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BII axle swap woe.


PS94

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Is the B2 physically shorter from the doors forward, compared to a ranger? I swapped in a D35 I was given, and my stock driveshaft was too long. Having a fleet of wrecked RBV to pull from, I stole a T case and front shaft from a 91 Ranger. My BII is an 89, so i thought all would be well. Wrong. the ranger had a D35 but the shaft was still to long. what gives?
 


adsm08

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What transmissions are you working with?

That can make a difference. I'm not sure it will in this case, I think those are both M5OD/A4LD which are the same length.
 

PS94

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Well, the Bronco is an Auto, with the donor being a manual(Mazda) I have now stolen a drivesahft off an Auto Explorer, we'll finish this Cap'n Moe N cola and go outside and see!
 

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wow i cant beleive you couldnt figure this out on your own. The D35 has a longer pinion than the D28. Transmissions are difference lengths hence shaft size difference....
 

freerider6_9

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As well as the possibility that the ranger has a dummy 35 in it as well. Trans will definatly be the differance here though
.
 

PS94

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wow i cant beleive you couldnt figure this out on your own. The D35 has a longer pinion than the D28. Transmissions are difference lengths hence shaft size difference....
I know the D35 is longer, that's why I took a shaft from a D35 equipped Ranger. It was slightly shorter, but still too long for the B2.
The two shafts, from ranger 5 speed, to Explorer Auto, are identical in length, both too long.

The only thing I can think of, is the B2 is physically shorter, but that makes no sense to me..
 
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trail B2

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The auto and the mazda are the same length.The d35 takes a shorter drive shaft because its bigger.Are you mixing 1350 and 1354 drive lines do they have the splines in them or on the transfer case.you need to make sure you still have splines not knowing what you have check for that.If you have to you can have it cut down it's not real expensive.About an inch and a half if you not to high.
 

PS94

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I had splines on the t case. but my spline driveshaft, was, obviously, too long. Being Cheap, I just swapped in a ranger T case with the flange, and took the front shaft(as I have a pile of RBV's for parts)...it was too long. So, i assumed the trans was a different length, and got a shaft from an auto I had. it's the same as the manual, so the trans are the same length, the driveshafts are from trucks with D35 fronts...

Why can't one steal the transfer case, and front driveshaft from a ranger and install it into a BroncoII? Both are D35 fronts, but the ranger seems longer....
 

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This is actually kinda odd.

The M5 and A4 are the same length, the D-35 and 28 pinions are different lengths, but in this case it shouldn't be a material difference. I am running a 35 shaft with my 28 right now.

Go get a tape measure.
 

PS94

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Yeah, there is NO way the 28 shaft will work with the 35, Or the Explorer, ranger auto, or ranger manual shafts will work... From the diff yoke, to the t-case yoke, I have 30- 7/8" outside the cup to outside the cup on the truck, and on the shafts, fully compressed, I have around 31". So, with the truck at rest, I'm too long. factor in any axle movement, and I pull a "dishtowel" and explode my t-case.

Ended up getting a friend to make a jig and we shortened the explorer shaft...it's about 7 thou out on the V blocks, good enough for what ole Bronc-Obama will see.
 

trail B2

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I have a 86 Bronco with a D28 and I have a donor D35 out of a 90 Ranger both have 1350s I just measured the drive lines and there the same.I always thought it would be shorter so now im like you WTF should'nt that be shorter.
 

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Im running a d35 from an explorer, with my old d28 drive shaft, fits fine, but i do have a 6" lift
 

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Sounds like you did something wrong.

There is absolutely NO reason that the Dana 35 drive shaft will NOT fit unless you did something wrong.

The M50D-R1 manual and the A4LD auto are the same length. The only transmission in a RBV that doesn't have the same length is the TK-5, FM-142, and FM-145 manual transmissions that were found in the 2.8 Ranger and Bronco II.
 

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And the TK4/C5 that are the shortest. You don't have a C5 auto in your 89 do you?
 

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