change transfercase flange to 4 bolt?

[patrick112390]

i put a 4'' superlift on the awd mounty and now its driveshaft time!

is there a 4 bolt flange i can get from the junkyard from a ranger or something, and front cardan driveshaft to match and put it on my 4404?

 

[gavin]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1910232&postcount=11

some info here too
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222959

although... you may end up with vibrations over ~45mph, if using a double-cardan vs. the gkn cv-joint shaft.


to answer your main question: you have a late model 97 with the 6-bolt "cup" at the front output on the t-case, correct?

I do not know of any front output's that would fit in the 4404, except the one that's in there. You would need to esentially get a new shaft made, or use some parts I have listed in threads I posted.

 

[patrick112390]

yes i have the 4404. i think i am going with the neapco thing and finding a front OEM double cardan V8 shaft so thats all i would need to convert?

 

[CDW6212R]

Post up any results of the right application if you find one that is the right length. Evan I believe made one from used parts, salvage yard, unknown applications.

The six bolt flange is the place to start, that's the key part. Then see about discovering an OEM DC shaft that is the correct needed length. I had one made for my BW4406 needs, just as Evan did for his 4406 TC.

 

[patrick112390]

well i need to be awd asap before friday-
i have the """shorter"" gkn cv shaft and i think if i get a $50 "longer" cv shaft from the junkyard, it will get me by for a few days, our yard has a 30 day money back gaurentee, so i will return the shaft, get neapco number N2-83-287X and go driveshaft hunting again! lool

 

[gavin]

do NOT use an early model 2nd gen front double-cardan shaft! It will be (most likely) too long!

it's a good 3" longer (or so) compared to my custom-made shaft with a double-cardan flange.

I don't think the lift makes a 3" dif. in necessary length. The "spacer" that RDC (I think?) sold with the lift (iirc, or it was an option, something like that) only spaced the shaft out an inch.

length isn't the issue... it's the angle.

a double-cardan shaft causes vibes above 45 in the AWD's. Even stock. I don't think it will help much, possibly still get vibes above 45.

The reason the double-cardan shaft worked in the 96-97.5 model years, is because of the pinion angle. Apparently, supposedly, according to Rockford Driveline, the pinion angle changed when Ford switched to the GKN-style cv-joint'ed shaft.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's interesting Gavin, the DC joint is supposed to help. The issue must be in the pinion angle(as you said) for the front u-joint.

 

[gavin]

the double-cardan is supposed to help with angles at the t-case. But the pinion and d-shaft need to be at 0* (relative to each other).

with a single cardan, the need pinion and t-case angle need to match (ie, pinion points 2* up, t-case needs to point 2* down)

unless you can clock the t-case, a double-cardan won't help much (I don't think).

Here are the angles I measured on my truck:

if you notice, the pinion is pointed ~2* up, shaft is at ~2* down, but the t-case output is also angled ~5* upward. I believe the t-case output angled up, is what caused my vibes.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes if they can be parallel then there is usually no trouble. Having them cross each other is the hardest way to run a driveshaft. Jon, have you noticed any way to alter yours? They aren't made to move really.

 

[patrick112390]

well i ran it friday and didnt over-do it since i was 2- wheel. but everyone was lookin at me like- : a lifted soccar mom mobile?!? anyway

can someone give me a website to that cv-ujoint part, i need to get movin on this!lol

 

[John_Rock]

How much longer do you think the drive shaft needs to be??

 

[patrick112390]

How much longer do you think the drive shaft needs to be??

not much, it looks like at least an inch maybe up to 3- but if someone has a link to the site for the 4 bolt flange conversion, i can get an oem double cardan from my local junk yard

 

[John_Rock]

Well, I know for sure that my 2001 Sport Trac's drive shaft is a little bit longer than my 2000 AWD Explorer's drive shaft. They are current both out of the trucks and sitting on the floor of the garage. I could measure the difference and let you know.

I recently put a Superlift on my Sport Trac and I am still weighing my options for the front drive shaft also.

 

[CDW6212R]

The Sprt Trac will not have as many front DS vibration issues, if the shaft is longer. With the longer wheel base, they had more room to work with.

FYI if you are planning the DC joint, find that before the rest of the shaft. The DC joint adds a lot of length to it, I got mine from an old rear shaft that I had lying around. It could have been an Explorer or Jeep most likely. Look carefully at the ends of the DC shaft components, there are some fragile parts there.

 

[John_Rock]

I don't think the longer wheelbase is the factor. That would only affect the rear drive shaft length. I think the difference is just in v8/AWD vs v6/4wd.

Well, like patrick112390 asked before, where can you get the Neapco conversion part?

 

[Turdle]

I have an aluminum adapter--conversion flange. I had a guy all set up to machine them from steel, using this aluminum part as a pattern.

Unfortunately he was killed in a car accident right before Christmas.
I was told the machining should be relatively inexpensive-he mumbled about 6 steps, and less than 25 bux cost each.

 

[John_Rock]

I have an aluminum adapter--conversion flange. I had a guy all set up to machine them from steel, using this aluminum part as a pattern.

Unfortunately he was killed in a car accident right before Christmas.
I was told the machining should be relatively inexpensive-he mumbled about 6 steps, and less than 25 bux cost each.

So you are working on finding another machinist??

 

[John_Rock]

And with this adapter, then we just need to find a 96 v6 front drive shaft with the double cardon?

 

[Turdle]

This adapter uses a toyota drive shaft flange, from what I understand. However, I think the hole pattern might be altered.
Yes, I would like to find another machinist, however, this is the only one I knew. All others want to charge full price for machining. I was kind of looking for someone who was willing to make a few as a feeler batch, then see where it went from there. Mike was a friend who actually witnessed the problem and had a vision.

 

[gavin]

the upper shaft is an OEM double-cardan from a 96 Sploder with the NeapCo part to mount to the circular flange.
The lower is my custom-made double-cardan that fits my 97 with the circular flange on the t-case.

notice the difference in length.

the 96 may fit, but it may need shortened.

Notice the difference in the main shaft. The slip-shafts are the same length.
But the main shaft on the OEM unit is about 3-4" longer.
Now... how can this be?! The lower shaft, I had have to slip it out about ~1" to fit it onto the t-case.
The upper shaft, is about 3-4" too long to even fit.