Ranger SLA Front d35 interchangeability.

[gogmorgo]

Does anyone know how much interchange there is in parts between a Ford front D35 as found in the IFS Ranger? Specifically the carrier?

The reason I'm asking is because I'm looking at gear-type limited slips for my '93 ZJ. The wrecking yards all want way more than I want to pay for a well-used d35 axle so I'm going to end up rebuilding it. Yeah yeah wasting money on a d35... But $300 for a junkyard axle with more miles on it than mine? Nah, I'll rebuild the one that is free cause I already have it. I'm probably just going to try picking up a TrueTrac in a Black Friday sale if I can.

But!

I did notice that Torsen has a listing for a Ford Ranger SLA Front Dana 35. I like Torsen as a company, I've dealt with them in the past as a sponsor for a student project, and like the idea of their product. The Torsen I s a bit pricier than the TrueTrac, but somehow their shipping costs enough less to not make much difference in the end. But it's 50/50 on whether or not the Ranger d35 carrier interchanges. Not much info on the interwebs about it, just the odd forum post and its either a full yes they're the same, or hard no they're not without much supporting evidence. I do know there are some differences given the Ranger is IFS, and there's stuff about reverse vs standard gears that I don't think should apply. Some of the Ranger d35 bearing kits and carriers on Rock Auto list Jeep stuff as interchange, but not all. 

 

If I find a good deal on a Truetrac I'll probably just go that way anyhow. The Torsen is "only" a T2, not the T1, which if I remember right from five or so years ago when I was more hands on is a better differential, just more expensive to manufacture. Plus I'm pretty sure the T2 is basically the same thing as the Truetrac anyhow.  But like, options aren't bad to have, and there aren't many out there. 

[Eagle]

I can't answer your question about compatibility with the Ford Dana 35 diff, but I can say that I have a TrueTrac in the rear D35 of my 4-liter '88 MJ and I have been VERY happy with it.

[Pete M]

I'd wager the carrier would swap, buuuuuut I wouldn't wager much. 

 

what about a 8.25 with the factory posi? 

[Eagle]

You could always go with the Trac-Lok. They work pretty well as limited slips go, and should be good for at least 100,000 miles or so (166,000 km). Last I knew, a new Trac-Lok cost about 2/3 what a new TrueTrac was going for.

 

Of course, with the TrueTrac you don't need the special joy juice in the diff lube ...

[gogmorgo]

14 hours ago, Pete M said:

I'd wager the carrier would swap, buuuuuut I wouldn't wager much. 

Yeah that's pretty much where I'm at on that. It looks like probably it'll work but after shipping and exchange rates it's a $750 wager so... Yeah. 

 

14 hours ago, Pete M said:

what about a 8.25 with the factory posi? 

 

Its a ZJ not an XJ? Not sure if you missed that or not. I could do the swap I suppose but because it's a factory five-speed part of me wants to at least visually leave it stock(ish... Within how the PO left it with the 2" lift)

 

13 hours ago, Eagle said:

Of course, with the TrueTrac you don't need the special joy juice in the diff lube ...

That's part of why I'm looking at gear-type diffs. Not that I ever expect to save money by not having to use friction modifier or replace clutches, but just that it's one less thing to have to worry about. 

How long have you had your TrueTrac? Years/miles? I've seen claims that it'll last the life of the vehicle but I'm always a bit skeptical of the marketing wanks. 

[Eagle]

4 hours ago, gogmorgo said:

How long have you had your TrueTrac? Years/miles? I've seen claims that it'll last the life of the vehicle but I'm always a bit skeptical of the marketing wanks. 

 

I've had the TrueTrac for 15 or 16 years, but not that many miles. Maybe 25,000 or so? The truck was never used as a daily driver, and it has been off the road for a few years because when I started having health issues I couldn't afford to pay licensing fees and insurance on a vehicle I wasn't driving. I can tell you that it locks up more positively than the Trac-Lok (which I have in all my other trucks and XJs except the 2.5L MJ), and even in snow with the light tail of the MJ I virtually never needed to use 4WD. At the same time, it's completely transparent to the driver -- no clunks or bangs or oddball handling characterists.

 

The TrueTrac was in the MJ when I was active with NAXJA-NAC and it survived multiple trail rides at Paragon Off-Road park without a whimper. If you can afford the extra $100 or so over the price of a Trac-Lok, IMHO it's definitely the way to go.