Want to change out the rear in my 1962 PV544. Have found a rear from a 1995 Ford Ranger, Standard 3.73 differential. Will this fit into the PV544?
Thanks for your help,
Jim Keeley
561-625-4691 (Home)
jameskeeley69@yahoo.com

Hello,

Ray J here. I did the ranger rear end swap many years ago. Had the long side cut down so it would hold another short axle. It winds up being 54-1/2 inches wide from brake drum face to brake drum face. All of the Ranger brackets are removed and all of the stock Volvo differential mounting was retained. I had the Ranger differential drive flange cut so the stock Volvo flange can be bolted to it.

Ray J.

I think you will find that it is 3 to 4 inches wider. I put a 83-92 Ranger rearend under my 444 and had to have the rearend narrowed by an expert to fit. We replaced the left axle (29.25 inch) with another right hand axle (26.25 inch) and shortened the left hand axle tube to match. This got oit to within 1/2 inch of the original. I believe the 93 and later Ranger rearends are wider still.

Rayj posted a few years back of using a Ranger rear end in a 544, I don't know what year or how its track width compares with the one you have. As I recall, he said the track width was too wide by maybe two inches, so he had the housing that held the longer axle shaft shortened in a shop by just the right amount to use a second short axle shaft that he had acquired. That served his purpose.