good video! I'm about to install caltracs on my s10 8.8 ls swap. I wasn't sure whether I should have ordered caltrac for the explorer.... I am relieved that you are installing s10 caltrac setup! Thank you brother!!!
I have found it easier to change a leaf spring rearend to take it out with the springs attached. Then roll it out with the wheels on. Then you can swap everything over with both axles side by side. Just a thought. Then roll the rearend back under the truck and put front bushing in place. You have movement with the rear shackles that make it easier to get the bolts. Anyway looks pretty cool. I'm doing a 406 sbc into an 88 ranger. Should be fun. Good luck man!
Upon watching your videos, I believe I may have done something wrong with my swap, I had to gring out the centering holes on the axle to get It to mate with the centering bolt of the leafsprings.
Great info. I've got an Escalade with a 6.0 and an 8.8 in one hand and a 94 Toyota pickup in the other. About to make the magic happen and was wondering if I could use the 8.8 too. Thanks!
We are getting ready to tackle this same project on our 2000 S10, What did your rearend come out of and did you shorten one side to remove the offset? Or are you using the rearend with the offset center section.
Is there a different link to buy these same caltrac bars? I'm trying to find them for my S10. The amazon one doesn't work and looking online, all of the ones I keep finding doesn't show the stud for the shock to go on to and I'd hate to order the wrong part. Do you happen to have the part number handy?
I have a 1986 S10. I used the Caltrac set up with their shocks. They don't mention you have to remove your overload spring. And a big pair of channel locks you could have squeezed your u-joints and made them fit. Just wondering, I narrowed my 8.8 posi re-read came out of a 1996 Mercury mountaineer. I have disc rear brakes now. If you have to spend the money to narrow it. why use a drum brake setup ??
We didn’t narrow this one. It already had drum brakes so we kept it simple and went back with a drum setup. This truck is just street driven so the drum brakes work just fine for this application.
@@PetesGarageandperformance had it already Been narrowed ? Maybe you answered this in your video and I missed it. Just curious, If it hasn't been. it would be 3 " too wide on one side. How tight did you pre-load them ? I am close to 1/2 turn with no one sitting in vehicle. Only way I can launch and stay straight. Possible we're doing two different applications I am pushing 500 up. But mostly drive on the street. 3:73 rear gear. But using 700r4 trans. No computer, torque converter on switch. Just move shifter to 3rd to keep it out of weak 3/4 clutch Pack when getting on it hard. Also running 350 cj Chevy with weiand blower. 6 lbs boost.
Ryan Wheatley it is a bone stock diff out of an explorer. Even though one axle is longer both sides stick out the same distance. Just the center section is slightly offset. It doesn’t effect anything though. I think Ford did this to help with ujoint angles so they weren’t too straight. I can’t remember but I think we were about 1/2 turn preloaded with the owner sitting in the truck. I think he weighs about 250 or so. We only have an n/a 4.8 that puts out about 300 to the tires. Also we are just on regular street tires. Check out video 4. I have a shot of the rear and you can see it barely sticks out of both sides evenly.
@@PetesGarageandperformance thanks for the reply, most people make it look so easy. And don't tell you everything, Especially on TV shows. I talked to one guy at the track he goes between 3/4 and 1 full turn of pre-load. With my truck I have two sets of rear wheels, a track set and a street set. FYI, Goodyear makes a DOT approved street legal slick. Good luck with your truck. Keep it between the lines. lol
im doing a turbo LQ4 6.0 colorado on my channel, did you do the bushings with the leafs in the truck or take it to a shop and have pressed out and in ?
Mob with Guns I took the springs up to my shop to use the press. You can see in the video it is still a royal pain in the butt. I would be very impressed if you could do it in the vehicle. Turbo 6.0 in a Colorado sounds like fun. I’ll have to check out your channel. Thanks for watching. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. I’ve performed a few ls swaps myself.
hi pete, thank you for this! question for you...maybe you covered this but does the axle just bolt in without modifications for the most part? no narrowing etc? thank you for the motivation!
No need to narrow the diff or move any mounts. The only thing you would need to do is modify the lug pattern on the axles if you don’t want to have to run Chevy wheels on the front and ford wheels on the back.
