The gears and axles look really good. I am putting in all new bearings, seals, shims, crush sleeve, and flange nut. I ordered all the parts from Napa. The bigger the tapered roller bearings get, the more expensive they are! All the parts, including new e-brake shoes, ended up over $300. Gear oil and sealant were in that, too.

 

So given how much those bearings cost I'm assuming they are not common?

I tore apart a diff back when I was like 20 years old (i.e., a long time ago). I had that thing tore apart to change out the bearings and i don't know what else. I believe one of them had gone out and I discovered other problems, don't remember the details. I was way too dumb to know I was in over my head. But it didn't stop me. Fortunately for me I had a genius for a dad. An engineer by trade but a jack of all trades and master of many of them. I'd get my boob in a wringer and he'd get it out. Funny thing is, I'm not certain he ever rebuilt a diff. Not that it mattered. He could figure it out looking at it and it wasn't even a challenge for him. Even tho he saved my bacon, I could say I got the job done. It was that sense of confidence that sparked me to fix my own vehicles ever since. Don't get me wrong, I'm no mechanic by any stretch. Guys on these forums can do circles around me. But I did capture some (certainly not all) of my father's ability to look at something for the first time and figure it out (with a little help from my friends). It just takes me longer. Sometimes I think it just takes stupidity...too stupid to know when you're in over your head. That, or too damn cheap to pay someone else (more likely).

 

Just the two diff carrier bearings and shims are $90 on Rock Auto. It all adds up, and everything is more expensive since the pandemic.

 

There most certainly is. You can get them in all sorts of varieties. Anything from just pinion/diff bearings, to ALL the bearings and seals, plus whatever else is needed for proper setup.

 

The only thing I am lacking for the rear end rebuild is the gear marking paint (should arrive today), and the backing plates (or brake dust shields, or water shields. I have seen them called multiple things. Now that I have them off, I can try to find some matching parts. I have been on Dorman's website. Rock Auto. Amazon. Ebay. They are not easy to find, and some claim they are for a '98 Explorer, but they don't even look close. I believe not all Explorers came with a 8.8" rear end, and there may be differences between a 2wd and 4wd. There were also 3 different size motors available in the Explorer, which may have caused different rear axle configurations. If push comes to shove, I will take a crack at straightening the ones I have. I am not very confident with that route though, as these are pretty badly banged up.

Here is a list of parts I have gotten to do the rear end:

Diff carrier bearings & shims
Pinion shaft bearings and shims
Pinion shaft seal
crush sleeve (single use)
flange nut (single use)
axle bearings and seals
e-brake shoes and hardware
caliper rebuild kits
caliper brake pads
Gear marking paint
Pinion flange holding tool
Slide hammer w/ bearing pulling adapter
Beam style torque wrench - inch pounds

Doing a rear differential rebuild is not a super complicated job, but you need to have a good understanding of how to go about it, and it does require some unique tools. Getting the ring and pinion backlash correct can be a lot of trial and error to make it right. I found Eric the Car Guy on YouTube, and he posted a full step by step on how to tear down a Ford 8.8 diff, and how to correctly put one back together. Very detailed and explained everything very well. He is a professional mechanic, and getting the backlash proper took him several hours of shimming the diff carrier, pulling it out, back in, out, in... changing shims the whole time. Sometimes you get it right quickly, other times it takes a lot of trial and error. I don't consider this situation complicated, just mechanical. It needs to be right to live any length of time. It does seem a bit daunting being my first time tackling this job, but I like wrenching. So damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!

 

Are you replacing the clutch packs? FWIW you can get the complete carrier with new carbon clutch packs for $269.00 https://www.ebay.com/itm/18483037886...3ABFBM-OripLxj

On rock auto it appears the clutch packs start at $130.00 and go up. For the $269, getting new carrier, spider gears, clutch packs etc. and its from ford racing.

 

My Ford 8.8" differential does not have a clutch pack. It is a limited slip diff, but has these spring plates. All of the gears look really good, with no unusual wear marks, so I will be reusing all of them.

 

There are clutches, I believe they are BEHIND the spiders.

 

Further inspection required, I guess! I did not know that...

 

Thanks for the heads up! So yeah, the clutch packs will be replaced as well. This is a first for me being inside a differential, so the tips are greatly appreciated.