Transmissions and Drivetrain Need help with your trans? Problems with your axle?

Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

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Old 04-21-2015, 05:52 PM
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Car: 91 Black Formula KR
Engine: 305 TPI R69/G92
Transmission: Astro A5-Pro 5.0-McCleod
Axle/Gears: US Gear 3.42 Eaton True Trac
Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

91 Formula 305 TPI 5 Speed...
Astro A5 with GForce Case
Rebuilt 10 bolt, premium parts...
Spohn Adjustable TQ Arm & Drive Shaft Loop.
Founders LCA's and Panhard bar
3/4th gen Aluminum Drive shaft

Here is a pic of the yoke sticking out more than it should from T5 tail end...

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Stock height Springs (a couple years old), car on all 4 tires...

I bought the aluminum drive shaft years ago... just recently upgraded trans... and noticed this...

1st thing I need to do is measure it yoke to yoke center, should be 41.5 inches.
Then also measure LCA length...

Anything else if those check out?
Old 04-22-2015, 09:02 AM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Is that pic with the rear suspension at full droop? If so, jack up the axle to normal ride height and check again.
Old 04-22-2015, 09:11 AM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

No droop... car is sitting on it's 4 wheels, stock height springs...
That is me sliding under the car with phone / snap pic....
Old 04-22-2015, 09:14 AM
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Car: '86 Camaro, '94 Camaro, 3 others
Engine: LG4 ->L29, L32->LR4, L36, LG4, L31
Transmission: 700R-4, T5WC, 4L80E, SM465, 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.42, 3.23, WTB/WTT 2.93
Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Longer slip yokes do exist, but I doubt that's what you're seeking.
Old 04-22-2015, 09:16 AM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

I'm gonna measure the drive shaft first....
I bought it as a 3rd / 4th gen one, but didn't measure it.
If it's 41.5, then it is... so then next thing is LCA length...
If that checks out, I'm not sure what is going on..... so at that point have it looked over and possibly get a longer drive shaft...
But before plunking down $400, I need to figure out what's up...
Old 04-22-2015, 09:22 AM
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Car: '86 Camaro, '94 Camaro, 3 others
Engine: LG4 ->L29, L32->LR4, L36, LG4, L31
Transmission: 700R-4, T5WC, 4L80E, SM465, 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.42, 3.23, WTB/WTT 2.93
Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Any chance the engine and trans are a bit forward of stock? Or LCARBs installed wrong?
Old 04-22-2015, 09:31 AM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Stock everything (locations wise).
I do have poly engine mounts and trans mount...
Spohn trans cross member with poly mount screwed into T5
No reloaction brackets....

I hope the it's the drive shaft, that would be a cheap fix...
Old 04-22-2015, 07:08 PM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Not all yokes are the same.

The best driveshaft length is to slide the yoke into the trans as far as it will go then pull it back out 1". Measure center to center on the u-joints for a driveshaft length.

Some yokes because of how the internal splines are, will not slide in as far as others. Although yours looks like it sticks out too much, how much is going into the transmission? Still enough to be sealed unless pulling it out slightly uncovers the seal.
Old 04-23-2015, 07:39 AM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Mechanic said it would slide into trans, no problem... but then when you bolt it to rear end... it pulls out as seen in pic...

This is not a stock Yoke (DS to Trans), my mechanic has stock one, sending pic to see how much the thicker the base is...

Put the car up on ramps and measured the DS....I was told that, "thirdgen shaft is 41 1/2 from center of the U to center of the U".
I took this to mean the opening on the DS where the hole / cap / u joint is (in the middle) to the other end same spot...

