I removed the front drive shaft on my 1996 Bronco (and skidplate to access the transfer case end ubolts) to do some other work...mainly because it was in my way.

Now that I'm finally done (weeks later) I don't recall which end was which. I know its a Bronco...but I figured I'd get more coverage here since its the same as the front end of an F150. And I've searched and searched here, there and everywhere for pics or an answer.

It will fit either way. Right now I have the boot (short) end toward the axle and the long (steel tube) at the transfer case. I did that because thats how the rear is. But I remember thinking the boot was up behind the transfer case skid plate. I'm just not sure.

Does it matter? I really can't see any issues except with the boot exposed its more susceptible to damage. But so is the rear too as it is.

I saw one photo of a lifted truck with the shaft as I have it. But others have said I'm wrong...with no reason why or concrete proof.

I don't wanna mess it up.

 

hello, i'm working on my 96 f150 today and on mine it's the other way around to what you have. the long shaft on the front and the short side on the transfer case side. i would say since it's a regular cv it wouldn't matter wich side you put it on. as long as you don't get any vivrations when you're driving.
It might have been balanced the other way from the factory, but usually it's only the driveshaft that gets balanced not the shaft and the TC yoke together. hopefully this doesn't make it more confusing :-)

 

The front driveshaft on my f150 has the boot closer to the t-case. I'm not sure why it can't be the other way, other than the transmission crossmember will protect the boot portion with the boot closer to the t-case. I made sure to note this as I was taking things apart to do my transmission

 

Right now both are on backwards. The "boot " end should be up near the transfer case. This way the splines, boots, and slip joints are up out of the way of rocks, trash, branches, what ever might strike the prop shaft. Also have less of a change of filling the boots up with mud. The slip joint will bend easier then the shaft it's self. So with the prop in backwards if it is struck by something it might bend the shaft and make it wobble / wobbling prop shaft = destroyed U joints, seals, pinon bearings, ect. IF the other end gets struck it will put a dent in the hollow tube and you hope its not so hard it bends the shaft.

 

I'll have to flip it around. However on a Bronco...the rear drive shaft has a double carden joint at the transfer case end. Which is a Spicer design consisting of two u-joints sharing a common carrier with a CV joint in between keeping them aligned. Its because the angle is severe and the shaft is so short. On the rear there is no option. The boot and slip spline yoke MUST go to the axle end or it can't make the angle. Thats why I copied the rear with nothing else to go by. Thanks all!!

 

Duhhh Opps sorry I missed that it was a Bronco LOL My bad there. My 76 F 100 had the double U joint on the front shaft.

 

i always put the short end to the t-case.

 

As long as the U joints are the saame(non CV shafts) it doesn't mature what way they go, BUT a lot of Ford Drive shafts have two bigger ujoint caps on the axle end of the shafts. Just something to look for.

 

Thank you Gents for all of the info on this. I'm going through this right now. Just removing the Front Drive Shaft temporarily until the Transfer Case is replaced.

 

The diagrams at fordparts.com show the boot end up near the transfer case.

 

An old timer once told me an easy way to remember what side of the driveshaft goes where. It is almost always right but I look anyway to confirm it and when I get an oddball that's not right I end up remembering that the trick doesn't work on this one. Then again someone else may have put that one in backwards and I just copied their mistake.

The female drives the male crazy. 😂 So the female splines go to the trans or tc and the male splines go to the differential.

 

I have heard that shafts should always have the slip yokes bolted to the t-case. This was explained to me that the slip yoke end is heavier and will have less effect on the unsprung weight of the axle. Even the cv type shafts should be mounted to the t-case, as this is the way they are supposed to be built splitting the DS angle in the cv joint, then the shaft aligns with the pinion shaft. Some argue that 2* off is suggested to compensate for drive torque. This has always worked out for me.

 

I'm in the middle of a similar mission and my96' f150 and my 95' f150 have the boot towards the front axle..