8.8 Explorer rear for my '67 Rogue

The 93+ Ranger 8.8" axle is already 1.5" narrower than the Explorer axle. The Ranger will probably fit the Javelin about right and has less offset. The offset won't hurt a thing though. Only difference is the Explorer has rear disc brakes. The Explorer discs will adapt to the Ranger axle though.

Measure your existing axle then the Ford Ranger 8.8". You can use the Explorers axle -- you just might need deeper offset wheels to compensate for the wider axle.

You can get a lot of 8.8" axle info from http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Axles.html. They have a diagram at the bottom giving dimensions, but don't state what YEAR Ranger the axle width is for. From other sources it is for the early models (pre 93). Wheel mounting surface to WMS is 56.5" (2.75" of axle extending out each end). The 93+ models are 58.25", which makes it about the same width as a Javelin axle, IIRC. Explorer 8.8s ('91-'01) are 59.5".

This site has some more exact measurements. The 7.5 Ranger axle has the same measurements as the 8.8.
http://dmr-architect.com/~locouki/widths-of-axles.html


Edited by farna - May/19/2012 at 10:56am

Four cylinder and 3.0L Rangers came with a 7.5" axle, 4.0L Rangers came with an 8.8". Only a few pre-93 Rangers came with the 4.0L/8.8". Most were STX models, and they are hard to find in salvage yards. Most commercial chassis also got the 8.8", even with smaller engines. Those were purchased as a cab/chassis with other companies adding various commercial bodies -- also rare finds in salvage yards. The 4.0L was a much more popular option in the 93+ models.


Edited by farna - May/19/2012 at 12:40pm

Probably the 71-74, that axle is slightly wider than the 68-70 models. I forget the Javelin axle widths -- I'm sure that's on here somewhere!