Maybe I’m misreading some of the venders’ descriptions BUT 1) how to tell if I’ve got a Dana or Spicer driveshaft and 2) are there specialty tools required to rebuild both drivrshafts (I had front and rear driveshafts made w/o CV joints on the 72).
Appreciate any and all comments, suggestions, criticisms…
Randy
OK. There are three answers to this question depending on why you are asking.
For the first 20 years of Early Bronco ownership, the distinction between driveshaft manufacture was SOLELY to determine whether you had the Borg-Warner, or the Spicer style transfer case yokes. The u-joints and yokes are not cross-compatible. So if you wanted replacement components, you needed to know which yokes you had.
For the next 20 years, a number of driveshaft makers came on the scene, and generally used Spicer components, but built various combinations of smaller tubes, higher strength, longer travel, and higher angle driveshafts. (I consider Spicer, Neapco, and Moog as all "similar.")
In the past 15 years, a number of driveshaft makers have been using inferior imported materials and sub-standard components to assemble replacement shafts. These shafts "meet OEM specifications" but are vastly inferior to the originals. (this is the primary reason why imported products are junk. It isn't because they don't meet specs. They do meet spec. It just that the specs are crap.)
So what are you trying to get to? You say you already had driveshafts made without cv joints on the 72. So does that mean you somehow managed to change your engine and transfer case angle to match the rear pinion angle, and you swapped out the output yoke on the Dana 20 to allow for u-joint straps instead of CV bolts? The factory made them with a different bolt pattern so that your can't accidentally mix them up.
If you are rebuilding a single Cardan driveshaft and simply servicing the u-joint, then the answer is "yes, there are special tools" and "no, you don't need them." I have replaced u-joints on the trail with hammers, screwdrivers, and rocks. The double cardan H-block is harder to service without a good puller...but it can be done in a vice. But you said you are running non-CV. Assuming you went back with a long travel 1310 series yoke/shaft set up, you should be able to service that yourself. And you will need to know how, because it is going to eat u-joints.
Won't be so bad in the front driveshaft, because you will drive with your hubs unlocked most of the time. You can think of the term CV as "Constant Velocity" but you can also associate it with "Control Vibration" So at low speeds, you really don't need CV. The biggest problem is when someone uses a single cardan shaft but aims the pinion at the transfer case. The resulting u-joint angular acceleration due to the angle is not cancelled in the opposite joint...so a harmonic is created as the pinion accelerates and decelerates every revolution. Depending on MANY factors, the rear u-joints will expire in about 5000 miles. Not a problem if you keep them lubricated and serviced. But it will usually puke the driveshaft out of the Bronco at the worst possible time.
