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2 vs 1 pc driveshaft.


Denisefwd93

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I've read the swap tutorial on the tech pages seems pretty clear and somewhat low-tech.

Does it make sense to swap in a one piece drive shaft on a daily driver that is not going to be lifted more than 2 inches if at all?

The existing support bearing is not bad yet but it is "sloppy"

1994 supercab 4wd 4.0
 


adsm08

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No. It doesn't. On a stock truck with no real issues with the carrier bearing it doesn't make a lot of sense, since there are no performance gains to be had.

I did it on my truck when I swapped transmissions and needed a new drive shaft due to a length change.

When the carrier goes bad then I would do a cost analysis on it, keeping in mind that many after market carriers are not going to be nearly the quality of the original.
 

Denisefwd93

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Thanks for the reply! I was looking, there are different sizes, one of the larger ones is made by anchor, so I guess they would have larger bearings possibly, possiblynot.
 

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I don't know what makes one take one bearing or the other I just know you need the right one.
 

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Just did the carrier bearing today on my '94 extended cab 4wd
$100can for carrier bearing
$38can for middle u-joint, it was bad, both end u-joints were fine

Just extra parts that can fail on a two-piece drive shaft setup that you don't have on one-piece drive shaft
 

Denisefwd93

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Well I called a few yards nada I don't get it with these yards around here. there are quite a few yards selling on eBay but it doesn't look I'll get this one piece drive shaft for less than $100 unless a goodly soul on here as one. So for now I'm going to get the carrier bearing.
 
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bobbywalter

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with a low power stock type engine and normalish tires....hell no. just like the cooling system...i just wouldnt fawk with it. but it is one of the things i hated most about my truck when i first got it....that hop it had. i was sooooo happy when i went to 1 piece... then i smashed it...:D


with bigger tires and mildish wheeling its a tough call.

the one piece shaft if you like to off road brings more risk of damage. i have destroyed quite a few unfortunately.

i am actually thinking of going to a two piece style like casey cravins come up with...it is brutally effective and uses a hardmount pillow block. you can build a heavy wall short rear shaft that is the same size as the front doing that and have redundancy and space by only keeping 1 spare.


sooo....not much call for that.


so whatever is most cost effective is what i suggest...if its within 50 bux it might be worth the effort.
 

Denisefwd93

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I'm going to go for the carrier bearing I'm not a maniac I'm not going to be 4-wheeling other than snow in the winter time.I used to think it would be cool to go to the jersey and Delaware beaches but that doesn't really even interest me anymore.
 

Denisefwd93

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Revisiting drive shaft issues. I do have the carrier bearing and imagine at some point we will be changing it out I've started wondering about 45- 55 mph shake in the truck. Hank insists that when he drove it back to his house the night I bought this truck, it did not Shake, when we changed out the transmission he didn't give any thought to phasing the two piece driveshaft I did my best but now, I'm wondering,

Are there any Factory marks to align the spline on these two piece driveshafts???

I found a discussion on another Forum here https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1411562-help-aligning-the-front-spline-on-rear-driveshaft-2015-f350-2.html
 

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I think there is an article in the how to tech section that explains this. If not, I know there are some great articles and videos online. Basically, you want the u-joint at one end of the shaft exactly 90 degrees from the one on the other end. Anything other than that and they fight each other as the shaft rotates.

This message composed solely of recycled electrons. Go green!
 

Denisefwd93

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I did understand that and I did make sure we took the time to a line up U-joints but what I'm asking is when it was built and balanced, would there be marks?
I think there is an article in the how to tech section that explains this. If not, I know there are some great articles and videos online. Basically, you want the u-joint at one end of the shaft exactly 90 degrees from the one on the other end. Anything other than that and they fight each other as the shaft rotates.

This message composed solely of recycled electrons. Go green!
 

ericbphoto

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I've never noticed any match marks on the ones I have worked on. I usually make my own before disassembly if I remember.

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Denisefwd93

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The rear end of the truck hops & shakes, not violent, but pretty good at 45 and higher, it doesn't seem to be the drive shaft cuz I don't feel it through the shifter and it seems to do it in neutral also. I'm guessing it's the rear end itself, seems like every vehicle I ever get has bouncing rear ends LOL
I had the tires rotated yes it did it before, tires rebalanced, yes it did it before and still does. I'm going to check the pinion U joint when we do the the drive shaft and carrier.
 

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Mine bounces around 40.
 

Denisefwd93

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Well... Ordered a one piece DS, seems they are all on Ebay. Picked a yard in the Phila area free shipping. checked and checked again. for for fitment.. all seem as the tech pages says.
Wish me well with this!
Lately it seems like any kind of highway speed gets the shake enough that the whole truck rattles now before it was just a slight Shake we'll see when we actually get working on, it just makes sense the to loose the carrier bearing
 
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