lil_Blue_Ford
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- Location
- Butler, PA, USSA
- Vehicle Year
- 95
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- Ford
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So I’m almost done with getting my green Ranger project roadworthy and I hit another snag…
A little overview: 2000 4.0, auto, 4x4 extended cab Ranger. I used a 98 Explorer as my primary donor (5.0, auto, AWD). Transplanted the engine/trans/t-case and converted the engine to a 2000. Also swapped front and rear axles from the Explorer along with the rear leaf springs that I modified the packs. When I went to hook up the front driveshaft I found it was an inch too long (the Ranger driveshaft). Not sure why, but I had the Explorer front shaft which conveniently was an inch shorter so that problem was solved relatively easily. The rear has become a problem though, and I don’t remember any of this being an issue when we built dad’s, although we didn’t swap axles or springs.
The Ranger rear driveshaft appears to be an inch too long. This is on top of having to change the yoke at the transfer case (which proved to be a hard find for a pattern that is the same as the 8.8” flange and takes a 1330 joint). I also have the rear suspension probably a little beyond full droop right now, but it seems heavily biased towards the front of the wheel arch. I know it will move more to the middle as the springs flatten out but it kinda looks like it could stand to be an inch farther back. I was pretty certain the distance from spring eye to centering pin was the same for Explorer and Ranger springs so I’m not exactly sure why everything seems to be off by about an inch. I didn’t change spring hangers, shackles or modify the rear axle, I left the Explorer axle as-is in configuration, spring under axle and all.
At this point I see a couple options but I’m not sure of the best approach. Hopefully someone here can lend some guidance or experience.
1) Pull apart the slip joint on the driveshaft and see if I can give it a little more travel (as near as I can tell, I’m currently at absolute shortest distance because as the springs compress past where they currently are, the shaft will have to get longer.)
2) Drill a new centering pin hole an inch away from the original, mod the lower spring plates, and shift the whole axle back an inch. Seems like this might solve a couple things but I’m not sure how kosher that is to do.
3) Cut the driveshaft down and have it re-balanced. Called the local shop (half hour away), would have to leave it a couple days and it’s $75 plus weights to balance and $95 to cut down (or I can try my hand at cutting it down).
Still entirely unsure how I ended up in this boat. Still have a couple things I want to check, but I don’t see an inch magically appearing because I forgot a bolt or something.
A little overview: 2000 4.0, auto, 4x4 extended cab Ranger. I used a 98 Explorer as my primary donor (5.0, auto, AWD). Transplanted the engine/trans/t-case and converted the engine to a 2000. Also swapped front and rear axles from the Explorer along with the rear leaf springs that I modified the packs. When I went to hook up the front driveshaft I found it was an inch too long (the Ranger driveshaft). Not sure why, but I had the Explorer front shaft which conveniently was an inch shorter so that problem was solved relatively easily. The rear has become a problem though, and I don’t remember any of this being an issue when we built dad’s, although we didn’t swap axles or springs.
The Ranger rear driveshaft appears to be an inch too long. This is on top of having to change the yoke at the transfer case (which proved to be a hard find for a pattern that is the same as the 8.8” flange and takes a 1330 joint). I also have the rear suspension probably a little beyond full droop right now, but it seems heavily biased towards the front of the wheel arch. I know it will move more to the middle as the springs flatten out but it kinda looks like it could stand to be an inch farther back. I was pretty certain the distance from spring eye to centering pin was the same for Explorer and Ranger springs so I’m not exactly sure why everything seems to be off by about an inch. I didn’t change spring hangers, shackles or modify the rear axle, I left the Explorer axle as-is in configuration, spring under axle and all.
At this point I see a couple options but I’m not sure of the best approach. Hopefully someone here can lend some guidance or experience.
1) Pull apart the slip joint on the driveshaft and see if I can give it a little more travel (as near as I can tell, I’m currently at absolute shortest distance because as the springs compress past where they currently are, the shaft will have to get longer.)
2) Drill a new centering pin hole an inch away from the original, mod the lower spring plates, and shift the whole axle back an inch. Seems like this might solve a couple things but I’m not sure how kosher that is to do.
3) Cut the driveshaft down and have it re-balanced. Called the local shop (half hour away), would have to leave it a couple days and it’s $75 plus weights to balance and $95 to cut down (or I can try my hand at cutting it down).
Still entirely unsure how I ended up in this boat. Still have a couple things I want to check, but I don’t see an inch magically appearing because I forgot a bolt or something.