Drive shaft

Ryans5.8ranger · Post by **Ryans5.8ranger** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:00 pm

...When goin to a 8.8 from a 7.5 will i only have to change the flange thing on the rear end u-joint? or do i got to cut the shaft again?...my shaft runs the large u-joins with a conversion joint to the 7.5 joint...im hopeing to only have to change the flange and u-joint and be off to the races.....Thanks

87ranger · Post by **87ranger** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 7:15 am

if you already have the larger u joint then just get the rear with the factory flange and your (1310????) series ujoint should just slide? right into that yoke, i had the larger shaft in my truck and im still runnin that, its only thing that was left over from the 4cyl

cgrey8 · Post by **cgrey8** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:05 am

Back when I looked at my 8.8 and 7.5 together, it seemed the location of the flange was in about the same place for both relative to the centerline of the rear axles. The 8.8 may have been a tad further from the centerline which would put it a tad closer to the tranny when installed, but if you sized the length of the shaft to put the slip yoke in the tranny about 1/2 way, it shouldn't make much difference. The slip yoke may go into the tranny another 1/8", if that, once installed. But I wouldn't expect the difference between the two rears to require you shorten it unless you were about to bottom it out with the 7.5.

jbaer619 · Post by **jbaer619** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:09 pm

well then it sounds like your shaft was made for the 8.8 rather than the 7.5 if you used the conversion u-joints. so all u should need to do is get the u-joint and flange for the 8.8 then for fitment just make sure the center of the yolk matches up with the end of the tranny and you should be good

Ryans5.8ranger · Post by **Ryans5.8ranger** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:27 pm

Well the main reason for me haveing the large joints already is because C6s use a very large slip in back of the tranny...then to get a shaft to cut down that was long enuff...i took the rear piece of a two peice shaft from a late 80s crew cab long box 4x4 ford truck. Then had a couple inches cut off that....so ya if i change out that cross over joint and flange it should work as a bolt in i hope...

jbaer619 · Post by **jbaer619** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:27 am

wow!! all I did was take a measurment down to the junkyard and I got one off a 99 ranger(i think) for almost free and it fit perfectly

Ryans5.8ranger · Post by **Ryans5.8ranger** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:34 pm

yup you lucked out...