Axle Flip With 1-Piece Conversion issues

[k1ll.coyne]

Hello, I have a 1995 ford ranger with a 4.0L V6, 5 speed, 2wd, extended cab. I have an 3/5 lowering kit, lowering spring for the front and a flip kit for the rear. Lowering my truck has caused the geometry of the steering and the driveshaft to go out of alignment. I currently have a 2 piece driveshaft and I noticed crazy death wobble ~55 MPH+ when I got new wheels(235/45R17 for the front and 275/40r17 in the rear. before I had 225/75r14 on all 4), so I balanced them and the problem persists. I go underneath the truck and my carrier bearing is damn near gone. I knew ! could swap a 1 piece driveshaft to eliminate the carrier bearing. So I got the driveshaft off of an extended cab Mazda B2500 2wd, replaced the u-joints, and the yoke slides into the transmission no problem, but it wont go up to the pinion/pumpkin because it is hitting the cab around where the carrier bearing was. I looked at the angle of the pinion and its going uphill (ill try to get a picture). I bought 2.5 degree axle shims and it lowered the angle but not enough. I plan on purchasing 6 degree axle shims when I get paid, and hopes it brings it down, cause i spent $90 on the driveshaft, $40 for the u-bolts, and $25 for the axle shims. What are my options? I will have the 6 degree axle shim and if that doesn't fix it, do I go more? I don't necessarily want to tunnel my cab but 1 also want the 1 piece. If the 6 degree shim doesn't work, am I forced to either lower my transmission crossmember or where it mounts? Am I forced to have a 2 piece until I tunnel my truck? Would a carrier bearing shim keep the carrier bearing from failing again? Does the 98+ extended cab rangers have this same issue or did ford think about the issue I am running into, OR do the 98+ ranges have issues too?


Before 2.5 degree axle shim:

After 2.5 degree axle shim:

Thank you guys for your time, any help is greatly appreciated!
-James

 

[bobbywalter]

sometimes better off with a two piece in these situations depending on actual working angles


the shaft center hits the cab floor?


lets see your flip kit. is it a bracket style? looks like the saddle type that indexes off of the original perches... did you install it the right way? might need to spin them around and wont need the shims or the 2 deg will dial it.

 

[k1ll.coyne]

The axle flip uses the factory mounting location. I think I reassembled the leaf springs wrong and forgot to flip the factory shim as well. If that doesn't work them imma consider selling the 1 piece or making a tunnel. I don't mind having a tunnel because I hate having people in the back and I'm not sure how big the tunnel would even have to be. With all that considered I do plan on having a 3/4 link with coil overs down the line

Thanks, James!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

My green 2000 I used the Explorer 8.8 to go spring under on an extended cab 4x4 (well, AWD now). I had to shorten the driveshaft about an inch and a half and I ended up cutting the spring perches off to rotate the axle enough to fix the pinion angle. I welded them back on where they go. My problem was that I was too low in the back from the flip and would have to notch the frame for the axle tubes so I had to put a longer shackle on. I can’t really get the front down that far on a 4x4. But that’s still about 5” in the back for a 4x4 that I ended up dropping