (no sense you laying up the 4x4 truck in the middle of winter) and have a ARB or selectable locker installed. Then install a lunch box locker or L/S in the front yourself as funds/time permits.

This will help you make your truck fairly unstoppable in sleet conditions. The reason why you do not want a full locker (Detroit) in the front is when in 4x4 in bad conditions of stop and go traffic where you are going from icy to dry pavement at 5-20 mph, you will end up blowing an axle shaft/UJ or worse. It is easy enough to do with an open diff.

The reason for wanting a locker in the rear is if you have the curb side wheel buried in a snow bank, the factory L/S will not drive the higher side driver's side tire on dry pavement. Been there, done that. Stopping the wheels, enabling the locker, then driving out is better. Once on dry pavement and stopped, unselect the locker.

If I was low on funds, I would probably go lunch box locker in the front and limited slip in the back and just use 4x4 in stop and go traffic carefully.

 

I would agree, A Sterling sells for around 200$ in a local yard around here. I don't think you could buy a new R&P for that.

 

Another vote for buying a complete axle.
When I busted my axle shaft (Bronco with 10.25 rear axle) I found a complete axle in the salvage yard for 170 bucks.
Now I have spare parts from the old axle that are worth more than I spent on the entire thing.
Both of mine are LS units, and it was only a few bolts to replace.
Far less time than setting up new gears.
Easy and cheap.

 

Well thats the thing, i have the junk yard axle with the non limited-slip with 3:55s from a 1988 f-350 , so will that ring and pinion fit in the newer sterling, and still keep the limited slip?

 

Interesting problem. I do believe that the carrier will work, heoever, the pinions are different from the later axles to the earlier ones. I am assuming that you have a later truck than the 93 cutoff for pinion length.
Actually I believe that the yoke is only different and one is shorter than the other.
This could present a problem with installed lengths.
Since the older one (pre 93) is a short yoke design, I believe that you might encounter some driveshaft length issues. maybe not.
While I am confident that the carrier will work, I am a little cocncerned about this difference in yoke lengths.
I do believe that later gears can be used in earlier axles with the use of the later yoke as well, so it seems reasonable to assume that the opposite could be true, however, it might take more than a wild **** guess on my part.
My communucation is an un educated guess, so take it for what is is worth.

Might give the guys over at Randys ring and pinion a call to verify this for sure.

Follow this link:

Randy's Ring & Pinion. Contact Us.

Thats about the best piece of advice I can offer.