Going full width with abs?

[ATTICus Finch]

I did the explorer rear swap in my 96 ranger because I blew up the old 7.5. I figured I'd go Eb and D44 the front but unless someone can tell me how to deal with the lug pattern issue I've been inspired by this site to go full width.
In January the 5.0/4r70w/4406 swap is taking place. The suspension I'm going with will be the 63" leaf swap and a radius arm set up in front.

I've dug around about the toothed ring for maintaining abs (which I want to set up to turn on and off) but not much info out there on it that I've been able to find. This will be driving on the road regularly. I guess my question is.
Does anyone know how to either deal with the lug pattern issue with the EB swap (I know about the adapters and I wouldn't really trust em) Or how to maintain the ABS with the full width (d44/9")swap?

I know this is my virgin post so I hope I didn't post something thats been answered 500 billion times.

-R3

[blazinchuck]

1st off...when you say EB(do you mean early bronco?) cuz that aint Full Width(thats F150,F250,etc.)As far as a lug pattern issue...you run the 5x5.5 lug pattern on the new axles or 8 lugs if you end up with 3/4 ton axles. why do you need to keep the smaller pattern?


the others are gonna ask ya...did ya search ABS?

[ATTICus Finch]

I WAS going to go early bronco because it's not full width and would be a closer width of my current explorer 8.8. Now I'm thinking I'm wanting to go full width because I don't want to deal with two different lug patterns of the 8.8 and EB d44...but then I run into the issue of maintaining my abs for on road driving....which is what the question was all about. Does anyone know how to maintain the abs while going full width or is there anything I can do about the lug pattern on my current 8.8 to match up with the EB Dana with out throwing money away that could be better spent on a full width hp dana 44 and 9".
Sorry for my apparent initial vagueness.

And yes I google it to death in all sorts of fashions as well as doing searches on the ranger forums and here. I did run across a couple threads but nothing too specific. Saw a guy who looked like he relocated the sensor to a toothed gear on the transfercase and someone who mentioned having the gear out of a 8.8 machined to fit a 9 inch and then drilling a hole in the housing. The later of which I'm leaning towards but not really sold on yet until I figure out a bit more how the two rearends dimensions tick and all.
-R3

[brewchief]

Are the exploder axles big enough in dia. to be redrilled? If they have the room you should be able to have the axles and roters redrilled by a decent machine shop.

If you go full width why not use a sterling out of a newer 3/4 or 1 ton and change out the knuckles out on the front 44 to 8 lug stuff, this way in a few years when you are ready to upgrade to a 60 in the front your wheels will fit.


Brewchief:D

[wahlstrom1]

I run a GOOD set of adapters and haven't had an issue in over 20,000kms of daily driving and wheeling. Don't buy cheap ebay junk, pay decent money for a machine shop to make them. I torqued mine once at installation and have checked them every oil change since and they haven't backed off a single ft lb.

[jam0o0]

ttb stuff has speed sensers for abs. but how you are gunna get that computer to not have a fit is the hard part. get a bronco/f150 8.8 and the outers from a 44TTB. then get your axles of choice for your truck (guessing a dana 44 and a 9inch) and figure out how to get those parts to work together. then figure out how to get the full size sensors to talk to your ABS computer. (this part might be easy or might be the reason you forget about even attempting this.)

[Wicked_S10]

Does the Ranger have the RABS shit, or front and rear ABS? If it has front and rear, then things are going to get expensive. It was only lateish model broncos that had front ABS IIRC, I think '95 and '96. Even then, the D44TTB parts are not likely going to swap over to a solid axle w/o throwing some money at it for machine work.

Just RABS is easy, go buy a Sterling 10.25 out of a '94 (probably available as early as '88, but I can't be certain, I have a '94 one with it though) or so f series. They have the tone ring and RABS sensor already in place. Should be the same connector. Have the shafts redrilled for 5 on 5.5, and probably wheels bored for the larger hubs, or go 8 lug all around.

You can add a tone ring and sensor virtually anywhere in the rear drive train. Some math may be involved if you place the tone ring prior to the reduction in the diff.

Good luck,
Jason