3'' lift and drive shafts

[Foul Al]

hey folks, i have a 3'' rancho suspension lift that i'm putting under my bronco and was wondering if a set of drive shafts( both front and back) that have been lengthened for a 4'' lift will be o.k. to use or will they be too long? i forget the exact length of the shafts but i see the rear one is atleast 2 inches longer than the stock shaft. i will get the measurements today and post tonight. if they are too long then they are available...lol.. also i wanted to know if anyone could tell me if i need to scavenge the power steering pump that came with the donor rig or can i use the one with the 351-m i already have. Also i found that i need to do something to the transmission center shaft. the one from the 2wd tranny is a few inches longer than the 4x4 tranny and wanted to know what anyone else did that ran into this issue. thanks in advance for any relief in this matter.

 

[90windsor]

hey folks, i have a 3'' rancho suspension lift that i'm putting under my bronco and was wondering if a set of drive shafts( both front and back) that have been lengthened for a 4'' lift will be o.k. to use or will they be too long? i forget the exact length of the shafts but i see the rear one is atleast 2 inches longer than the stock shaft. i will get the measurements today and post tonight. if they are too long then they are available...lol.. also i wanted to know if anyone could tell me if i need to scavenge the power steering pump that came with the donor rig or can i use the one with the 351-m i already have. Also i found that i need to do something to the transmission center shaft. the one from the 2wd tranny is a few inches longer than the 4x4 tranny and wanted to know what anyone else did that ran into this issue. thanks in advance for any relief in this matter.

id say try it, and if its too long they can be shortened. just get them cut on a lathe so theyre nice and straight /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Justshootme84]

Al. I've found that a particular lift kit will vary in the actual amount of lift you end up with on your Bronco/ truck after it's installed. With the 3" kit, you might get 2.5" or even 4", depending on the condition of the old parts that you re-use. The best advice I can give for the extended driveshaft is to install the kit and the shafts, then fully cylce the suspension while checking for any problems. IF there is a problem, it will most likely be that one is too long, and will bottom out before the suspension does. This will cause the driveshaft to damage the t-case in some instances. AS a reference, measure the distance from yoke to yoke for each shaft (front and rear) before installing the lift, then do it again afterwards. Compare that to the new shafts vs the old ones. I had the front one rebuilt for my 84 Bronco, but it ended up being too short due to not having enough range i nthe slip joint. IF your extended shafts have the same range as stock in the slip joint, you may run into a problem. IF they were extended by lengthening the slip jonit area, you should be good.

PS pump? Need more info on that, like what engines you're swapping from and to. Most of the pumps are the same, even though the mounting bracketry may be different.

Trans output shaft - the C6 2WD auto is not the same length as the C6 4WD auto, and you will need to change that out to the 4WD one if bolting up a married t-case, liek the NP205. JSM84

 

[Foul Al]

Al. I've found that a particular lift kit will vary in the actual amount of lift you end up with on your Bronco/ truck after it's installed. With the 3" kit, you might get 2.5" or even 4", depending on the condition of the old parts that you re-use. The best advice I can give for the extended driveshaft is to install the kit and the shafts, then fully cylce the suspension while checking for any problems. IF there is a problem, it will most likely be that one is too long, and will bottom out before the suspension does. This will cause the driveshaft to damage the t-case in some instances. AS a reference, measure the distance from yoke to yoke for each shaft (front and rear) before installing the lift, then do it again afterwards. Compare that to the new shafts vs the old ones. I had the front one rebuilt for my 84 Bronco, but it ended up being too short due to not having enough range i nthe slip joint. IF your extended shafts have the same range as stock in the slip joint, you may run into a problem. IF they were extended by lengthening the slip jonit area, you should be good.
PS pump? Need more info on that, like what engines you're swapping from and to. Most of the pumps are the same, even though the mounting bracketry may be different.

Trans output shaft - the C6 2WD auto is not the same length as the C6 4WD auto, and you will need to change that out to the 4WD one if bolting up a married t-case, liek the NP205. JSM84

hello again my old friend... I am swaping in a 460 from a 76' f-350. its a fresh rebuild on both the motor and tranny. The trans. is already in the shop getting the center shaft swapped to fit the 4wd.( $100.00 to have the shaft swapped!!) As for the p.s. pump i took the one from the 76' just in case i ran into this problem. I have since learned that i did the right thing by taking that one because i will need to use that one for the swap to work properly.

You say to fully cycle the suspension, how do you do that? do you use ratchet straps from the frame to the axles?

The next thing I am looking to do is put some headers and the l&l motor mounts. As for the headers which ones will stay inside the frame rails? do you know who makes these? I have a set of duals from a 351-m that had headers on them and i am going to use that exhaust system with the swap. I think they are 2 1/4 each.

Thanks again for any and all help!!! It is greatly appreciated.

 

[Justshootme84]

I think the 2-1/4" exhaust will be too small for the 460, and would use 3" all the way. About the only brand of chassis headers (inside the frame) I've found that will work are those from L&L.

As for the PS pump, you might also think about the A1-Cardone version of the Saginaw pump. I run those on both the 78 and 84, and they're way mo better than the Ford ones.

Use a forklift or a couple jacks and sturdy jack stands to "cycle" the suspension. You want the axles to drop down as far as they will go, either to the limit of the shocks or the springs. Then do the opposite, and push the axles as far up into the frame as they will go. Then do one side dropped and one pushed up, then switch sides. You're looking for any binding or restriction in the driveshaft and u-joints while doing this, so you'll need to be able to turn them by hand. I put the t-case and tranny in neutral. JSM84

 

[wayprow09]

I had ranger leaves, 2" body lift, and 1" blocks in the rear and still rubbed under full compression with 31's. I could drive down the highway fine but when I flexed it out, it rubbed. The Explorer stuff might do it for you and if not, throw the body lift on... or trim the sheetmetal.

 

[Broncoholic]

I had ranger leaves, 2" body lift, and 1" blocks in the rear and still rubbed under full compression with 31's. I could drive down the highway fine but when I flexed it out, it rubbed. The Explorer stuff might do it for you and if not, throw the body lift on... or trim the sheetmetal.

What?

This is a fullsize Bronco. Not A bII.