ford range drive shaft alternative.

[evan94ranger]

i have a 4.0 5 speed 1994 ford ranger.

it has a 8.8 out of an explorer

it is set up with three link and i have had some problems with my drive shafts being week. is there a stronger after market alternative i could do to make it stonger?

[DSRacing]

Your not giving anyone a whole lot of info,

What do you mean by the driveshaft being weak, what's breaking? Did the shafts fail under similar circumstances? Have you cycled the rear suspension to see if it's binding up anywhere throughout it's full range of travel.

[movindirt]

Sounds like it is binding to me. I agree with DSRacing that you need to cycle it and see what is going on. And yes more info as to how it is weak??? Where is the failure at on the D.L.?

[johnnyweb]

I would up size the u joints to 1330 and cycle it to make sure there is no bind in the joints.

[evan94ranger]

i have just been bending them at the splined extention point where the factory seals are. the pivot points dont seem to be binding at all on the hole cycle

[DSRacing]

i have just been bending them at the splined extention point where the factory seals are. the pivot points dont seem to be binding at all on the hole cycle

By saying factory seals, I'll assume your referring to where the driveshaft connects to the transmission. If that's the case it won't be long before you tear up the transmission too. It sounds like your problem isn't the driveshaft, more like your suspension geometery is all fouled up.

How much does the splined shaft move at the transmission when you cycle the suspension? How much travel are you getting with the three link?

If you have any pics of the damaged shafts, transmission or rear suspension, post them up so we can get a better idea of what your dealing with.

[dezertdude]

So its a one piece driveshaft? If its the stock aluminum one piece I would replace it with a custom 2 piece or a 2 piece out of an earlier ranger, or a custom one peice with a slip built into the ds. They are steel, half the diameter(more ground clearance) and eliminate slipping at the trans.

[evan94ranger]

It is a ranger 2 piece drive shaft, but when i say factory seals i mean the factory sealed boot, after the carrier bearing. the geometry is right with the rear suspention. i came to the conclusion with the problem. The drive shaft was never balanced properly so because of that it threw off the universal joints where they connect to the yoke, which cause it to warp the drive shaft after a while from the constiant abuse i was putting on it. i am having a stronger drive shaft made, and i am replacing all of the universal joints and yokes.

[DSRacing]

It is a ranger 2 piece drive shaft, but when i say factory seals i mean the factory sealed boot, after the carrier bearing. the geometry is right with the rear suspention. i came to the conclusion with the problem. The drive shaft was never balanced properly so because of that it threw off the universal joints where they connect to the yoke, which cause it to warp the drive shaft after a while from the constiant abuse i was putting on it. i am having a stronger drive shaft made, and i am replacing all of the universal joints and yokes.

That's what I get for assuming, I was thnking you had a one piece driveshaft. Sounds like you got it figured out.

[evan94ranger]

thank you for the input.