1-Piece Driveshafts And Why You Want One

[FattCracker]

I have an issue Not answered by the Help Topic..
My Yoke at the Rear is a 1210 or Dana 5-443x 2.438 universal joint. as are All the universals in this 4x4.
No Ford Ranger made after 1990 and Very few 4x4 XLT between 1988 and 1990 used the smaller universals.
Mine also has a Centering Yoke which is a anomaly according to Ford, and a 72 inch 3 piece Rear driveshaft with a carrier bearing.
Yes 3 piece Rear driveshaft.. another Ford rarity. How did I get this POS, just lucky I guess...

I would like to go One Piece Drive Shaft... Are any of these going to be long enough to fit or am I going to be custom shop all the way?
Am I going to have to change both ends on any Junk Yard shaft or is there a 1210 x 1310 or 1330 UJ available and do you have a Part Number ?
Whats the Spline count on the out put shaft at the back of a FM 145 Mitsu where the yoke meets the Driveshaft, Can I just swap that and what years Cross Over?
Will Auto or Manual Output yoke either one work?

I appreciate the Help this has been an adventure in a Horror Story but it's getting better...

Thank's,
Crack

 

[Josh B]

There have been write-ups about that, and there is a solid replacement. but I cannot recall exactly what it is. It has crossed my mind recently also, but it really doesn't matter that much to me.

I had to replace my center bearing once already but it wasn't that big of a deal. Of course it was also pre-pandimic when prices could somehow seem to be excused.

Careful what you call it at a Ford house or you might come home with a piece that goes deep inside the transmission.
See, Ford discovered a "carrier" bearing in the transmission so bumped the lowly driveshafts name to being a "Center" bearing

 

[sgtsandman]

The advantage of a single piece driveshaft is there is less parts to wear out and the joint angles are less. So less wear and tear on the joints that remain.

As far as replacing a 3-piece, I’ve got nothing to help. As far as what fits.

 

[Josh B]

I thought there was a thread several years ago about one that fit
It don't bother me as it is really, I have no vibrations in mine.
Also when bolting it up pay attention to some form of alignment and it does well enough for me

 

[sgtsandman]

I thought there was a thread several years ago about one that fit
It don't bother me as it is really, I have no vibrations in mine.
Also when bolting it up pay attention to some form of alignment and it does well enough for me

I only remember seeing information on 2-piece, not 3. But I could be remembering incorrectly as well.

 

[Josh B]

I believe the "3 piece" he is referencing is 2 parts drive shaft and 1 part U-joint

 

[scotts90ranger]

The easy way to get the driveline to fit with a standard U joint is to pull the pinion nut and pull off the flange on a newer axle that will slide on your axle and use the newer style larger joint...

 

[sgtsandman]

I believe the "3 piece" he is referencing is 2 parts drive shaft and 1 part U-joint

There could be a miscommunication/mislabeling going on.

 

[Josh B]

on mine there's a forward yoke, U-joint, short shaft, U-joint, Center(Carrier)Bearing, longer drive shaft. and rear U-joint. IIRC I'll double check after the DW news
They must be removed going from the rear forward

 

[Josh B]

On mine there are 3 U-joints
This is the Rear Yoke and Drive shaft

This is the forward part of the rear drive shaft and whatever that Slide part is called

ThThisis And this is the forward part to the front yoke at the transfer case connection, The Center (Carrier) Bearing sits on top of the cross member, the bolt there holds one side of it

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So, they do make conversion joints. I’ve tried not to use them because it’s not usually something you can walk into a parts store and grab.

My understanding is that there’s no need to match U-joints and yokes at least on the 4x4 trucks. You just swap the entire shaft. My 92 started picking up some driveline vibration. I pulled the two piece shaft and (being an extended cab auto 4x4, that’s what the one piece rear shaft came out of, just a 2000 instead of a 92). I pulled the entire shaft, yokes and all, just left the output flanges on the transfer case and rear axle. Pulled the center/carrier bearing and the bracket it’s mounted to on the crossmember and bolted the newly used one in.

 

[Josh B]

No body has asked about his engine and transmission that I have seen, nor have I seen it mentioned.
Doesn't that have some bearing as to what drive shafts should be used there.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

No body has asked about his engine and transmission that I have seen, nor have I seen it mentioned.
Doesn't that have some bearing as to what drive shafts should be used there.

If I had to guess based on the scattered information in his first post, he has an 85 4x4 with an FM-145. Likely a 2.9, possibly a 4-popper. He doesn’t specify short bed, long bed or extended cab though which plays a part. Engine matters less than any of that, mostly the concern is what the output is (it gets confusing because he mentions 4x4, then says about the slip joint on the FM-145 which would indicate a 2wd). Transmission type, drivetrain type, and cab/bed configuration matter the most for this. Rear axle is going to be a flanged 7.5” unless someone swapped it.

 

[1990RangerinSK]

If I had to guess based on the scattered information in his first post, he has an 85 4x4 with an FM-145. Likely a 2.9, possibly a 4-popper. He doesn’t specify short bed, long bed or extended cab though which plays a part. Engine matters less than any of that, mostly the concern is what the output is (it gets confusing because he mentions 4x4, then says about the slip joint on the FM-145 which would indicate a 2wd). Transmission type, drivetrain type, and cab/bed configuration matter the most for this. Rear axle is going to be a flanged 7.5” unless someone swapped it.

He's driving an '85, so if he has the V6 it's a 2.8. Cab/Bed, we can eliminate Supercab because they wasn't available until '86.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

He's driving an '85, so if he has the V6 it's a 2.8. Cab/Bed, we can eliminate Supercab because they wasn't available until '86.

My '85 std cab long bed (and '86 parts truck std cab long bed) had one piece driveshafts from the factory.