8.8 swap driveshaft issues

[howlinghuskie]

ok sounds good ill try that then its less things for me to have to unbolt under the truck that leaves me with just shock bolts and driveshaft to axle bolts the u bolts and sway bar u bolts are getting cut with a sawzall and ill prob just cut the brake line i think that should be it

 

[racer1044]

im interested to know this as well. Will the 7.5 flange go on the 8.8 axle?

 

[howlinghuskie]

im going to try it and ill update with an answer

 

[dangerranger83]

I am told the pinion spline counts on the 7.5 and 8.8 are the same and will swap right out with eachother. So its as simple as unbolting the 2.5 one and putting on the 3 inch one. Plus if need be, you can drill the 3 inch one for the 2.5 if you have to.

The adaptor plate idea isnt a bad thought either. I would also replace the pinion seal while there, that is if it shows signs of leaking.

I plan on swaping pinion flanges for when I do my 302 swap, until I get an 8.8 from an exploder. The 3inch flange driveshafts also came in the 1330 ujoints, found on so far what I know the sport tracks.

 

[howlinghuskie]

when i do the swap ill confirm for sure if they will swap. Id rather not just redrill new holes and the adapter plate sounds good but to me its one more thing that could throw off the balancing even more or to break on me. I also dont know that id be able to get it all precise enough to not cause problems. So i will be swapping flanges.

 

[randallmain]

Alas, i lied, i looked today and all i did was mate 7.5 flange onto the "NUB" of the 8.8 flange aligning ears between holes, then marked holes of driveshaft flange onto the 8.8 flange, drilled and tapped

 

[dangerranger83]

Info from the tech library....

Swapping in an 8.8-inch 28-spline Ranger axle for the original 7.5-inch axle provides (according to Ford) a 35% increase in strength. But this strength increase refers to the greater strength of the gears and carrier bearings (Pinion bearings, axle bearings and axle shafts are exactly the same) there is NO increase in weight capacity.

7.5-inch Rear Specifications
7.5-Inch Ring Gear
1.626" Pinion Stem


8.8-inch Rear Specifications
8.8-Inch Ring Gear
1.626" Pinion Stem

And the years to grab a driveshaft from a sport trac that has the 1330 joints will be from 01-05.

 

[randallmain]

correct . unless you swap springs also.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Alas, i lied, i looked today and all i did was mate 7.5 flange onto the "NUB" of the 8.8 flange aligning ears between holes, then marked holes of driveshaft flange onto the 8.8 flange, drilled and tapped

I was wondering how you made something that would engage that nub, and then have its own nub to engage the driveshaft to keep everything aligned with simple tools for cheap.

correct . unless you swap springs also.

Springs have nothing to do with the weight rating of an axle. Both the 7.5 and 28 spline 8.8 have the same weight rating of 2750.

 

[AllanD]

So i plan to swap in an 8.8 for the 7.5 in my 87 supercab. Ive determained that my driveshaft will not bolt up to the new axle. I cant swap yokes as i believe i have the smaller u joints. I cant do a 1 piece swap as i have an fm145 so the one piece would be to short. I cant afford the $300+ i was quoted to make up a whole new driveshaft. So after some thinking i had the idea of splitting my driveshaft at the slip joint and doing the same with the driveshaft on the 93 the axle is coming out off. Then reassemble with the rear portion of the slip joint off the 93 to the rest of my driveshaft. This would give me the right yoke on the end to bolt to the rear axle and still be the right length for the 5 speed. Would this idea even work? I know i could just drill new wholes but id rather not do that as i more or less want to just bolt in the 8.8

Split your driveshaft at the bolted on yoke just behind the center support bearing.

That way you get the bigger U-joints at both ends of the rear half of the two piece driveshaft.

I could never get the small U-joints to last more than 6-8months on my truck before I swapped from a TK5 trans to a Mazda trans and went to the later (1994) two-piece shaft.

AD

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I could never get the small U-joints to last more than 6-8months on my truck before I swapped from a TK5 trans to a Mazda trans and went to the later (1994) two-piece shaft.

AD

Mine were original when I changed them "while I am here" during the V8 swap...

 

[AllanD]

Mine were original when I changed them "while I am here" during the V8 swap...

the "small" U-joints I'm refering to were ONLY used on the 1986-87 and part of 1988 Supercabs rear driveshaft.

They are TINY little crosses that are even smaller than the D28 axle shaft joints.


AD

 

[randallmain]

Certainly 85_Ranger4X4. the 7.5 rear axle yoke/flange will fit over that nub, just VERY tightly. I marked my hole locations on 8.8 pinion flange, drilled and tapped them, then just used the bolts to draw original D.S. flange onto 8.8. Seems to me to be completely centered that way. I will get pics next time i'm under it.

 

[howlinghuskie]

awesome thanks allan that was what i was looking for someone to say yes or no to driveshaft part swapping working

 

[87anger]

Im very interested to know if this all worked out for you or what you ended up doing.