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Explorer ST/Timberline Part Swap
- Thread starter Chrisicle
- Start date
I think the issue I had was that the dealer ordered the wrong axles. Since they're a high volume shop, they slapped everything back together again and said they couldn't/wouldn't do it again.
I was really hoping this question would have been solved by now given all the brilliant minds in this group
Now I'm also wondering if the new, 1000 HP DSS axles are compatible with the Torsen LSD...
I was really hoping this question would have been solved by now given all the brilliant minds in this group
Now I'm also wondering if the new, 1000 HP DSS axles are compatible with the Torsen LSD...
Last edited:
As far as I can tell, the same ‘non-coated’ axles have matching part numbers between the Timberline, ST, and Aviator:
L1MZ-4K138-C and L1MZ-4K139-C
Then again, Ford has known to be wrong before. If common sense came in to play, I’d like to assume all the inner and outer splines are the same, but there’s only one way to find out, and there can be no limit to oddities auto manufacturers throw in to their model differences.
I did contemplate buying a used ST axle off eBay and then just coughing up the $2K for the diff (spare shaft for test fit of the inner stubs), but haven’t gotten around to it. A buddy of mine works at the Sterling Axle Plant, so I’ll pick his brain soon enough.
L1MZ-4K138-C and L1MZ-4K139-C
Then again, Ford has known to be wrong before. If common sense came in to play, I’d like to assume all the inner and outer splines are the same, but there’s only one way to find out, and there can be no limit to oddities auto manufacturers throw in to their model differences.
I did contemplate buying a used ST axle off eBay and then just coughing up the $2K for the diff (spare shaft for test fit of the inner stubs), but haven’t gotten around to it. A buddy of mine works at the Sterling Axle Plant, so I’ll pick his brain soon enough.
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After a long time of the torsen sitting on my shelf I finally got around to attempt the swap. I got myself a used diff so I did not have to remove the diff from the car to try to swap the internals.
When the rear cover is removed it looks like this.
The gear is welded to the carrier.
Side by side comparison of the two internals.
When the rear cover is removed it looks like this.
The gear is welded to the carrier.
Side by side comparison of the two internals.
The number of the splines for the halfshafts is the same.
After pressing on the new bearings and fitting the carrier into the housing with the correct shim thickness and preload the differential looks like this.
My Explorer has a gear ratio of 3.31 as seen on the tags below.
Sticker on the bottom of the diff.
Sticker on top of the diff.
After pressing on the new bearings and fitting the carrier into the housing with the correct shim thickness and preload the differential looks like this.
My Explorer has a gear ratio of 3.31 as seen on the tags below.
Sticker on the bottom of the diff.
Sticker on top of the diff.
Unless he also changed out the pinion gear, he's probably gonna have premature wear on the ring and pinion. The pinion now has a wear pattern worn in from the old ring gear so they are now mated for life. If you put a new ring gear with a used pinion you will most likely get premature wear.
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