which drive shafts will work?

[kenwheeler]

The FM145 tranny out of my 87 4x4 ext cab makes a horrible noise, sounds like lugnuts in a washing machine, when its in gear. The replacement I found is an FM146 out of an unknown year, 4x4 2.9. I'm going to have to do something with the transfer case linkage, donor transfer case is electric and mine is manual. I was reading that the donor FM146 is 2" longer so I'll also have to replace the driveshafts. I'm trying to make this an easy swap, bad tranny out good tranny in. Having my current shafts shortened and lengthed sounds expensive and I'm not real good with a ruler so I'd probably get the measurements wrong. Is there a specific year or years of ext cabs that I can use to replace the driveshafts?

 

[piotrsko]

had mine cut and reassembled for $100 and 1/4 off either way won't matter. make a stick the length between the two mounting units and tell the driveshaft rebuilder what you measured where and how.

just swap T-cases also unless they look hugely different. realize I am only good to 91, 88 and down I'm OK on.

 

[AllanD]

Having an exsisting driveshaft modified is generally more expensive than swapping in a pair of shafts from the local U-pull-it junkyard where they are typically $25 each.



the shafts you need? from any '86-92 Auto trans ranger with the same cab/bed configuiration OR '88-89 manual trans.

one part of the redesign from the FM145 ot the FM146 was to make the trans the same length as the A4LD automatic.

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