Drive shaft questions

[88rangerready]

I have a 88 ford ranger extended cab does anyone know if the stock 2 price drive shaft will work or hold up to the 302 swap. Or will I after to order or build a custom single drive shaft. Keep in mind I'm building for drag racing and gonna be producing close to 500hspr

 

[Mac]

Well, with that use in mind and power level you're looking at, cheap insurance to go to an aftermarket shaft. Make sure to use some good u-joints while you are at it. What are you doing to the motor to get that power? Inquiring minds always want to know! I'd be happy with 380 HP at the crank but that's as a DD
Dave of the Nord

 

[Snoranger]

At that power level, this would be my 1st concern:

 

[JuJu1289]

1: Guessing that you're using a 8.8 or 9" and im pretty sure the yokes are different.

2: With a 1 piece shaft there is just less to go wrong with the torque of a 302. Just gotta cut out the old x-member.

I used a ZF and np208 in my extended cab swap and was lucky cuz the driveshaft i grabbed from the junk yard was the right length. No shortening required. Just replaced the u-joint, threw so rustoleum on it and bolted it up.

 

[baddad457]

One other concern in his case is the diameter of a one piece shaft, go to big and it tends to contact the bottomside of the cab (on a super cab) on hard bumps. I used a slightly shortened 93 Econoline shaft to replace my old 2 piece shaft on my 89 and had to endure the rubbing when I had a passenger or anything too heavy in the bed. With that powerlevel, the 2 piece shaft won't cut it. The cast middle yoke is the weak point.

 

[88rangerready]

Straight engine I'm getting around 350 hspr in my single cab ranger but I also have a 150 shot of NOS. The block has held up so far it's been 5 years it been in truck with no problems but I want a extended cab so I bought one lol just swapping over and forgot about drive shaft concerns. I have a 8.8 in single cab but 7.5 in extended cab gonna run 7.5 until I blow it up. Cause I also heard through mustang guys that tha 7.5 "should" hold up because they did come in some mustang gts but I will surely put it to the test. My first run will NOT be with the bottle open just to be safe lol

 

[88rangerready]

And if the motor does go up in smoke I have plans to buy a 331 stroker short block

 

[Teddyzee]

Just for the sake of fitment, I used the stock two piece shaft in my '97 Supercab.
The later rearends have a different flange bolt pattern, starting in '89, or whatever year the 8.8 appeared.

I later swapped to a one piece aluminum shaft from a 2008 ranger Supercab, swapped right in.







...After I made a driveshaft tunnel through the cab, my truck is lowered a little.

 

[88rangerready]

Thanks I plan on putting a 2/3lowering kit on it

 

[baddad457]

Thanks I plan on putting a 2/3lowering kit on it

If you're lowering it, a 1 piece ain't gonna cut it with a super cab