Was at the local junkyard this weekend and stumbled across a front driveshaft with the double cardan setup and slip yoke. It was laying on the ground beside an Explorer, though I have no proof or idea what it actually come out of. To me it looks like it could be used as a suitable and cheaper alternative to a Superlift shaft, though I'd like your guys opinions first. And if someone could look up the part number on the shaft itself.

From what I can tell, with the slip yoke compressed, this shaft is actually longer than the SL's, but from pics posted on here the SL's shaft is extended out a couple inches when installed on the rangers. So the difference in lengths may be a moot point when looking at the overall length installed.

The only down fall to the shaft I found is that it doesn't have the flange to the transfer case, and since I couldn't find the vehicle it came from, I couldn't check to see if the stock flange was still somewhere around.

Here's the pics.



Can someone please confirm the part number for the vehicle it came from?

And, does anyone know if just the transfer case flange can be bought from Superlift?

Thanks.

 

Looks like an old full size bronco shaft. I have no way of checking that, but from experience, thats what it looks like to me.

 

Gumby said something along those lines too.

 

I never needed the SL driveshaft... I just kept the driveshaft connected when I dropped the front axle down and never had a problem with the shaft in the few thousand miles I had on the truck.

 

looks like also one from an Explorer.....my mom's '97 Explorer has a double cardon in its front drive shaft........it doesn't have the same driveshaft as the Ranger in the front...

 

how does your moms explorer DS connect to the transfer case maurice?

 

i'll go look.....could have swore when i was under there a couple weeks ago it had a double cardon joint......brb..

 

my bad....it does have one like a Ranger........ oops...

 

ive seen some explorers like that.

that is how some of the older BW1350 transfercases hook up as well.

jeep has a similar design as well

 

maybe some of the older Explorers have the double cardian since they have the BW1350 transfer case.....

 

So the big question is

Anyone know if SL will sell just the flange for our Tcase? Or anyone know where I can get the proper flange?

 

the flange wont work. tried that. ive got both the superlift shaft and the jeep shaft which is like the explorer one you have pictured. well looks that way.


im going to a custom driveshaft shop, like the one that made my rear driveshaft to see if they can make me something

 

Im confused by what you mean. The flange I'm talking about wanting to get from SL is the actual SL flange they use on the end of their shaft that bolts to our Tcase. I was wondering if just their flange can be bought with out the rest of the shaft.

 

oh i know what you mean but the Ujoint is different there compared to the superlift shaft.

the superlift shaft bolts to the flange from the diff side, where as the driveshaft you show bolts from the Tcase.

its hard to explain but you cant just buy the plate and think it will work.

you would need the whole double cardan thing as well

 

Zach, if you could explain that better that would be great. Because to me, the shafts look the same, just without the big flange on the end of the double cardan side.

Looking at these two pics I don't see where there would be any difference. They both would hook up to the Rangers front differential the same. And then all I would need is the end flange setup on the SL shaft to work... or so it seems.



I would guess, if the way the bolts go into the flange to hold it to the double cardan are backwards on the shaft I have (is that what you mean), I'd think that a drill bit to drill out the threads in the SL shaft, and then bolting it the other way would work fine.

 

Anyone with any more thought about this?

 

if you wanted to do it it will require a new double cardan joint. atleast that is the way i see it.

i will be figuring something out within the next few weeks i will let you know then.

 

Very awesome, thanks Zach.

 

i dont even wanna think about what the fork im gonna do for a front shaft yet

 

good luck since you are going so high!!

 

I'm stopping at a offroad shop tomarrow, I'm gonna see if they can set me up with a custom flange or see if they can figure something out for me.