Twisted rear driveshaft
 

I have a 77 ford 1/2 ton ranger with 400 under the hood. Just the other day i went to pull a trailer with a bobcat on it. (done it before with no problem) and it twisted the rear driveshaft. 2 piece section where it connects to the transfer case. Problem is i cant find anywhere a replacement part. I had to put it in 4x4 and limp it home lucky i was within a mile from my house. Does anyone know where i can find one? I have included a picture of what it looks like now along with tape measurement. Thanks.

A good machine shop that does auto and truck work will be able to take your flanges from your old shaft and make a new one for you. You will just need to give them the dimensions from end to end measured at the truck.

You can have them made at Tom Wood's, Denny's Driveshafts, etc. Just do a Google search for "custom drive shafts" and let the fun begin.

Cool thanks alot. You guys are a big help!!

Just so you know, a lot of the custom places make the drive shafts a great deal stronger than the OEM ones, so you shouldn'e be twisting them off like that so easily next time.

Hey Guys,
Something to keep in mind,
They make the driveshaft so it is the weakest link because if it didn't wring out, picture the trans split or the differential stripped and so on.
Just a reminder, since I've replaced many driveshafts destroyed by zealous drivers , its the cheapest part to replace instead of the trans or rear. What are your thoughts on this?

Agreed, but he is talking in another thread about beefing up the 400 he has under the hood. If you plan to put some abuse to it, it doesn't hurt for it to be a bit stronger. In that case you would most likely break the yoke or the u-joint. Like you said though, you would rather a drive shaft or u-joint go than a tranny.

I guess you can try to get all you can from a 1/2 ton , but after all it is only a 1/2 ton.

Yeah i would rather bust a driveline or u-joint then blow up my tranny or transfer case or even bust up an axel. I do plan on getting more HP and Torque from her. I was kinda shocked that the driveline went and not the U-joint. I have located a place near buy to make me a custom one. Since its 2 piece i will save up to get the rear and the front drivelines done. I do alot of off-roading. Thanks guys much appreciated

True its a 1/2 ton. but i have seen 1/2 tons do things that even a 3/4 or 1 ton cant do. Its not what you buy its what you can build is my motto :)

Go for it!

I like where your head is at. :)

I hope you're talking about going through mud and stuff and not pulling bobcats and bulldozers.

Both both going thru mud and rocks and hill climbing and stuff. And i have seen built 1/2 tons pull some heavy weight at tractor pulls. Dropped in a built to the nut* engine and drivetrain Chromoly axels etc and fully boxed frames. Talking alot of money put into it. But it started off as a 1/2 ton and is still classified as a 1/2 ton per D.O.T oddly as it sounds thats why my motto is what it is. Not what you can buy its what you can build. Just cause a 1 ton looks and sounds beefy a 1/2 can out perform it with the right equipment. I have a buddy that i go wheeling with and he has a toyota with a 4.3 chevy V6 with full roll cage and about 6 air shocks on it with solid axel conversion up front.Lockers front and rear with about 12" of lift. And this thing i kid you not can go anywhere and has out wheeled me and has pulled me out of tough spots where i was stuck. Now who would think that a Toyota with all of that can out do a 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton (but with that im talking about mud and rocks and hill climbs) Its all in how deep your pockets are lol

Oh, it's fun alright, but it can be an expensive hobby.

Yes it is lol. I know first hand!! But you gotta pay to play.

If you had front and rear locker he might be sucking hind tit for a while. Lockers make a HUGE difference when wheeling.

I was "crawling" up a rocky ravine at an off road park with my Bronco one day, and I had to absolutely rail on it to get it up over these rocks and up the hill using all of my 302. My Bronco also sits on 35's. Right after me comes two 4-banger Jeeps with front and rear lockers. They had 31's I think. They crawled right up with little effort.

Embarassing. I am now in the process of putting front and rear lockers in...

Yeah i know what you mean about embarrasing!! Having a big engine under the hood and having those pipes just a singing away...... and then comes something with about 1/2 the horsepower and about 1/2 of the torque that you have come up and around you just like it was nothing. And you just sit there and watch and cuss a lil bit.Yeah that has happend to me about 3 or 4 times. And i kinda laugh sometimes because my truck is loud with the exhaust i have on there and it just echos thru out. And its always some one with some stock exhaust that passes me and its quiet lol. And my friend with the toyota has done that to me several times :-)Along with his brother in a 4 banger toyota...... Yeah i need to get lockers front and rear. Just at the moment my cash flow isnt all that great. Being that lockers front and rear will be expensive. I would want a selectabe one like the ARB air locker that way i can set the front one on and make front digs and when needed select the rear and vice versa. And can turn them off when driving on the pavement to go back home. I want more HP and torque for now for pulling and hauling stuff then i will get the lockers for it.