Third member swaps

[Duffy]

I've been looking for a simple up grade of lower rear end gears (3.73 vs the OEM 3.27). From what I have been able to find it looks like the 90's Ford Rangers had a 7.5 rear end with 3.73 gears. I do believe that the rear end in my 99' Stang is 3" wider over all than the Rangers. What I would like to do is find a third member from a Ranger and just swap it out. Does anyone have any experience with this? Will it work, with minimum fuss I should add.

 

[07GtS197]

Why not just swap the gears? It would make life easier.

To answer your question, Im pretty sure you have a v6 so yea the pumpkin is the same as far as I can tell from google. Though some rear ends do not seperate but I dont know which ones do or not.

 

[Duffy]

Just simpler to replace the entire pumpkin than screw with the ring gear and pinion (re-setting play, etc.). I think I'll have to hit the junk yards and see what I can find. Any 7.5 with 28 splines "should" fit in the existing OEM housing from what I can find out.

 

[07GtS197]

True, I dont know how simple/hard it is to swap just the pumpkin but I can see how that would be simplier than setting new gears. I guess if you can find one for the right price, its not too much work and youre doing it yourself it would be worth it. If youre going to go that far though I would look into an 8.8 swap. Will you need it, probably not but it is a step up and you could potentially get it for around the same price as the 7.5 pumpkin. Food for thought.

 

[g36 monkey]

As I recall you would need to do a ton of fab work to make it happen. Cheaper/easier to swap in an 8.8 at that point

 

[evilcw311]

Do the 8.8 swap.


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[Duffy]

From what I've been finding in my research all 7.5 (non-T-locks) use 28 spline axles and the pumpkins should all interchange. Axles housings themselves are different from Ranger/Mustang/Mercury/etc...........I don't need and can't find locally an 8.8 that has the same (bolt in) housing. Very few Mustangs in the salvage yards around here.............lots of 80's/90's Rangers.

 

[96blak54]

If im remembering correctly (sketchy) i do recall exploders and rangers had offset pumpkins making the axles different lengths. Dont hold me to it! Check it out before pulling.

Also, iirc, i think standard tranny rangers or exploders had 4.10gears

 

[g36 monkey]

I don't recall the axle housing being removable, if you are talking about the tubes. You would have to pull an entire rear, cut the tubes off, get a Mustang rear, weld on the Mustang tubes and pray you did it straight.

And at the end of the day it would not be as strong as an 8.8

 

[Duffy]

I don't recall the axle housing being removable, if you are talking about the tubes. You would have to pull an entire rear, cut the tubes off, get a Mustang rear, weld on the Mustang tubes and pray you did it straight.

And at the end of the day it would not be as strong as an 8.8

Are you saying that Rangers (2X4) with a 7.5 don't have a removable third member (ie. pumpkin)?

 

[Duffy]

Are you saying that Rangers (2X4) with a 7.5 don't have a removable third member (ie. pumpkin)?

Ok, I haven't been making myself entirely clear...........I was showing my age and thinking that the 7.5 had a removable third member like a 9" Ford. I found out that the 7.5 and 8.8 are integral third members (ie, they come out the back in pieces). So, using a Ranger's rear end "guts" isn't any easier than just changing ring gear and pinion on the existing rear end. Not an easy peasy upgrade like I was hoping.

Next question...........is the 8.8 the same width housing as the 7.5? What other vehicles used the 8.8 with 3.73 gears?

 

[evilcw311]

Yes they’re the same with.


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[Duffy]

So now it's check the salvage yards for an 8.8 (99' or newer) with 3.73 or 4.10 gears. Still pretty much leaves a Mustang GT or a Ranger/Mazda pickup.

 

[96blak54]

The exploder v8 has 8.8

 

[Duffy]

The exploder v8 has 8.8

I forgot about them........they are considered a truck and might have the right gears.

 

[96blak54]

Most of them are 3.73 and better yet are Ford. That alone almost makes it a direct swap without shim changing.