good ole 1 piece shaft swap

[Destroyer000]

so i read in the tech library about the 1 piece drive shaft swap.. i finally picked up a steel on out of a 98 4x4 5spd for 70 bucks to swap into my 95 ranger ex cab. i no longer have a skid plate due to rust so it should be a matter of unbolting the old one an bolting in this one. now my question is ive already had the carrier bearing cross member off due to rust yet again an replaced it with another one.. with the one piece shaft is it necessary to have the cross member in? ive heard it adds no structural support for the frame but the tech article says it adds support.. so iam not sure what do you guys thinK?

 

[mjonesjr]

Remove it, it isn't needed.

 

[Destroyer000]

thats what i thought.. thanks maurice!

 

[LearjetMinako]

I'm probably the only one to perfer the two-piece drive shaft. I know the disadvangtes and all, but if its not broke, why modify.

 

[wahlstrom1]

Once you lift more then a few inches you need to either modify the 2 piece or replace it with a one piece....I left the crossmember out and haven't had an issue in the last 2 years.

-andrew

 

[crawlin91]

just cut mine out this weekend!

 

[metalmacguyver]

Dont forget, that crossmember holds the front part of the gas tank skid plate. It might not be a major consideration for you Cody but given how I wheel my truck, going with out the the front part of the skid plate would guarantee a busted gas tank. As it is, that crossmember is severely deformed but the skid plate is doing its job.

 

[Destroyer000]

it all started with this.. i lifted my truck 5inches.. 4inch sus inch body.. went to albany a few weeks back an lost my skid plate going down the hwy.. it was rotty an i hit a good bump an it came off.. not a big deal i have the skills an material to fab up a new one.. then a few weeks after that the originial cross member broke again cuz of rust.. so i had one out of my parts truck an threw that in their for the time being... ive wanted to do the 1 piece for a LONG time but havent been able to find a shaft. i just picked up some new u joints for it tonight iam gonna go an get it all cleaned up an get it all painted an put in for tomorrow.. once its all in ill make a new skid plate

 

[AllanD]

I'm probably the only one to perfer the two-piece drive shaft. I know the disadvangtes and all, but if its not broke, why modify.

Stupid design in the first place.

If you had the chance to drive your truck with a one piece swapped in
you'd never go back.

AD

 

[metalmacguyver]

it all started with this.. i lifted my truck 5inches.. 4inch sus inch body.. went to albany a few weeks back an lost my skid plate going down the hwy.. it was rotty an i hit a good bump an it came off.. not a big deal i have the skills an material to fab up a new one.. then a few weeks after that the originial cross member broke again cuz of rust.. so i had one out of my parts truck an threw that in their for the time being... ive wanted to do the 1 piece for a LONG time but havent been able to find a shaft. i just picked up some new u joints for it tonight iam gonna go an get it all cleaned up an get it all painted an put in for tomorrow.. once its all in ill make a new skid plate

Hey man, did you drop your tank when you redid your gas tank straps? If your rust is that bad, you should probably check out the part of the frame rail that the gas tank makes crap collect in. Just a thought so the next time your frame doesnt break in two now that your loosing skidplates and crossmembers on the highway!

 

[Destroyer000]

Hey man, did you drop your tank when you redid your gas tank straps? If your rust is that bad, you should probably check out the part of the frame rail that the gas tank makes crap collect in. Just a thought so the next time your frame doesnt break in two now that your loosing skidplates and crossmembers on the highway!

tim man your are GOOD... haha cuz when i replaced my tank straps i made some new ones outta 1/8 flat bar for 8 bucks in stead of chincy factory replacements for 30 an droped the tank an had a look at the frame an well it wasnt good... it was pretty thin in that one spot so i cut it all out an some new plate in.. i must have gotten a crappy year cuz all my crossmembers have rotted, carrier bearing skidplate, front fenders, bumpers, bed, cab corners, an back part of the frame by the shackles was rotted.. my dads 93 is great an so is my buddies 96 no rust problems what so ever. eveything has since been fixed with in the 3 years that i have own'd the vehicle an boy it looks NOTHING like it did when i got it..