Revolution Gear & Axle 97-14 Ford Expedition/F-150 8.8in IFS Ring & Pinion Master Install Kit
A howl from under the front of a 1997-2014 Ford F-150 4x4 or Expedition that gets louder when you lift off the throttle at highway speed is usually the 8.8 inch IFS front differential losing pinion bearing preload. The same axle needs a full bearing and shim job when you regear the truck for bigger tires. The Revolution Gear and Axle 35-2013A master install kit is the bearing, seal and hardware side of that work for the Ford 8.8 IFS front, in one box.
The IFS front is a frame-mounted center section that drives CV half-shafts, with an intermediate shaft running through a tube on one side. It shares the 8.8 inch ring gear size with the rear axle, but the gears turn the opposite way and are reverse-rotation cut. Inside, the pinion rides on two tapered bearings held in preload by a crush sleeve, and the carrier rides on two side bearings positioned by shims that set backlash. When those bearings wear, the pinion walks and the gear mesh drifts, which is the noise you hear. Revolution lists this kit with Timken pinion and carrier bearings, pinion seal, crush sleeve, pinion shims, carrier shims, ring gear bolts and cover gasket or silicone. Axle seals are not included, so order those separately if the half-shaft or tube seals are wet.
Many trucks this age grind in 2WD because the vacuum-held hubs are partly engaging, not because the diff is bad, so rule that out first. Drive the same stretch of road in 2WD and 4WD, then check pinion flange play and the oil. Our Ford 8.8 IFS front differential problems guide walks through the hub, seal and bearing tests, and the pinion bearing noise guide explains how to tell bearing noise from gear noise.
This listing covers the Ford F-150 and Expedition 8.8 inch IFS front differential, 1997-2014. Revolution describes the kit as fitting the Ford 8.8 inch IFS. Ford revised the front axle around the 2009 F-150 redesign, and bearings can differ between early and late trucks, so on a 2009-2014 truck compare the numbers stamped on your old bearings with the kit before you press anything off, or send us your year and VIN and we will check. It does not fit an 8.8 rear axle or the 9.75 rear. Front gears are in our rebuild kits category.
The front carrier has to come out of the truck, and you will want a dial indicator such as our magnetic base dial indicator set plus an inch-pound torque wrench to read pinion preload. If you are regearing, any gear set must say reverse rotation; the Yukon 8.8 reverse rotation 4.56 set and the 4.88 reverse rotation set are cut for this axle, and the front ratio must match the rear exactly. Revolution's setup chart gives one Ford 8.8 row: 0.026 inch starting pinion depth, 14-19 in-lb pinion bearing preload with new bearings, .006-.010 inch backlash and 60 ft-lb for ring gear bolts and bearing caps; if your gear maker's sheet differs, follow the gear maker. Read the pattern on both sides of the teeth, because the side that carries load going forward is not the one you read on a rear axle. Our backlash and pinion depth guide covers the dial work. Fill with the gear oil Ford lists for your truck, then follow the new gear break-in procedure and change the oil early.
| Brand | Revolution Gear & Axle |
| Part number | 35-2013A |
| Fits | Revolution Gear & Axle 97-14 Ford Expedition/F-150 8.8in IFS Ring & Pinion Master Install Kit |
| Vehicle fitment | Ford Expedition/F-150 (1997-2014) |
| Type | Differential Install Kits |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
No. It is built for the 8.8 inch IFS front differential. The rear 8.8 is a standard-rotation axle with different bearings and needs its own install kit.
Revolution lists Timken pinion and carrier bearings, pinion seal, crush sleeve, pinion shims, carrier shims, ring gear bolts and cover gasket or silicone. Axle seals are not included.
The listing covers 1997-2014 F-150 and Expedition, but Ford changed the front axle with the 2009 redesign and bearing sizes can differ. Compare your old bearing numbers with the kit or send us your year and VIN before the job.
Probably not yet. Grinding in 2WD that stops in 4WD usually points to a vacuum leak at the integrated wheel end hubs. Fix the hub vacuum first, then judge the differential.
Yes, if the teeth are not chipped or pitted. Keep the original pinion shim as a starting point, set new preload and backlash, and check the pattern. If you are changing ratio, use a reverse rotation gear set.
The factory IFS front is an open differential with no clutch pack, so friction modifier is not needed unless a limited slip has been added. Use the gear oil grade Ford lists for your truck.