The spring perchs are about 3/4" wider so that about 3/8" per side the springs are spread that much .I just done a lil prying and mounted them and I run it that way with no issues. 600hp track driven every weekend
@@PetesGarageandperformance ah I understand. Yea I’m gonna be tearing into mine next year and I’m just researching and planning everything I need, I appreciate your content it’s a big help
I think you can do that. Be careful though because the support bar hangs below the spring. They also have a kit that replaces the stock spring with a mono leaf spring. That setup looks kind of low.
@@brucealexander170 if you don’t cut it, the tires will stick out less than an inch on each side. This can easily be corrected with wheel backspacing. But it’s hardly noticeable.
this build has been a load of help for me
Fantastic! I hope I have shed some light on what you would have to look forward to.
Nice to see you again doing your thing Pete! Thanks for the video!
Thanks for watching Clifford.
good video! I'm about to install caltracs on my s10 8.8 ls swap. I wasn't sure whether I should have ordered caltrac for the explorer.... I am relieved that you are installing s10 caltrac setup! Thank you brother!!!
Hi Pete. I am enjoying the series. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
I have found it easier to change a leaf spring rearend to take it out with the springs attached. Then roll it out with the wheels on. Then you can swap everything over with both axles side by side. Just a thought. Then roll the rearend back under the truck and put front bushing in place. You have movement with the rear shackles that make it easier to get the bolts. Anyway looks pretty cool. I'm doing a 406 sbc into an 88 ranger. Should be fun. Good luck man!
Upon watching your videos, I believe I may have done something wrong with my swap, I had to gring out the centering holes on the axle to get It to mate with the centering bolt of the leafsprings.
Great video Pete!
Thanks Kyle!
You want to get rid of the bottom short overload leaf spring. She will hook better.
looking good, don't forget to set pinion angle.
The good news is that there is no vibration.
When looking for a 8.8.the axle code is 42d that's a dif with 4.10 ratio,31 splines on the axles limited slip and disc brakes.just for everyone's info
Trying to put caltracs to my 2011 chevy colorado so I'm learning from some experts... I wish no problems or issues happen at the installation.
Good luck. Does Calvert Racing have a kit specific to the Colorado?
@@PetesGarageandperformance heap now I know they got the 3730 series special for Colorado's
Great info. I've got an Escalade with a 6.0 and an 8.8 in one hand and a 94 Toyota pickup in the other. About to make the magic happen and was wondering if I could use the 8.8 too. Thanks!
We are getting ready to tackle this same project on our 2000 S10, What did your rearend come out of and did you shorten one side to remove the offset? Or are you using the rearend with the offset center section.
It’s out of a mid 90’s explorer. We did not modify anything other than the bolt pattern on the axles and used the GM park brake cables
Is there a different link to buy these same caltrac bars? I'm trying to find them for my S10. The amazon one doesn't work and looking online, all of the ones I keep finding doesn't show the stud for the shock to go on to and I'd hate to order the wrong part. Do you happen to have the part number handy?
I have a 1986 S10. I used the Caltrac set up with their shocks. They don't mention you have to remove your overload spring. And a big pair of channel locks you could have squeezed your u-joints and made them fit. Just wondering, I narrowed my 8.8 posi re-read came out of a 1996 Mercury mountaineer. I have disc rear brakes now. If you have to spend the money to narrow it. why use a drum brake setup ??
We didn’t narrow this one. It already had drum brakes so we kept it simple and went back with a drum setup. This truck is just street driven so the drum brakes work just fine for this application.
@@PetesGarageandperformance had it already Been narrowed ? Maybe you answered this in your video and I missed it. Just curious, If it hasn't been. it would be 3 " too wide on one side. How tight did you pre-load them ? I am close to 1/2 turn with no one sitting in vehicle. Only way I can launch and stay straight. Possible we're doing two different applications I am pushing 500 up. But mostly drive on the street. 3:73 rear gear. But using 700r4 trans. No computer, torque converter on switch. Just move shifter to 3rd to keep it out of weak 3/4 clutch Pack when getting on it hard. Also running 350 cj
Chevy with weiand blower. 6 lbs boost.
