Hi All
Well add another note-to-self when you pick a new drive shaft actually put them on the bench and measure them while still at the fabrication shop. I didn't do that step, which means two more trips to the fabrication shop. One to take it back and another to pick it up after they shorten it.
They simply got it wrong.
Went to put in all nicely painted, to match the truck, put the transfer shaft end up to the transfer case, had a strap in place to support it. But with the slip joint fully collapsed it just barely would fit up to the differential mounting flange.
To compare two drive shafts you have to really have to make sure that they are parallel and that the ends are square to each other. Eye balling it just won't work. So if you are trying to measure a driveshaft they go by the distance flange to flange, again the flanges need to be really perpendicular to the shaft. I would add that you want three measurements one with the slip joint all the extended and the another with it fully collapsed, then just for laughs measure center to center between the drive flanges on the transfer-case and the rear axle.
To be continued in the next episode.
Cheers Phil