8.8 and drive shaft issue

[eclipseguy]

I have a 1986 ford ranger super cab with the 2.9 manual. It has a 4" spring lift and a 2" body lift. I am running 33's. A couple weeks ago I broke my 2 piece driveshaft just behind the carrier barring. So I wanted to swap to the one piece drive shaft. I got a one piece shaft the yard said it was out of a 98 ranger super cab 4x4. I checked the distance between the welds and it is 47". then I garbed a 8.8 from a 1995 explorer I have it all lined up and the drive shaft is about 1" short (that's with the slip pulled all the way out. would never run it like that) so now I'm stumped. every thing that I have read says that it should all line up. Any ideas or advice?

 

[adsm08]

Well, you are almost right about your last statement, that everything should line up.

Everything should line up on an 88+ or something with an auto-tragic trans. Your FM145 manual transmission is 2 inches shorter than the A4LD auto used from 86 to 94, and the FM146 or M5OD which were both introduced in 88.

 

[eclipseguy]

So with out changing the transmission can the 86 run the one piece shaft?

 

[adsm08]

Well you could get the shaft lengthened.

 

[eclipseguy]

Well you could get the shaft lengthened.

yeah i was thinking about that.... The truck is my daily driver and its been down for 2 weeks now since i can only work on it on sat. Hoping for something quicker. but anyway thanks for the advice. Ill end up getting it lengthened.

 

[Lil-Pony]

Stupid question, are the leafs in the correct way? Just wanted to make sure

 

[eclipseguy]

Stupid question, are the leafs in the correct way? Just wanted to make sure

Yeah I did not remove the springs. Just dropped the axle and lowered the truck on the new axle. The only stupid question is the one not asked.

 

[86freebie]

dont know if you had this fixed yet. i just put an 8.8 out of a 98 and after hours at pick and pull finally just had a very stout 1 piece made for 300.00.

if you have one made call every shop around, i had prices from 300 to 550(if any of my old parts were usable. pass). the one made had the 3/4 ujoints(1330 i think) and all spicer parts.

 

[eclipseguy]

no i have not fixed it yet. i have been trying to find a cheap daily driver. but i am looking into having the drive shaft lengthened. thanks for the info.