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Originally Posted by Scode67FB
One drawback is the Explorer axle tube diameter (3 1/4"). I haven't checked into it yet, but maybe the Explorer shock plates can be made to work. The Mustang plates would have to be redrilled and may not have enough meat to cut. I know you can buy aftermarket plates that are slotted for large diameter tubes, but they're $140. I'd like to hear what others have done for the shock mounts.
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In an earlier topic about this (quite a while back), a guy used the Explorer plates and used late-model Mustang shocks (can't find the topic). Here's a link to his site with some pictures:
http://alldunn.com/zion/Mustang/?D=A
I drilled the 65 Mustang plates for the larger diameter tubes. There is plenty of room. I bought the Ford u-bolts ($15 each - should have had the local brake shop make them). The pinion offset measures about 3 1/2" to the passenger side, but in the car it is only 2" from the center of the tunnel (assume the tunnel is 1 1/2" off center?).
I too was concerned about the offset, but others have done the swap with no problems. I have a friend who recently put an Explorer rear in his street rod with no issues.
I am using an 06 Mustang GT transmission and driveshaft. The driveshaft is a 2-piece unit with a u-joint at the front and 2 CV joints (1 center, 1 rear, with a slip-joint [yoke?] in the center). I plan to mount it so the front section is in the same vertical plane with the line of the transmission and offset horizontally enough (or almost enough) to cover the 2" pinion offset. That way the 2-3 deg for the offset will be in the horizontal plane rather than the vertical plane. On the rear section of the shaft, I'll get the vertical offset (and with CV joints, if there is more angle, that should not be as big a problem as with u-joints).
I bought the pinion flange for an 06 Mustang GT (CV joint) from the dealer (~$50) and put it on the Explorer rear. It is about 4" in diameter. The nice thing about this is that it looks like the 06 GT driveshaft is the correct length with my setup - no cutting or lengthening. (At least that's what it looks like with measuring. I'll know when it's all put together in about 3 weeks.)
This might be a good solution if the offset is a problem, even if using an older transmission (the 05+ transmission has a flange not a slip-yoke). You could put a slip-yoke on the front end and use the 05+ driveshaft to compensate for the pinion offset. (By the way, the 05+ rear ends are about 6" wider than an Explorer so they definitely won't fit.)
At any rate, with a one-piece driveshaft, 3 1/2" offset is about 3 deg on each end with a 50" drive shaft. If the offset is only 2" that should only be about 2 deg at each end. (But it sure looks like a lot when looking down the tunnel.)
Before going with the 06 driveshaft, I bought an Inland Empire yoke for 1310 u-joints to work with the 65 Mustang driveshaft. It is smaller (about 3" across) and you can probably use the original driveshaft without lengthening or shortening. I put it on but took it back off (never run). As posted earlier, I'd take $30 shipped if someone can use it.
