Short bed 4x4 owners- driveline question?

[Ford F834]

I have some questions for owners of 4x4 single cab short bed trucks:

1) what transfer case does it have?

2) is the rear drive slip-yoke or slip shaft design?

3) approximate length of rear shaft?

Thank you!

[essmaker]

This might answer your tcase question
https://www.garysgaragemahal.com/transfer-cases.html

[Ford F834]

Thank you! Unfortunately the MPC isn’t super helpful this time. There are 3 transfer cases listed, and all 3 are shown to have been used in Bronco through F350.

The BW1345 I believe is always fixed yoke, but NP208 and BW1345 come in both fixed and slip yoke versions, with different overall length.

I am hoping to find out what Ford engineers put in the 117” wheelbase trucks, as far as case type and driveline length. The MPC does not distinguish between short and long bed half tons.

I am also under the impression that broncos were so short that a double cardan was used on the rear shaft, but I don’t think the short box pickups ever got that from factory.

[ArdWrknTrk]

The Bronco's had a weird fixed yoke with a kind of spherical joint.

I haven't seen enough shortbed 4x4's to offer much help, unfortunately, Jonathan.

[Nothing Special]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

The Bronco's had a weird fixed yoke with a kind of spherical joint....

I'm not saying you're wrong, but it would really surprise me if Ford used anything other that a Cardan or double Cardan joint on a driveshaft.  I always thought the newer Broncos (and no, I'm not talking about the NEW Broncos) used a fixed yoke with a double Cardan on the transfer case end of the rear 'shaft.

[mat in tn]

the bronco that I used parts from on one of my builds had the 1356 with a fixed yoke and a double cardan shaft.  

[ArdWrknTrk]

But this isn't about Bronco's

What have you found under 4x4 Styleside short beds?
Is it any different than a Flareside?

[Ford F834]

Thanks Jim, that’s right… I want to know what came in short bed 4x4 pick-ups. Styleside or flareside should not matter, just what did Ford engineers deem appropriate for 117” wheelbase. There might be a slight difference in the nose length of 9” vs 8 inch rear axles but should be close enough…

To give a bit of background, I recently purchase a short-bed 4x4 frame for my 1981 F150. That transition will not happen soon, but I am in the process of figuring out what trucks will get what parts and what I still need to look for to make this work.

[ArdWrknTrk]

This is for the Burro?

[Ford F834]

Yes, the burro ruined the body, and I have some binding and popping at full steer that makes me suspect frame cracks around the gear box. I always wanted a short wheelbase 4x4 and this frame with a good bed presented itself….

I was hoping to hold the 1345 that is currently in the ‘81 as a critical spare for the crew cab, while making use of the 1356’s I have sitting around, but they are slip yoke version and about 9-10” longer than the 1345. If my math is correct that would result in ~23” long rear driveshaft 😳

[ArdWrknTrk]

I have a slip yoke 1356.
If it was 9-10" shorter, it would be a black hole.  🤯

Give me a few, and I'll get pic's

[Ford F834]

It’s hard to get an accurate measurement under a truck, but in rough numbers my BW1345 fixed yoke case is ~16” from the mounting face to the center of the U joint cap. My BW1356 measures ~26” from the mounting face to the center of the U joint cap on the slip yoke in its natural unloaded position (under the 89 F250 IDI donor truck). That’s where I came up with the ~10” difference.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Well I wouldn't have imagined it but you're correct
It's about 20" from the rear face of the transmission mount to the tailshaft seal.

I don't have a rear driveshaft installed, since I blew my differential up, so I can't really measure to the center of the yoke.

[mat in tn]

with a driveshaft that short it will not take much travel to overextend the universals or cause a lot of telescoping of the slip yoke. this is why the fixed yoke with double cardans were used in conjunction with a telescoping shaft. but the pinion angle is going to need to be linear with the shaft while the double cardan handles the sync.

[Pete Whitstone]

I have a 351w-based engine with an E4OD and a BW 1356 TC. Slip joint at the transmission, U joint at the 9 inch. Drive shaft is 33 3/8" center to center on the U joints.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thank you for sharing your experience, and set up!  

[Ford F834]

Pete Whitstone wrote

I have a 351w-based engine with an E4OD and a BW 1356 TC. Slip joint at the transmission, U joint at the 9 inch. Drive shaft is 33 3/8" center to center on the U joints.

Thank you very much, this is helpful!

I believe this is extremely similar to what I would have if I used the 1345 and shortened the existing shaft.

Many thanks for answering the question

[Ford F834]

Pete, I have another question for you… does your truck have as gas tank skid plate?

The frame I bought was from a 4x4 truck, and not likely a conversion. It has the wider rear springs and the hangers are on with the factory rivets. It has dual gas tanks, but both were mounted with straps, not skid plates. I’m wondering if the short box trucks didn’t get them? Thanks.

-Jonathan

[Nothing Special]

When I bought my '85 F-250HD new, skid plates were an option, even on a 4WD.  Probably just that whoever ordered that truck just didn't check that box.

[Ford F834]

Bob that’s interesting, thank you! I assumed they were standard equipment on all 4x4 but evidently not!