It's not out of an AWD, but does that really matter? From what I've read, the AWD aerostar driveshaft are the proper length for mustangs, once modified with conversion u-joint and the proper yokes. Since the turbo coupe driveshaft is longer, I thought it would probably be best to stay away from the AWD version. Anyway, I picked up a regular aluminum DS out of an early 90s aerostar. It's the welded type. Just wondering, anyone got the length of a stock TC driveshaft handy, so I know how much it'll need to be cut down? I figured that for 25 bucks, I couldn't go wrong. Also picked up a mini starter for $15 and a couple odds and ends for the blue 87 TC. If I had all my tools, I would have grabbed a ranger roller setup as well.
Joe
Hey Joe, nice meeting you today in the north yard. I managed to find an XR4TI in the import section and took the valve cover, injectors, computer and the head. Head looks like it has been rebuilt recently.
What do the mini starters come in? On the ranger roller, sometimes it's easier to remove the whole head, and then take the cam out. It's tons easier to remove the retainer plate that way.
John
I've got the stock driveshaft out of my 5.0/AOD leaning against my bench in the shop. The TC/T5 one was about 3/4" shorter (which is why I used it in the car - figured the extra length of the AOD shaft could cause problems with the T5, especially with the car lowered). I'll try to remember to measure it tomorrow.
FWIW, the TC driveshaft was also larger in diameter than the AOD one...
Is it a welded Aerostar ds? Make sure it is. You can't do anything with the ones that are crimped or bonded or whatever they are besides welded.
Hey John, it was too cool running into another Tbird guy in the yards! Anyway, the mini starters can be had on all 2.3L/2.5L ranger pickups from 91-02, the 92 and 93 mustang 2.3L, and the mazda 2.3L/2.5L pickups from 94-99. Eric Dess of Coolcats.net has this info collected in his advanced tech portion on his site. I ended up grabbing the one out of the red 93 mustang you and I were standing next to. Someone else had already yanked the tranny, so the starter was just sitting there next to the engine, only attached by its wires! Super easy. It was a remanned from Advance auto, so hopefully it should have some good life left in it. Just FYI, they'll charge you a core of $10, so you're looking at $25 all said and done (whether or not they'll take a regular starter for core trade at time of purchase, I dunno, but I may try to bring back my old starter later). Man, I need to get my tools down from Wayne so I can snag that Ranger roller setup. Great find on the Merkur.
Ya, it's welded. I know this b/c I also came across a crimped version in the yards. Very noticeable difference. This one has a nice weld on both ends.
let me know how it goes, i had to order one for a customers van and my boss and i were eye balling it for our cars.
for info my boss' car:
'68 camaro r/s w/ a 427 sbc
I bought one on off of a kid on craigs list not knowing what year or type of aerostar it was. It's about 8" to short for my cat.
The one I got was like 46" end to end not counting the yoke.
I measured my driveshaft yesterday, it was 49" from the center of the U-joints
Thats not 8", Hey ic I need that measurement again. Maybe I can make it work I got a yoke about 6" sitting in my old aod.
Mine measured 50" on center
51 1/2" tip to tip.
Why is mine an inch longer?
Don't know? Are canadians tape measures different.lol
I dunno why your driveshaft would be longer. If yours is an inch longer than this one that would make it almost two inches longer than the TC one I installed when I did the tranny swap. My measurements were taken like this:
Hey thunder, How far is your yoke goin in with the tc d/s. If you rember.
I'm just curious. I will have a chance in a few weeks to know, at least at my end.
I measured the same way
Mine came out of an 87 3.8 car
I'll check again
daminc: Maybe it's the 3.8 thing? Mine was an 88 5.0. Perhaps the 3.8 sits slightly further ahead than the 5.0.
Kitz: I have no idea how far it's in (yeah, yeah, that's what she said). The TC driveshaft has a large steel cylinder on the yoke end, almost like a harmonic balancer (and probably serving the same purpose), that makes it hard to see how far it's in. I just figured I'd use the TC driveshaft because it matched the transmission type.
car-part.com shows RWD Aerostars and P71 cop car aluminum DS's are 47.5-48" "W-W". I'm assuming the "W" is referring to the yoke.
And the Corral guys say that the AWD Aero star is a perfect swap for T5 or T45 sn95's, so it would be 3" too short for us
Funny, I just saw this...after the 5 speed swap in mine, I grabbed the v6 shaft by accident, and it was too short...grabbed the stocker from the Sport, it fits. Odd, but I too would guess the 3.8 sits up slightly further. Mine were both '88s as well, if that means anything.