Technical 8.8 question

I picketed up this 8.8 rearend from a ford ranger for my wagon.

It has an R cast in to the differential housing.
I’ve had several 8.8s in various cars over the years and have never seen this.
Does the R stand for Ranger or Racecar?

 

The rear axle in my avatar is an 8.8 from an OT Ford suv.

 

R = rusty, ruble, rubbish, ruined, reject?
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/the-...l0RtfW5OAr_axm0FmIvyYiWbuAjbylMBYa2Yb9MrEFdOW
AI said:
Note on "R" or "PSI" Marks:
Some 8.8 housing cores, particularly those repurposed or rebuilt, might show casting marks like "8.8 PSI" or similar letters indicating different foundry/core boxes, but the primary supplier for the Explorer was the Ford Sterling plant.

 

"Rear"obviously.

 

thanks for this!

 

that’s actually a legitimate concern,
A friend bought a differential for parts that turned out to be from the front of a jeep, he had it all mocked up before he discovered it would turn backwards

 

That was about to become . . . interesting!

 

Mine is from an '03 Ranger. I don't recall seeing a "R" cast into it.

Gary

 

Same guy put a rear steer steering rack in a hot rod in front of the axle. It was something seeing him try to back out of the driveway the first time

 

Did he flip it upside down at the same time to get it to turn backwards ???

When you turn the differential around 180° from rear to front it makes no directional difference

 

yes, I think he was trying to get the pinion low or something