Strange problem.

[Scamp73]

Truck is a 1998 Ford Ranger XLT. 4x4 manual transmission. Slave cylinder was going bad. Was not the master cylinder but ended up replacing the master a few weeks ago. Pulled everything off got the new slave cylinder in the transmission and got the transmission back on the engine. Went to put the front axle back (I think it's the Dana 35) and for some strange reason it's no longer long enough meaning I can attach it to the transfercase but it won't touch the differential (and vice versa.) It appears to be around 2" to short now. Transmission right where it needs to be sitting on the crossmember everything all bolted exactly how it was. Has anyone ever seen this problem before? Might I add that I have not put oil in the transfercase or transmission...could this do that? I wouldn't think so. Would it be fine to drive it without the front axle? Also the axle was removed while on jack stands and is still sitting on the stands. Could this some how position the suspension with differential in a different location?

 

[adsm08]

By "axle" do you mean drive shaft?

Also, did you pull it out to full length after it collapsed?

 

[Scamp73]

Driveshaft has compression it can expand. Opps. Anyone with the power to do so delete this thread. Sorry for wasting your time.