waih136

hello again, i've got a 96 f150 4*4 ext cab with a 3.55 8.8 rear end. i've need to switch out the diff. for a while but everytime i try to get one something comes up. The pinion bearing are gone and i've been changing and checking the fluids in it regulary, since it leakes again, and everytime i do the magnet is caked with shards of metal so i figured the spider gears are shot as well as the bearings. I've called around everywhere i can and haven't found one, thought it was odd since i thought they were pretty much interchangable on the f150's. Well on to my ?, i found a spidergear set online, looks in good shape, only has 14,000 miles on it and it's 8.8 open diff. the problem is it's off a 2007 and doesn't say the ratio, anybody know if this will fit or another veichle i can get one off? Thanks for any help.

mitchalvin

With the pinion bearing shot the metal could be coming from the ring and pinion gears also. The pinion bearings will allow the gear mesh to change wearing the gears. It would probably be easier and not much more expensive to change out the carrier with like a detroit locker or trutrak limited slip. Change out all the bearings and ring and pinion gears.

bmazingo

I changed the carrier in my 1993 F150 yesterday. The gears come out of my sisters wrecked 2000 F150 4x4. I do not know about the new body style but I know the Heritage-style trucks (1997-?) rearaxle carrier will work. I swapped my open carrier 2.73's out and put in the limited slip carrier with 3.55's no problems or whines. be sure if you get a use carrier and gears to get the carrier shims, makes it easier. Have you tried a salvage yard or auto recycler? I was buying an engine at the local yard and my dad picked up a complete chevy 1500 limited slip rearend for $50.

waih136

yeah i've check the auto recylcers the only ones i found was a very unreliable yard wanted 350 for the rearend and the others said all they had was a 2wd rearend, didn't know if that'd work or not so didn't bother. New gear from advanced is $120, and the one online is $55. trulock said over $300 if i'm looking at the right ones. Not very savy when it comes to the rear end, never had to mess with one, just swapped the whole rearend out, that wasn't to bad, never messed with the gears. This is the one online

waih136

Jus in case anyone still looks here, did the pinion bearing, wheel bearings seels, bascally everything but the gears and pinion. Warning, i ordered my spider gears from advanced auto and when i received them i took everything apart and tried putting the new gears in and they were the wrong ones. Mine has a limited slip with clutch plates and apparently they don't even carry those or in few years ahead or behind. Wondering if the guy before me switch the rearend, know he put lock in hubs on the front. Moral of the story, check your gears before you order them... oh and the job was alot easier then expect for those who are gonna do it yourself, make sure you have a puller.
NO MORE PINION BEARING NOISE