Will F150 driveshaft work with Ranger ?

[Chris_1]

Don't know if anybody's already done this but - we've got a '94 Ranger ext cab 4x4 w/ a4ld auto and 8.8 - want to go to 1 piece d/shaft. It happens that I'm tearing apart a '96 f150 2wd (4r70w w/8.8 diff) with a nice beefy aluminum d/shaft. We have access to a shop that builds/ modifies driveshafts, so changing lengths or yokes isn't a problem. Anybody have any opinions/advice/ experience with this plan ? Thanks for your input.

 

[Mark_88]

There is a nice write-up on this in the Tech Library that you might want to look over and maybe print out. It gives the measurements and some input from other members that found some problems and solutions.

I think the main problem would be making sure the width of the shaft is not going to interfere with the gas tank plate...and secondary is the couplings for the flanges. I doubt that the drive shaft from the F150 is thicker than the one on newer Rangers (aluminum) but you may want to measure that.

If the shop can fit the Ranger flanges onto the shaft and weld them on then you should be good to go...just measure the distance from the flanges that you have now (current drive shaft including both ends) and go from there...

I was considering using the one-piece from a newer Ranger (aluminum) but found there was a mismatch between the flange and the drive current drive shaft that required a special U-joint that nobody seemed to agree upon so I ditched the idea...for now...

 

[Mac]

I know of one guy who had floor clearance problems but that was on a '89' 4x2. And Mark, don't know why everyone has problems using the "conversion" joint. They actually are standard on several Ford trucks and easy to find at most auto stores. That's what came on my '66' Ranchero.
Dave
Check the application listing on this one.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mog-253/applications/

 

[Mark_88]

Yeah, Dave, that was the one listed but I'd read recently where someone said they wouldn't work...they were doing the same conversion that I was thinking about doing.

My concern was that if it didn't work out I'd be back to where I was about 8 years ago when I was looking for a driveshaft for my current Ranger...I ended up having to buy 3 different drive shafts @ $75 each and having someone cut the end of one and weld on the connector...for another $50...plus all the money I'd spent on gas running around to various junkyards to get all the parts rounded up...so that driveshaft cost me about $300...

Back then I was making much more than I am now and could afford it...even though I probably could have gotten one that worked if I knew what to look for. This one would have worked fine if the U-joint listed was certain to work...but then I figured for what it was worth (to not have to worry about the carrier bearing and to remember to grease the input shaft) I could live with what I had...

Experience...eh~!