Quick question. I was driving the other day and blew the caps off the u-joint. They were essentially new as I have been bringing the car back from the dead and don't drive it much yet. After letting a mechanic/friend press in the u-joints this time (just to make sure), I find that when I put the driveshaft in, only one side will sit comfortably in the yoke. Essentially, I have to tighten down the straps to get the 2 joints to snuggle into the yoke together. Is the way it is done, or should both sides slip right in at the same time? If so, what's the problem and how do I know when the driveshaft is right?

Thanks
Kevin

 

they don't just fall in , you usually need to use the bolts or straps to fully seat the caps. did you have the little clip things on the caps? can't really figure out how you'd lose the caps.

 

I bought a new strap kit at the local parts store for $5. I had a vibration at about 60mph. I was driving the other day and the car did its normal vibration and then something just popped (LOUD!). I don't have the interior in the car so the noise was disconcerting to say the least. I thought I blew the rear. I made it home (I only went around the block) and when I pulled the driveshaft, one cap was completely gone (hence the flopping of the shaft), when I took the straps off, one cap was still stuck in the yoke. So who knows, maybe bad parts.

 

If you don't have the snap rings fully seated the caps can fly out, I have experienced this personally (about 25 years ago when I didn't know better). It sounds like the cap that flew off was the one held in by the strap. Did the bolts come loose? My brother-in-law forgot to tighten the bolts on his Mopar Race car, fortunately it only broke an ear off the pinion yoke.

 

It seemed that the straps were still OK - I bought new straps and bolts anyway. I still have a vibration at 60-65mph. I think I'm going to try a new driveshaft and see if that's the problem. I'm thinking that the vibration was stressing the ujoints. Does anyone know offhand if the shafts for manuals and automatics are interchangeable? I have a local guy parting out an automatic and could test out the different shaft easily.

Kevin

 

yep, you can use any driveshaft auto or t-5 or u can spring for a 4th gen shaft, you get a ls1 shaft and its aluminum

 

I found a good deal on an LS1 - will the 3" shaft from a 99 TA fit? Are all the LS1 driveshafts the same?

Kevin

 

yeah, i was behind my friend in his 71 bird when his driveshaft came out because he swapped rearends, and the new rearend didn't have the saddles for the u joint to sit in, so without and clips ot keep it from moving, after a few quick runs to 60mph, it came out, ohh it was bad.