Ryan Wheatley it is a bone stock diff out of an explorer. Even though one axle is longer both sides stick out the same distance. Just the center section is slightly offset. It doesn’t effect anything though. I think Ford did this to help with ujoint angles so they weren’t too straight. I can’t remember but I think we were about 1/2 turn preloaded with the owner sitting in the truck. I think he weighs about 250 or so. We only have an n/a 4.8 that puts out about 300 to the tires. Also we are just on regular street tires. Check out video 4. I have a shot of the rear and you can see it barely sticks out of both sides evenly.
@@PetesGarageandperformance thanks for the reply, most people make it look so easy. And don't tell you everything, Especially on TV shows. I talked to one guy at the track he goes between 3/4 and 1 full turn of pre-load. With my truck I have two sets of rear wheels, a track set and a street set. FYI, Goodyear makes a DOT approved street legal slick. Good luck with your truck. Keep it between the lines. lol
Hey question! Did you have to cut the axle to fit? And how much had to be chopped? Coming from an S10 owner
im doing a turbo LQ4 6.0 colorado on my channel, did you do the bushings with the leafs in the truck or take it to a shop and have pressed out and in ?
Mob with Guns I took the springs up to my shop to use the press. You can see in the video it is still a royal pain in the butt. I would be very impressed if you could do it in the vehicle.
Turbo 6.0 in a Colorado sounds like fun. I’ll have to check out your channel. Thanks for watching. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. I’ve performed a few ls swaps myself.
Where you get the caltrac from and were they ordered for s10 or ford explore thanks for the video
I think summit racing. They are for an s10. Thanks for watching. Let me know if you have any more questions.
the caltrac plates are drilled for the wider 8.8 axle tubes from calvert racing . dont need anything special
hi pete, thank you for this! question for you...maybe you covered this but does the axle just bolt in without modifications for the most part? no narrowing etc? thank you for the motivation!
No need to narrow the diff or move any mounts. The only thing you would need to do is modify the lug pattern on the axles if you don’t want to have to run Chevy wheels on the front and ford wheels on the back.
The spring perchs are about 3/4" wider so that about 3/8" per side the springs are spread that much .I just done a lil prying and mounted them and I run it that way with no issues. 600hp track driven every weekend
That differential is 4x4?
Do you buy caltracs to fit the 3.25” 8.8 axle or to fit the s10 leafs even though that axle is 2.75” wide?
S10 caltracs and elongated the holes to fit the wider u bolts.
@@PetesGarageandperformance thanks a lot for that reply, I was so confused on what to do lmao, love the truck btw
@@braedentrebell3718 no problem. It’s actually not my truck. It’s one of my friends’.
@@PetesGarageandperformance ah I understand. Yea I’m gonna be tearing into mine next year and I’m just researching and planning everything I need, I appreciate your content it’s a big help
Was it narrowed ?
Would it be ok to use lowering blocks with that cal track kit, especially with the u bolts being that long?
I think you can do that. Be careful though because the support bar hangs below the spring. They also have a kit that replaces the stock spring with a mono leaf spring. That setup looks kind of low.
i did it with a 4 inch block on a v8 truck and 4 inch springs both ways worked fine.
Part number for conversion universal. Did you have to change anything on factory perch on ford diff
The u-joint is a 372. I didn’t have to modify the factory perch on the diff.
What year did diff come from
How far is your spring perch from backing plate did u cut the driver side only or both
I didn’t cut the axles down at all.
What's the part number and company on the u joint
We used either a Master pro or Precision from O’reillys. Either way it is a 372.
Thanks million
You have a part number for the u-bolts?
I’m sorry I don’t. Just get ones that fit the Ford differential because the tubes are slightly bigger.
Did you cut the rear 8.8 to fit
I did not cut the diff or axles.
Thank you I have a 93 s10 with a ls turbo and got a 8.8 to go in it everybody say cut the long side
@@brucealexander170 if you don’t cut it, the tires will stick out less than an inch on each side. This can easily be corrected with wheel backspacing. But it’s hardly noticeable.