[thewayshemoves]

Okay so I broke my rear end last year, more specifically, I stripped the spider gears bare. I just did it again. They're wearing out so fast and I can't afford a beefier one brand new. I read somewhre that the Explorer might be a bit beefier? Can anyone verify if there's another Ford rear end I could borrow that would be a bit stronger and not cost me the ridiculous price the brand name new ones cost along with install?

 

[thewayshemoves]

P.S. I missed you guys, hope some of the people I know are still around, lol.

 

[0949er]

ohhh so when you need us you come around


but really, what are you doing to break your rear? I though the 8.8's were "decently" strong already... are you at the 1/4 every weekend with slicks?

 

[Nightmare69]

I know the explorer axle is 31 spline and is about 3/4-1in longer than a regular 8.8. Ive been looking for one to put in my ranger so I can get rid of my leaf springs and go coils.

 

[thewayshemoves]

Actually I have no idea what I'm doing. The last one I broke I was racing with street radials every weekend. This one just broke doing normal daily driving, I was going across a bridge and it just popped and that was it. I had to limp it home and it was making all these grinding and popping sounds and jerking around. I knew it was the rear end as soon as I got out of the car and smelled that funky ass grease.

And I still lurk sometimes, I just don't really have much to say, lol. <3

 

[thewayshemoves]

I know the explorer axle is 31 spline and is about 3/4-1in longer than a regular 8.8. Ive been looking for one to put in my ranger so I can get rid of my leaf springs and go coils.

That's what I was thinking, if the axle is 31 spline, the rear end is compatible with 31 spline, I was wondering if it would be any stronger.

Honestly I think it's because I DD on 10.5" wide rear wheels. Probably putting stupid amounts of wear on it.

 

[Nightmare69]

That's what I was thinking, if the axle is 31 spline, the rear end is compatible with 31 spline, I was wondering if it would be any stronger.

Honestly I think it's because I DD on 10.5" wide rear wheels. Probably putting stupid amounts of wear on it.

Its a common upgrade for rangers and Ive seen guys put the explorer axle in and run 38's offroad with no problem, yes they are a stronger axle.

 

[thewayshemoves]

Its a common upgrade for rangers and Ive seen guys put the explorer axle in and run 38's offroad with no problem, yes they are a stronger axle.

You think having a stronger axle makes the gearing stronger? That's my problem really, I'm not breaking axles, I'm stripping the gearing.

 

[andrewskaggs]

You'd want to get the 31-spline differential out of the Explorer as well. Obviously, you need to match the spline count on the diff and your axles.

 

[Nightmare69]

Call around to your local junk yards. Ive seen them go for 200-300 bucks for a good used one.

 

[thewayshemoves]

Yeah, I know that, I'm just making sure the gearing in the Explorer pumpkin is equivalently strong as the axles. It would make sense it would be, but I don't want to waste money getting the explorer rear end and not really fix my problem. Any extra mods to using an explorer rear?

 

[needparts]

Honestly I think it's because I DD on 10.5" wide rear wheels. Probably putting stupid amounts of wear on it.

Umm no. I have been using 10.5 for like 5yrs and I have nitrous, few passes at the track, no sticky tires. I have 175K on my car. And never broke anything on my rear end. You either been getting bad parts or drive alot harder than you think.. I believe the +05 stang have 31 splin you could swap out.

 

[thewayshemoves]

Umm no. I have been using 10.5 for like 5yrs and I have nitrous, few passes at the track, no sticky tires. I have 175K on my car. And never broke anything on my rear end. You either been getting bad parts or drive alot harder than you think.. I believe the +05 stang have 31 splin you could swap out.

This one may have been a bad install, too. I've broken two in two years, the first one I was racing a lot, but I haven't since, so this other one may have been a bad install. I dunno. Either way, I'm going to look for a stronger rear, haha.

 

[Perfectcircle]

I knew it was the rear end as soon as I got out of the car and smelled that funky ass grease.

if it's that same smell when I blew the front end in my jeep..god bless you. The first time I found out about that smell I was in my tiny garage, on a creeper, with my head next to the diff cover when I cracked it...i thought there was a corpse in the thing

 

[thewayshemoves]

if it's that same smell when I blew the front end in my jeep..god bless you. The first time I found out about that smell I was in my tiny garage, on a creeper, with my head next to the diff cover when I cracked it...i thought there was a corpse in the thing

Oh man that grease is terrible, haha. When I blew my first rear end, I left the whole thing laying in my shed, and the shed still smells like that even though I took the stuff out last year.

 

[JerseyTrueBlue]

I don't see why dding 10.5" wheels would wear your rear like that man somethings not right. Sounds like your backlash isn't set right or something. Don't know much about your car what's done to the motor?

 

[bandity2k00]

Convertible??

Not sure why it did it cruising unless you have track passes on that set then they finally just went from being close to going cause of the track. Ive broken a set with drag radials and a stick..Ive learned that drag radials and a stick is a no no..get straight slicks and you will be fine..But american muscle has the 31 spline cobra carrier and moser axles. 500 for both

 

[Eagle2000GT]

Its a truck differential and it just makes since that any differential that is designed for 31 spline axles would be stronger than those designed for 28 spline axles. At least I hope so. I'm running an Explorer rear end with Strange 31 spline axles (I don't think Explorer axles will fit). I haven't done any hard launches on DRs or slicks though. I paid $75 for the used differential and $110 for new clutch packs.

Edit: I remember that a member of this forum has been running an Explorer differential and slicks a long time. But I can't remember who it was.

 

[thewayshemoves]

Convertible??

Not sure why it did it cruising unless you have track passes on that set then they finally just went from being close to going cause of the track. Ive broken a set with drag radials and a stick..Ive learned that drag radials and a stick is a no no..get straight slicks and you will be fine..But american muscle has the 31 spline cobra carrier and moser axles. 500 for both

Yeah, it's a convertible. No track passes at all on this rear. I was just driving in traffic across a bridge and bam.

To answer the motor question, it's an '03 manual tranny, stock 4.6 with cai, bbk headers, and flowmaster exhaust, it's definitely not the motor breaking things, lol.

 

[04N20GT]

If you can't spring for a new set up I would look for a used 31 spline diff. Out of a truck or explorer and get a set of 31 spline mustang axel and call it a day. I have the eaton rear paired with 31 spline moser axels and I haven't had 1 problem out of it. I'm more afraid of breakin my input shaft than anything else on the car at this point. I have several 4-5K clutch dumps on this rear end and it just squats and gets.