Not enough there to modify it I take it? They have a tech support, try reaching out. 866-933-2911

 

Yeah thanks, it’s after hours now. I’m returning it to rockauto. I didn’t want to keep messing with it and possibly scratch it and then lose a full return value, RA is always looking for an excuse to not pay, LoL.

I tried several times with and long prybar and there’s no way it was going on. The ford shaft compresses over a full inch more which is what is required to properly align the u joint into the pinion. Super bummer as i ordered the part while i was at work and feels like wasted time now.

I might call wellbuilt in michigan tomorrow and hit them
up for specs on theirs, including compression and extension specs. my bad for not measuring before I installed the part.

 

Jack the frame of the truck up and let the axle sag, and or pull the slip yoke off and cut a little off of the shaft.
That is if you want to keep it and get it on now.

 

I considered taking the slip joint apart and cutting 3/4-1” off the stub shaft. Maybe If I was in a more desperate situation, like the Movie “Red Dawn.” LoL

 

Did some searching around locally and found a 30+ year experienced driveline builder that just moved to my area. He’s got all his equipment in a shop at his house, until his commercial location is finished. He will put a Neapco double cardan joint on my original driveshaft including a new front u joint and a rebalance.

He told me that many dodge 4x4 diesels have used the dorman double cardan shafts and many have had vibration issues. Maybe I dodged a bullet with my dorman shaft not fitting? Pun intended LoL

 

Your location says SW Utah, so I assume St George area. If so, could you share his contact information?

 

I'm actually in the Cedar City area.

Driveline guys name is Brian and his number is (503) 793-3444

 

Cedar isnt too far. Thank you sir!

 

Sorry for the late reply but I just got around to getting back home. Hoping to conclude this saga

and get back to some normalcy! LoL My front driveshaft was ready to be picked up. Brian has now moved to a new commercial address. I will post his business card here but i will list his new shop address separately as the card isn’t updated.

Anyway, the shaft looks real nice with the Neapco double cardan joint which is greasable. Two 1350 spicer joints in the DC Joint, New 1410 front joint and a new dust boot for the slip joint. Has nice welds where the old cv joint was cut off and new DC joint welded on. Brian also balanced the shaft.

I went ahead and bought new flange bolts for the rear attachment to transfer case flange that come with the orange thread locker and new front u joint straps and bolts.

A funny thing happened before I left for work on 7/13. I got a call from my local Oreillys, whom I called after the first dorman shaft didn’t fit, trying to find out if they had a line on another brand. Well, they could only get the dorman part and I told them I didn’t want to order that as I already had a no fitment issue with that part and didn’t want to risk ordering another, which would have been a special order at Oreillys. So I thanked the parts person and told them i’d figure it out somehow. I didn’t think about it again until my phone rang three days later. I look at the number and I recognize it from my local Oreillys. I answer and they tell me my driveshaft came in! I responded surprised and asked them if they made a mistake ordering that and told them my story above. To be a good sport I told them I would at least stop by the store and take a look at the dorman part and if it was the correct specs I would buy it. So I go down to the store and it appeared to be from the same batch as my RA part. It had unpainted yokes and couldn’t be compressed more than 39 7/16”. So I told the Oreillys people that’s the same issue I had and it’s a no go.

Putting my old rebuilt shaft on next. Hopefully I won’t have any last second surprises again.


For anyone in the Southern Utah area, Brian has opened a new shop. He has specialized in the off-road jeep market but can do any type of driveline work/fabrication, including after hours emergency repairs!

I’ve attached his business card but here is his new shop address in Hurricane Utah, very near St. george Utah.

Brian Stanton Driveline Tech and Fabrication
1279 S 1900 E Unit A
Washington Utah 84780

 

Cost, and will he do mail order? I know it is likely better to find someone local, but cats, curiosity and all.

 

Cost will vary on the type of shaft and or parts involved. Cost on this rework of my original driveshaft over to USA made Neapco Double Cardan joint and all spicer usa joints, new slip joint boot and rebalance for $600. The dorman one is now more than this, and doesn’t fit!

I believe Brian does mail order and has been doing a lot of custom off-road stuff to 4x4 community. Give him a call during business hours. Super nice guy.

 

That's the info I was looking for, I am interested in doing the same thing you did to my 2018 F250.

 

Here are some pics of the new installed driveline that ford should have put on at the factory!

 

I can hardly wait for this upgrade to make it to the top of my list!