for you junk yard hunters

[90xr7reborn]

I just figured this out a while back. if you are looking for gears. look for an aerostar when you are in the yard. ford put an 8.8 locker in some of them with 3.55 gears this is a way cheeper gear swap then buying them from a shop. aerostars don't get beated on generally. the last set i picket up i payed 25$ for. just thought i would share... Bill

[TrippyZippy]

Hey man. what year and model of aerostar? This is totally the sort of info I appreciate you guys posting. Thanks much!!!!

[90xr7reborn]

they put them in late eightys, early nintys. just have to look at the tag mounted on the rearend. you will just see a bunch of numbers and letters. On the second row of #s'(ussually) it will say 3.55L if it has an LS after the # thats limited slip you don't want it. glad i could help. moneys tight in my house gotta cut where you can... Bill:)

[mannysc]

my wifes old 92 explored has 355s and 8.8 locker, just my 2cents

[hepcat]

So is the carrier the same or you just taking out the guts?
From my search it seems like the 90's have more LS 8.8 in there.

Thanks for posting that. I am in the same boat. I want to upgrade but have no real money so I prefer to see what adapts.


Raymond

[90xr7reborn]

you just strip the guts out. pop off the c-clips, slid the axles out, and take the guts. i didn't know there were posi's in the explorers. The u-pull-it junk yard by me doesn't have alot of cars over like 93. thats like some of the things that will swap from an lx or cougar. motor mounts, tranny mounts,oil pan. the nuts that hold the torque converter on. i bought my cat with the engine bay gutted so i had to figure out alternatives. some of the people who sell parts are a little pricey in my opinion. so iget alott of my stuff from e-bay. the only thing i can't find is center caps for the 7 spoke wheels on the cat... Bill

[ChaseTruck754]

I know explorers had posi's, as did aerostars, and I believe some rangers. If the alxes are the same (8.8 or 7.5) on your car and the donor car then they will MOST LIKELY fit. Remeber, explorer 8.8's were 31 spline axles in staed of 28 like rangers, etc. I'm not sure the spline on T-birds so you might check. his just means the posi won't fit though - all the gears will fit. Also depending on the gears you want (once again I'm a truck guy so I'm not sure what you street/car guys want) you can check rangers, exploders, etc. The rangers and exploders maily had 3.73's and 4.10's but some had 3.55's too. Also, as far as the axle tag goes - it is the second line down on the left. The code will look like 3 73 or 3L73. 3.73 being the gears in this example and the L meaning it has a limited slip or "posi". Hope this helps. Steve:D

[BlackbirdSC]

That all full size Bronco's and F150 trucks had 8.8s from around 80-81 through the mid 90's somewhere.

If you find a FS Bronco (I know these #'s cause I have a 87 351W ) look at the motor. If it's a 300 inline 6 or 302, it's probably a 3.08 gear. They had an option of 3.55s or 3.73s depending on year, but most were 3.08s. If it's a 351W, it's a 3.55 for sure 'cause that was the only ratio available.
Many were non-posi/non-limited slip (remember posi and limited slip and Trak-Loc all mean the same thing) but sometimes you get lucky. I pulled the 3.08s and rear limited slip out of a 84 302 Bronco for mine. Much better MPG on the highway considering the 87 351W didn't have overdrive. Just a standard 3 speed C6 auto.

Happy hunting!!!

Steve

[Tazer999]

Damn, I wish there was a truck wrecker around here.

I want 3:73's or 4:10's, I just don't have the money right now

[TrippyZippy]

(remember posi and limited slip and Trak-Loc all mean the same thing)???
On the second row of #s'(ussually) it will say 3.55L if it has an LS after the # thats limited slip you don't want it.

-Ok. now I'm thoroughly confusinated. I thought limited slip was when one wheel will spin if the other wheel has the bulk of tracktion. like a regular car.

-Inturn, I thought Posi, or traction lock was when there are a series of mini clutch bands in the pumpkin to make the spinning wheel slow down and transfer the torque to the other wheel, therefore "bouncing" back the torque and providing both wheels traction. ??? atleast that's what I thought my car maintence teacher said in highschool. (a while ago)

who ever knows fer sure Lemme know.
pretty please with sugar on top.

[V6Sprout]

1987 and 1988 Thunderbird Turbo coupes also came factory with 8.8 rear ends and 355 or 373 gears and t-lok(GM calls it Posi) :), the autos had the 373 gears and the 5-speed had the 355 gears. I have the complete T-bird TC rear end in my car but I have a solid axle rear end so you guys would just need the guts of the rear end :)

[camaro03]

i am doing a rear end swap in my best friends 89 bronco, so therefore i could take his 3.55 and locker and put into my 90 sc right? i am new to rear ends, how hard would this be and how long would it take? thanks

[Kevin Varnes]

Guys, the solid rear axle diffs hold the axles in with c-clips. Our halfshafts are held in with circlips. The solid axle diffs do not have provisions for the circlips. So a solid axle diff will not just swap right in to our vehicles. I'm also not sure if they use similar spline axles as the IRS unit. Your best bet is to get a complete pumpkin from a T-Bird or Cougar and swap your gears in there then put it in your car. Or you can always get the FRPP 3.73 aluminum pumpkin.

