8.8 swap questions

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dartfreak75

dartfreak75

Restore it, Dont part it!
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Hey guys/gals as most of you know I'm doing a 8.8 swap for my dart because I cant afford a 8.75 and I know my 7.25 ain't gonna hold up. So I picked up a 8.8 last summer out of a explorer for 100 bucks it's a 3.73 limited slip disk brake 31 spine rear. I was searching fb marketplace the other day looking for a right side axle for my altercation. And I found a entire complete rear end for a 100 bucks the same price as the axle is new. So I bought it today. I now two of them both are 3.73 gears and disk brakes out of an explorer. The new one is not a limited slip it's an open which isnt no big deal because all I want is the axle. Here is where it gets tricky and where my question is. The new one ( the open diff) Is in alot better condition on the outside the other one is covered in surface rust and has pieces of rust chipping off it. This one is clean. Looks like it will be an easier rear to clean prep cut and paint. How hard is it to swap the limited slip differential into this new housing? Is it something I can do at home with basic tools ? Does it require any machine work etc? I have never been inside a rear end so this is a new one for me. Thanks
 
Remove the carriers from both. Remove and swap ring gears. Then reinstall the LSD in the clean one and the open in the rusty one. Done.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Remove the carriers from both. Remove and swap ring gears. Then reinstall the LSD in the clean one and the open in the rusty one. Done.
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So it's as simple as removing bolts? No special tools no special reinstallation specs?
 
Aight man I think I got this. Just to clarify. Take the open rear remove the ring and pinion from the open carrier, remove the limited slip carrier from the rusty rear, install the "open" ring and pinion on the limited slip carrier and put it in the "open" housing?
 
Here are pictures of the two. The new one I got today even has a sway bar I'd like to incorporate that somehow.

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dartfreak75 said:
Aight man I think I got this. Just to clarify. Take the open rear remove the ring and pinion from the open carrier, remove the limited slip carrier from the rusty rear, install the "open" ring and pinion on the limited slip carrier and put it in the "open" housing?
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No. You ain't got it. lol

Read this carefully, ok?

Remove both carriers. SWAP ring gears. Reinstall carriers with the limited slip in the better looking housing. LEAVE the pinion gears alone. Use the carrier spacers with the hougings they came from.

The ONLY things you are swapping from one housing to the other are the carriers and the bearing races. THAT'S IT. The ring gears and pinion gears remain WHERE they came from. You will not be toughing the pinion gears.
 
ALL you are swapping from one housing to the other is the carrier. THAT'S IT. You cannot swap ring gears without swapping the pinions with tham. They are a matched set. Even if they are the same ratio. The ring and pinion gears MUST stay together.
 
RustyRatRod said:
No. The ring gears need to stay with the housings they came from.
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Disagreeing with this. The ring gear should stay with the pinion. You can use either set in the housing you want to.

You will be pulling the housing apart to cut it down for the short axle install anyway.

Examine both sets of gears and use the best set.
 
Jadaharabi said:
Disagreeing with this. The ring gear should stay with the pinion. You can use either set in the housing you want to.

You will be pulling the housing apart anyway to cut it down for the short axle install anyway.

Examine both sets of gears and use the best set.
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That's what I said. Go read it again.
 
Since he's not talked about swapping gears from one to the other JUST carriers, the ring gears need to STAY IN THE HOUSINGS they came out of.
 
RustyRatRod said:
ALL you are swapping from one housing to the other is the carrier. THAT'S IT. You cannot swap ring gears without swapping the pinions with tham. They are a matched set. Even if they are the same ratio. The ring and pinion gears MUST stay together.
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I understand that is what I was trying to say I just worded it wrong.
 
dartfreak75 said:
I understand that is what I was trying to say I just worded it wrong.
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I probably might couldda said it better myself. I SUCK at giving instructions unless I am standing RIGHT THERE and can point to this and that. lol
 
RustyRatRod said:
I probably might couldda said it better myself. I SUCK at giving instructions unless I am standing RIGHT THERE and can point to this and that. lol
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I have a hard time understanding instructions by just reading them lol I'm a visual learner. Thanks for being patient with me!
 
dartfreak75 said:
I have a hard time understanding instructions by just reading them lol I'm a visual learner. Thanks for being patient with me!
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Then we were like the blind leadin the blind. LMAO. When you get ready to turn some bolts, send me a PM and I'll walk you through it on the phone. It's real simple.
 
As the tubes are a thinner metal on the 8.8 less rust would be better. Remember to use the friction modifier with the lsd dont trust the modifier in Royal Purple it is different. Would look at the backlash settings before closing it all up. Even though you are using the same ring and pinion the tolerences will be different and you also may get bearing noise as after about 10k miles they wear in a certain pattern. Dont pull the pinion as you need a crush sleeve to go with it. That being said dont be intimidated by it as it is pretty straitforward.
 
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