My 97 Ranger came available with a 3.08 or a 3.55 rear gear from Ford. The 3.08 rated for 2300# total trailer weight, the 3.55 rated at 5900# total. Guess which one Ford gave me. I've never towed more than a heavy ridin mower but would like to have the option to pull a little more. Can this be done by regearing to 3.55 with the same axle or would i have to upgrade with heavier axle for total weight and tongue weight increase, would anything need to be done to the engine or transmission to handle the extra stress.

what engine and tranny do you have ! and if you could post the VIN # that would help to !

A re-gear will definitely help. However, with that high of a ratio, I wonder if you have a 7.5 rear axle. Post the axle code from the door jamb sticker and I can decode it for you and tell you what axle you have, if you don't already know.

id get a complete assy from a junkyard with 3.73's, if your real lucky the newest ones have rear disc brakes from the factory, if you dont have the tools or experiance with differential gear setup, then swapping out the whole rear axle with one of the correct ratio would be a better way to go. id go with a 8.8 rearend also, its more common and could possibly have bigger bearings, you also can swap out the drums for drums speced for a areostar van, they are heavier and have heat-dissapating cooling fins. while they wont do a thing for stopping ability or distacne, they will resist fade and warpage better. i put a set on last april, was $50 a drum through autozone.

get a rear end out of an exploder.... it'll be a 8.8 rear end likely either 3.73 or 4.10... only down side is the bolt pattern aint quite the same size...

Fordzilla80 said:

A re-gear will definitely help. However, with that high of a ratio, I wonder if you have a 7.5 rear axle. Post the axle code from the door jamb sticker and I can decode it for you and tell you what axle you have, if you don't already know.

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Assuming it's factory...it should be a 7.5 behind the 2.3L and 3.0L, or an 8.8 behind the 4.0L.

racsan said:

id go with a 8.8 rearend also, its more common and could possibly have bigger bearings,

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My understanding is that the only thing different between the 7.5 and 8.8 for Rangers is the size of the ring gear.

nflfreak43 said:

only down side is the bolt pattern aint quite the same size...

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What bolt pattern, Chris? Wheel bolt pattern is the same (5 on 4.5)...I believe it's the shock mounts that need moving.

i thought the pattern was 5x5.5 for the exploders... maybe not........ ill have to check the exploder when ann gets home with it....

explores should be the same as the ranger as far as wheel bolt pattern, 5 on 4-1/2, the springs on a explorer go under the axle though, while on a ranger the spring pack sits on top of the axle, you would need to cut the spring mounts off and weld new ones on, possibly do the same with shock mounts, it would be worth it for the disc brakes alone.

john112deere said:

Assuming it's factory...it should be a 7.5 behind the 2.3L and 3.0L, or an 8.8 behind the 4.0L.

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That's good to know, I wasn't sure what the determining factors were that denoted what truck got which rear axle.

Either way, the o.p. should go with an 8.8 from an Fx4 Level II Ranger. You gain the 8.8, 4.10's, and a locker.