[90xr7reborn]

trippyzippy, for the question about the limited slip and a traction lock, your shop teacher was correct. only the gears will swap into our cars. i have a local guy who puts mine in so i am not sure exactly what it entails. there is a difference between limited slip(one wheel turns) traction lock(the use of clutches to transfer power) and a true locker( where both tires spin the same speed always) the use of a traction lock is easier on your car becouse when turning, the "inside" rear wheel slows down (it acts like a limited slip) unless you give it power then both wheels kick in. with a true locker when you turn, the"inside" wheel will turn the same speed and your tire will chirp on the pavement. also with a true locker your launches at the drag strip could throw you either way depending on which tire hooks up more. with a traction lock the clutches take care of both tires so they will distribute the power more evenly. your best bet is to go insearch of the gears you want in the junk yard, find someone to put them in. If you know any mustang heads, they will ussually know who the best person is in your area for gear swaps. unless you have people in your area with scs' then ask...

[SuperCoupe]

hey trip...just curious....did you know your replies take up about a half page with an empty body? Or is it just the way my browser views it? Just thought I'd let ya know.
-Jeff
;)

[TrippyZippy]

hey trip...just curious....did you know your replies take up about a half page with an empty body? Or is it just the way my browser views it? Just thought I'd let ya know. Serious? what browser and screen resolution are you running? (ie 800x600) I'm sorry if that is so. does this happen with anybody else? It looks normal on mine (IE 6, XP)

[SuperCoupe]

using 800 X 600 with IE 5.1 for Mac. I just noticed your SC mods rolling up....I think maybe that's why the page looks so big on my browser. Sorry, I didn't see the mods come up before, but I also wonder if it looks that way to anyone else. Many things don't look the same on a Windows machine as they do on a Mac, so it could very well just be the way it loads for me. Sorry bout that!
-Jeff
:rolleyes:
PS-Gorgeous 35th BTW!

[Tazer999]

I personally get about 4 popup errors when I try to view a page where Trippy has posted because of his sig. I think something is wrong with his javascripting.

It doesn't take up half a page for me, however it does take forever to load seeing as the two images in his sig equal 400kb. Here is what his sig shows up as on my screen (sans popup errors)

[TrippyZippy]

HEHEHE. OK. actually, I think the server doesn't allow java in ones sig, I tried to add a killer spinnning time display cursor, woulda looked dope but I will remove it.
-as for the pics, they ARE huge, I wanted to have a full size pic load but display sized down, that way, if you save it on your local drive it won't be a thumnail. They display the same size as a bunch of other guy's pics, but the quality is higher. but, I will change that also. I will reinstate that when broadband is more commonplace.

I guess I really tripped you out. Ahhaah Haaaaa ... haaa. (eddie murphy laugh) I'm a kid. that's my job. L8a fellas. ps. thanks for the compliment, It's an illusion though. It's in the process of fixing this that and the other.. just like most of us.

[J57ltr]

Guy’s I think you are a little confused on the types of differentials. The Sure Grip, Limited slip, Posi Traction, are all the same they use clutches to hold pressure against the side spider gears that drive the axles to provide friction and make them harder to turn independently. That’s why when you turn one wheel the other turns in the same direction. On an open differential when you turn one wheel the other turns in the opposite direction. When there is enough load on the wheels, like going around a turn the clutches slip and allow the wheels to turn at different rates (outside turns faster). There are a few other types of (locking/posi what ever you want to call them) differentials such as the cone type, Torsen torque biasing, Detroit Locker, Lockrite and others. NONE of them spin one tire and then the other tire grips, that’s just false unless the Diff clutches are toast.

Jeff

[camaro03]

would it work to take the gears from a 89 bronco, put them in my sc's diff and put them in my sc? thanks

[J57ltr]

If it's an 8.8 yes, but you still need to have the gears setup. Summit sells a 8.8 rebuild kit for about $89 and include bearings crush sleeves. You would also want to rebuild the clutch pack in the (maybe add the extra friction and steel), I think that Southern Gear sells that kit, about $60.

Jeff

[90xr7reborn]

when i talk about limited slip i am talking old school.like in my f-150 the tag says 3.55 with an LS and the tires spin opposite dirrections so that is what is also called open. I did not realize this post would bring so much input. I'm glad i could bring this subject to light and help people... Bill

[J57ltr]

Sounds like the clutches in the rear are toast if the tires rotate in opposite directions.

Jeff

[mn12sc35th]

The axle you're thinking about is just a standard axle. Why would they call it "Limited Slip" if it slipped like a standard axle? These are all just different terms used by seperate manufacturers. I.E. Chevys are Posi-Trac and Fords are Traction-Loc (I'm not sure where the Limited slip came from) but they are all mechanically similar.

[J57ltr]

Chevy uses the term limited slip on the build sheet.

Jeff

[mn12sc35th]

Yeah I looked through my service manual about an hour after I wrote that and so does Ford.

[90xr7reborn]

I wonder if you would like this description better. What ever you want to call it. when you go to the junk yard,spin the tires, both go forward posi!!! if they run opposite it's not!!! I have owned over 30 ford cars and trucks in the last 18 years and thats how it is.from a 64 mustang to a 93 f-150. And if you think that if they run opposite ways they are broken you will find a ~~~~~ load of people out there with ford cars (not that 5 letter word) with "broken" rearends.

[J57ltr]

Don’t forget to make sure the E-brake isn’t on. A lot of times I look for posi rears for my El Camino. I thought I had one until I realized that the brake was on. Since you can try it even in park.LOL

Jeff

[90xr7reborn]

:D

[mn12sc35th]

All I'm trying to say is that a Limited-Slip is a Posi is a Traction Lock. If they turn different ways they are just standard or a broken limited slip. Like I said, in the Ford Service manual they list a "Traction Lock Limited Slip Differential".