Driveshafts

Early Bronco Driveshaft Identification

From 1966-70, the Ford Bronco came with a Borg Warner driveshaft also known as Cleveland style driveline. From 1971-77, Ford switched to using Dana Spicer for their Bronco drive shafts. Both styles of driveshaft used constant velocity joints. When identifying your early Bronco's drive line, it 's important not to just go by the year of the Bronco. Many Borg Warner Cleveland-style drivelines have already been upgraded to the Dana Spicer style due to availability the past few decades. The best way to tell which driveshaft you have is to see if your driveshaft uses external snap rings. If you can see the snap rings on the outside of the bearing cap, it's a Dana Spicer.

Another way to tell the difference is to measure the bolt pattern on the transfer case yoke. All of our driveshafts are Spicer style and you will need a transfer case yoke if you are converting from the old Borg Warner.

How to measure your 1966-77 Ford Bronco Driveshaft

Wild Horses has driveshafts to fit your Bronco. While a stock length driveline will still work on Broncos with a minor suspension lift, this is not the ideal setup. Even with a small lift, the drive shaft is not long enough for a proper fit. We stock driveshafts to fit from stock height to 6 inch suspension lifts. When ordering a new drive line for your classic Ford Bronco, it is best to use the working measurement to ensure you get the right driveshaft. Also known as the running length, this is the measurement from the yoke on the transfer case to the yoke on the rear end. Measure from center of bearing cap to center of bearing cap with the suspension fully loaded to normal ride height.


Note: The working measurement is not the length of the driveshaft itself, but of the distance between the mounting yokes. The running length is taken with the Bronco sitting on level ground and loaded as normal. The rear drive line usually measures between 33.5 and 36 inches. The front driveshaft typically measures from 23 to 25 inches. If your measurement falls between one of the lengths we offer, we generally recommend you order the next larger size (e.g. Your measurement is 34" so you would order a 34 1/2" rather than a 33 1/2"). Also note that an incorrect pinion angle will affect the length of driveline you need for your Bronco. Make sure the angle is correct before you measure for a new shaft.

1966-77 Ford Bronco Driveshaft Maintenance

Lack of maintenance is the number one cause of driveshaft failure. Driveshafts should be greased regularly, including the CV joint & splines. Most shafts will have a total of 5 grease fittings, so make sure you get them all. The grease fittings could be male or female style on the three u-joints and you will find the female style on the CV. You will need to use a needle attachment on a standard grease gun.

A rebuild kit will not fix a driveshaft that has worn-out splines and slip yoke. Prior to rebuilding your early Bronco driveline, inspect these parts to ensure they are in good condition.