lower rear end gears for 4x4?

[recian]

What models could i look for to get gears lower than our 4wd 3.909s? I think a 3.54 would be nice.

[pennyman1]

2nd gen 2wd auto trucks have the 3.55 gears - just swap out the whole carrier between axles. Not sure if the 4x4s ever had 3.54 in the front, but you may be able to use a set of 3.55s from a starquest rear as the carriers interchange with the front axle.

[recian]

The 2nd gen rear carrier won't fit in the front of the first gen 4x4 will it? But it will fit in the rear correct? Don't need pinions too do i? Starquest isnt something that's easy to find around here. I've only ever seen one in the junkyard in all the years i've been scouring local yards.

[pennyman1]

yes it only fits the rear axle - the carrier is the whole assembly in the pig. I traded my conquest rear carrier for a lsd with 3.91 for one of my trucks.

[74Dusted]

2nd gen 2wd auto trucks have the 3.55 gears - just swap out the whole carrier between axles. Not sure if the 4x4s ever had 3.54 in the front, but you may be able to use a set of 3.55s from a starquest rear as the carriers interchange with the front axle.

1st Gens with a 904 Automatic and 4WD came with 3.55's

I have a matching pair of axles (front and rear) with those gears. I think they're laying on top of a pile of scrap in the bed of my dumptruck, waiting for the snow to melt so I can haul a load of stuff to the scrapyard.

[recian]

If they are 1st gen 3.55s I want them, lay em to the side if you get the chance. All I really need is the individual carriers right pennyman? The pinions and axles should still be the same in both front and rear respectively so I won't need the whole assemblies, just need to open both diffs and swap out the 3.55 carriers which should be different between the 2 diffs.

[pennyman1]

When I say swap out the carriers I mean the whole "pig" assembly that the pinion goes through - if you just swap the carrier, the pinions will not mate.

[recian]

But the fronts aren't like the mopar 8 3/4" 10 bolt rear ends are they? Theyre more like a dana with a removable housing cover and the pinion is in the housing. I know the rear is a whole assy that just bolts into the axle housing. Most mini-trucks use that rear end setup. That would be easy to remove. May be easier for me to just buy the whole front diff since it's not so big.

[pennyman1]

I thought the front and rear axles were the same design - anyone?

[recian]

If they are that makes life easier. Rebuild them out of the truck and leave the housing in the frame. I thought when I looked at my front diff on my 84 it had a solid cover on it.

[pennyman1]

That means the whole pig comes out like the rear does - just harder to get to.

[74Dusted]

The front axle is a traditional axle like you'd find under the front of any 4WD truck, it's got a cover (not a pig/chunk like the rear). The rear axle is designed like a Chrysler 8.75" / Ford 9", with a drop out Third Member/Pig/Chunk. IIRC the Front Axle is an 8" axle (ring size) and the Rear Axle is an 8.5" (ring size)

Here's a picture of the Front Axle in a 4WD D50.

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x42/ChrisKDD/D50/S5000653.jpg

I'll set both axles aside for you, recian. The front axle is the whole differential (minus the CV Axles / Half Shafts), the rear axle is complete (minus one brake drum).

[turbomax]

check wiki

http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showwiki.php?title=Rear+Axel+and+Suspension:Gear+R atio

[74Dusted]

Looks like the Wiki needs to be updated (it says 3.55's were only in 2WD's) since 3.55's were also available in the 1st Gen 4x4's for sure. Never saw them in a 2nd Gen 4x4, but I've seen them in at least 3 1st Gen 4x4's. All of them were 2.6L trucks, with a 904 Automatic transmission, and all had the plate on the core support listing a 3.55 gear ratio (only I believe they referred to it as "Axle Type : 3.540". or something like that)

My '84 had 3.55's from the factory. Wish I still had the little metal plate from the core support that listed the gear ratio and such (to provide some evidence), but most of my core support is long gone, along with the tag. Had to remove most of the core support when I converted the truck to Small Block. Still have the axles though, removed them from the truck years ago when I converted to a Solid Front Axle.

[camoit]

Looks like the Wiki needs to be updated (it says 3.55's were only in 2WD's) since 3.55's were also available in the 1st Gen 4x4's for sure. .


Just go in there and click edit. You guys have the ability to make changes as you find new facts. It's for the the facts, and the goto spot for reference. At least thats what we want it to become. It can only happen if people get involved and make the edits. If something is wrong, or missing, someone will fix it. And if someone screws it up by trying to delete it, I can revert it back and then we can Banish them from our world.

[recian]

Thanks. I will probably end up getting the whole front diff and the pig assy for the rear since shipping will be much cheaper that way and you won't have to try to disassemble the front diff so I can just drop it in the truck. Plus you'll still get some scrap out of it. The 3.55 pig should bolt into my truck's axle housing since theyre all the same bolt pattern. My truck doesnt have gear ratio plates on them anymore so idk what ratio they are. I could assume 3.9s since the diesel has enough torque and wouldnt need the amplified 4.11s.

[74Dusted]

I'll set them aside as soon as the ice clears up some, I tried to grab them with the skidloader yesterday but it was sleeting & raining, the skidloader just spun in circles on the ice. lol. However you want them, I can pull the Pig/Chunk from the rear if that's all you need from the rear.

Camoit, I didn't know I could edit the wiki. Thanks for the heads up on that.

[recian]

haha it must be nice. We had a dusting of ice friday but it didn't last long and the snow didn't stick. It used to snow here but rarely does now. It's slowly getting warmer. The end is near!! lol i hope not