DS was 40 5/8ths..... Assuming I understood the correct way to measure it...
Old 04-23-2015, 07:47 AM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

More confusion... this guy on ebay is selling one (for 3rd / 4th gen) and he states 40.75 (kinda what I got) as opposed to 41.5...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/82-02-Camaro-Firebird-Aluminum-Driveshaft-LS1-LT1-OEM-Three-Rivers-97-98-GM-/371304710120?hash=item56737c3fe8&vxp=mtr
???
Old 04-23-2015, 07:47 AM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Fairly sure you have a 4th gen DS but that should not matter unless the guy had it shortened for use with a 9" rear ???
Old 04-23-2015, 07:50 AM
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Axle/Gears: 3.42, 3.23, WTB/WTT 2.93
Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Originally Posted by AlkyIROC
Not all yokes are the same.

The best driveshaft length is to slide the yoke into the trans as far as it will go then pull it back out 1". Measure center to center on the u-joints for a driveshaft length.

Some yokes because of how the internal splines are, will not slide in as far as others. Although yours looks like it sticks out too much, how much is going into the transmission? Still enough to be sealed unless pulling it out slightly uncovers the seal.
The 1" part is correct, but the latter part would have less than 1" of spline engagement, at which point bad things are already happening, things that get people killed.
Old 04-23-2015, 08:01 AM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Here is a pic of the 3rd / 4th gen DS...
Notice the round donut just past yoke... and the wear marks...
This is the 40.75 shaft on ebay... ???

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Old 04-23-2015, 02:19 PM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Ok... new pic... car rear wheels are on ramp, nose heavy, might make yoke longer / slip out more (if my physics are correct)....

Shows about 2.5 inches... again, no donut on as seen on stock yoke...
The main shaft seems to stick out .5 inches (from a pic I have)... was told yoke tube is about 4.5 inches total...

Name:  20150423_144050_zpshql8wdae.jpg
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And I still see people saying it.s 41.5 and 40.75 and they're the same...

Thoughts?
Old 04-23-2015, 03:01 PM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Ok, just so you can sleep better, I went out and took a pic of the 2 side by side.
There is a difference in measurements from U-joint to U-joint buuuuuut that's because of the little balancer that's put on the yoke, not all of them have the balancer.
The over all working length is the same (within 1/8 inch)

The U-joints at the other end are evenly lined up in the pic. You can see the who, what, why,when and where the changes came from. I never noticed the center to center difference B4 because the length was the same.


4th gen on top and 3rd/early 4th on bottom.

Last edited by TTOP350; 04-23-2015 at 03:05 PM.
Old 04-23-2015, 03:16 PM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

So if I had the yoke that didn't have a balancer on the shaft that originally came with one, it would be short. Do you want to sell that longer drive shaft? Trade up some new SLP MAF intake parts (never used)???
Old 04-23-2015, 03:22 PM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

I would love to trade but the drive shafts are the same total length. (the 4th gen shaft is sold anyway)
To change that, you would have to put the yoke w the balancer on the 3rdgen shaft.

Did you notice how little of the driveshaft was actually in the trans on these? only about 2"
Old 04-23-2015, 03:26 PM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

I need the 3rd gen one... if the yolk with the balancer were placed on the 3rd Gen one, it would be longer. Inversely the other way would be shorter, which is what I have now. The 3rd Gen one from center of the u-joint is not. 75 inches longer than the other one? Disregarding overall length with the slip yoke.
Old 04-23-2015, 04:55 PM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

3rd gen driveshaft center to center of joints is 41.5
4th gen is 40.5
Old 04-23-2015, 05:27 PM
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Axle/Gears: 3.42, 3.23, WTB/WTT 2.93
Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

Shaft length is measured between u-joint centers. The yoke has nothing to do with the shaft length. But a longer yoke can allow getting away with a short shaft.
Why the weight savings of an aluminum shaft if you're just going to use a yoke that is extra heavy unnecessarily? There are longer yokes without dampers. Or maybe just remove the damper?
Yolks are egg fillings.
Old 07-25-2015, 10:45 PM
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Re: Drive Shaft Too Short? Other Options?

ok guys im havimg the same damn problem .i just replaced my engine which is carberated but thats beside the point all in all there is a two inch difference in lengths. i took the teil section from my6 700r4 ond the tailend of the shaft is now inside the tail piece itself.can i get away with just using a longer yolk
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