Driveshaft installation help please

[eaglesguy1981j]

Ok long story short a while back I paid a "friend" to swap out transmissions. Well here I am a few months later and its not done. The new transmission is back in but the driveshafts arnt. I need tips on how they go back together. Im going to load it up on the trailer and bring it home and finish it myself. Im pretty sure I can do the rear driveshaft. But the front one ive never done or seen a 4wd one. Could someone give me the steps to put this back together please. Im tired of waiting on him to finish and its time to do for myself. Any input would be great. Thanks Josh. Truck is 1997 explorer 4x4 trans is 5R55E.

 

[BrooklynBay]

It's not difficult to do. Everything is made to bolt on, and could be done in a short amount of time. Do you already have new U joints on it?

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

Well got the drive shafts in it wasnt that bad. After sorting though the bag of bolts he had i found out where most go. I have 2 long shoulder bolts left I was assuming they were for the starter but they dont fit thought the opening on the starter. The threads start but once you get to the shoulder on the bolt it dosent work. So now im thinking these bolts are bellhousing bolts and the starter bolts are in the bell housing. Are the starter bolts and bell housing the same? I know there the same tread

 

[BrooklynBay]

The starter is bolted to the bell housing.

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

Yep it is. But the only bolts I have left over dont go in the starter side. They tread in untill the shoulder gets to the hole on the starter then wont go any further. Just curious if the shoulder bolts to the starter are smaller then the ones in the bellhousing. In diameter that is.

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

If you have read this you know Ive been cleaning up someone elses mess. Ive got both driveshafts back in. Had to do some work on the steering colunm now thats done. The starter is bolted up. Im down to the transmission shifter linkage. The shifter lever says Park. How to I align the linkage that connects to the tranny. So I can connect it. Im not sure what Im doing here. Hope I explained it good. Thanks!

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check the links in # 19 in my list of useful threads.

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

I found the thread. I hope I did it right. Ill find out soon when I get the battery charged. Im down to 2 mystery bolts but found a home for everything else. I swear there is nothing worse then trying to put something back together that someone tore apart. The shifter lever seems to hit all the right places but its stiff. Could that be cuse the tranny was rebuilt not too long ago and not used?

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

Well at the end of day 2. I found out I have to pull the transfer case. Seems theres no park and something about a park paw(paul). I I have to undo all the work i did to the drive shafts and start over. Ive tried searching but does anyone know of any good threads on how to remove Transfer case. Im new at this and im flying by the seat of my pants here.

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

Well what do you know. Transfer case was easy. I found the parking paw in the tail it was attached. But it looks to me like it was installed backwards. Like if fell out and he didnt get it back in the right way. It sort of looks like a boot with the tip of the boot to slide inbetween a sprocket looking thing. Is this correct?