Drive Schaft

[carmen142]

For those that have replaced your drive schaft on your stock car/engine and rear end. What did you use? Where did you buy them at? Is there one that is simplely a replacement for it? I have a 41 P12 and since there are no grease fittings on the u-joints plus 70 years of ware its time for new replacement parts.

Thanks

Carmen

[Don Coatney]

I am not sure what a drive schaft is but if you do a forum search for "DRIVE SHAFT REPLACEMENT" I think you can find your answer.

[DLK]

I had a driveline contractor fabricate the newer style unit with grease fittings to replace the ball and trunion that came in my 50 Dodge. I asked around at the local car show to get recommendations where to go and have been happy with the decision. I think I paid $450 for the replacement which included a new driveshaft and new front and rear joints.

[TodFitch]

  carmen142 said:

For those that have replaced your drive schaft on your stock car/engine and rear end. What did you use? Where did you buy them at? Is there one that is simplely a replacement for it? I have a 41 P12 and since there are no grease fittings on the u-joints plus 70 years of ware its time for new replacement parts.

Thanks

Carmen

Are your current u-joints actually worn out? Simple test of checking for rotational play.... If they are not worn out, removal, cleaning, re-lubricating and re-installation is pretty fast and easy and far cheaper than replacing something that isn't broken.

[busycoupe]

Tod, I need to do something with my drive shaft also. I hope that it only needs to be cleaned and lubed. How do I do the rotational test you mention? Should it have any play in the rotation? How much is too much?

Dave

[TodFitch]

  busycoupe said:

Tod, I need to do something with my drive shaft also. I hope that it only needs to be cleaned and lubed. How do I do the rotational test you mention? Should it have any play in the rotation? How much is too much?

Dave

There should be no perceptible play when you try to rotate the drive shaft by hand. There will be end to end play as the shaft is centered front to back by relatively weak springs so don't worry about that. But there should be no play when you try rotating it.

If you don't have drive line vibration issues and aren't hearing a thunk on starting or stopping, you might just consider cleaning and lubricating for the short term while thinking about repairing the original or replacing when you have the time and money.

When removing you might want to mark it with crayon or equivalent so you can replace the shaft in the same orientation as you found it. Shouldn't make any real difference if it is properly balanced but a bit of caution there can't hurt.

[busycoupe]

Thanks! I hope to get to wrk on it soon.

Dave

[Go Fleiter]

You should definitely mark the front end of Your shaft.

I had to turn mine once because of inacceptable vibrations when in installed in the wrong direction.

Go

[BobT-47P15]

Don.....you might recall the old saying......"sometimes you get the

Elevahtor, sometimes you get the Schaft".

[Young Ed]

Bob how about the Jerry Reed song "She got the gold mine I got the schaft"?

[BobT-47P15]

OR...........

[DutchEdwin]

when I overhauled my drive shaft, the grease was hardened, rubber boots gone. I cleaned the parts, polished the needles assembled with molykote grease and new rubber boots. Is running great with no vibration or noise from the drive shaft. Those old shafts are very robust compared to the job they have to do.

It took me 1 day. So you might reconsider buying a new one.

Edited March 10, 2012 by DutchEdwin