Did I read that right? Exploder driveshaft torque specs.

[MAKG]

I removed my rear driveshaft in order to try a "coast test" (coast downhill with the front driveshaft immobilized and the rear driveshaft gone in order to rule out the transmission and transfer case for a noise I've been chasing). As I put it back on, I peeked in the 1991 Chassis Service Manual for torque specs.

The rear flange spec was as expected -- 70-85 ft-lbs if I remember right.

The front flange spec was ridiculous. 12-16 ft-lbs.

This was specifically for an Explorer rear driveshaft. I cranked it to 65 ft-lbs, on the low side of the Ranger spec. The transfer case flange appears identical to that on almost every other 4x4 RBV, heavily reinforced, and with the exact same M12x1.75 bolts as the rear flange. I don't see how it would distort.

WTF?

 

[Mac]

Well I looked at the '97' Explorer specs in the shop manual and they are 75-90 lbs for the rear shaft and the front connection to the x-fer case. Only 11-15 for the front connection to the axle yoke. Same spec's are in the 2000 Ranger manual. Same as what you found. If they were wrong, would have thought it had been corrected by now.
Dave

 

[MAKG]

That's not the same.

I didn't report any front driveshaft specs. Those are all for the rear driveshaft.

12-16 ft-lbs would make sense for the dinky little bolts that hold the U-straps on at the front differential.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

perhaps because ford puts lock-tite on those bolts?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

perhaps because ford puts lock-tite on those bolts?

They probably put it on the differential end too.

Everything I got says 61-87 lb-ft, but it doesn't differentiate between Rangers and Explorers, nor do I see why it would matter.

 

[MAKG]

They have the same transfer cases, so I don't see it either.

They do have different driveshafts, but don't appear to be THAT different.

So I guess you guys agree with me that the 1991 Chassis Service Manual author for that section was on crack?

 

[Yellowsplash]

Looking at the haynes....

Driveshaft-to-transfer case bolts
-Through 2000: 12-16 ft/lbs
-2001 and later models: 83 ft/lbs

Driveshaft-to-rear axle bolts
-1991 through 1996
----With double-cardan U-joint: 70-95 ft/lbs
----With single-cardan U-joint: 8-15 ft/lbs
-1997 and later: 70-95 ft/lbs

 

[Evan]

If you torque those to 12-16 ft/lbs they WILL back out.

I don't now if there is a misprint in the manual, or what.

Both the t-case flange and diff flange should be about 70. That's what I torque mine to, with good results on and off road.

 

[thegoat4]

What? Torque?

Impact. BLAPPPP!

 

[Bent Bolt]

What? Torque?

Impact. BLAPPPP!

And some red lock tight !

 

[rickcdewitt]

my alldata shows 61-87lb/ft for the flanges under tranfercase spec's and 12-16 for the front axle yoke only

 

[MAKG]

What? Torque?

Impact. BLAPPPP!

You burp at your bolts to hold them in? I don't think that would be very effective....

And where the heck did you find 12pt impact sockets? Those would be REAL nice for removal.

Rick, those specs sure make a lot more sense to me.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

my alldata shows 61-87lb/ft for the flanges under tranfercase spec's and 12-16 for the front axle yoke only

Older Ranger's had the same setup with straps coming off the back the T-Case as it did on the front, did that little tidbit get lost in translation when they switched to the flange on the rear for '86?

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, that's crazy. Gotta be something similar to what 85 just said. Those bolts will eventually shear from fatigue if left loose like that, Loctite or no.

 

[thegoat4]

You burp at your bolts to hold them in? I don't think that would be very effective....

And where the heck did you find 12pt impact sockets? Those would be REAL nice for removal.

Just burp really really hard.

And to get the sockets, McMaster-Carr or MSC Prices aren't too shabby for one-offs.

I also use Craftsman chrome sockets on my impacts all the time. They don't fail that often, and when they do it's more graceful than the dedicated impact sockets. The chrome ones either get all of the teeth beat out (takes a long time) or crack and start spinning. The impact sockets I've blown up literally blew up--kick one big piece out the side or split almost exactly in half.

The big downside to putting the chrome ones on the impact is that the backs of the sockets sometimes gets hung on the retainer ring and mangle it. But I keep a few spares sitting around.