I wrestled with my driveshaft for about 2 hours before giving up. I put in an LT1 and T56, and am trying to get the driveshaft back in, but the end that slides into the transmission will not slide in more than 1/2 way. Its weird because I had a driveshaft end slid into it to prevent fluid leaking, and it slid in all the way. When I removed that piece, and tried to put my driveshaft in, it won't go. I even tried putting the other driveshaft end back in, and now it will only slide in 1/2 way.... I am losing my mind, I have done this so many times, and never ran into a problem...?

 

take a break and try again. It will fit. Frustration makes stupid things happen

 

Yeah, I know that all too well, lol. I even had my friend try after me. I may give it another round tomorrow and see what happens, just seems like the stupidest problem ever.

 

Tried again today, with the same results.....

I really dont understand the problem here. It seems when it reaches 1/2 way in, it just stops, and if I force it, it gets jammed and wont spin anymore..

ANY ideas?

 

is there anything stuck in the yoke? does the output shaft move at all, in/out side to side? can you see into the trans, is something stuck in there?

 

i mean how far does it have to go in to work, i know on mine it doesn't go all the way in per say, there is a bit of the yoke still visible.

 

I have 2 seperate driveshaft yokes that I have been trying, and theres nothing inside them to prevent it from sliding, I even had one all the way in, and I removed it to install the driveshaft, and then this happens... The output shaft spins freely as it should, with nothing preventing it, but when a yoke is slid in as far as it will go, I can feel that it is rubbing something inside...

I couldnt find a flashlight to peek inside, I will get one and see if theres anything there.

 

It doesnt go in far enough for me to lift the rear of it and bolt it to the rearend. If it would have installed to the rear, than I wouldnt be all that concerned, but I cant even get it that far.

 

Trans output shaft may be twisted. Will need a strong flashlight to look into the trans and check out if the splines are straight. It may even be the slightest twist that it will be hard to see without removing the tail housing.

RBob.

 

Ugh.... How can this happen so abruptly? And how can this be remedied?

Thanks.

 

also dont overlook a bushing thats mucked ive seen burs and new bushings cause issues like that

 

It didn't happen between using the yoke as a stopper and installing the actual drive shaft. It would happen during a hard 1-2 shift or a clutch drop.

The splines on both the yoke and output shaft wear over time. Increasing the clearance. Then take a newer yoke and with the smaller clearance now won't go past where the shaft is twisted.

Try taking the bare yoke (stopper plug) and rotate it spline by spline and see if it will fit into the transmission. You may find a spot or two where it will go in.

If the output shaft is twisted it needs to be replaced. It is also possible the yoke is twisted, but I would suspect the output shaft first. Although it is easier/faster to check the yokes for twist.

RBob.

 

I have tried rotating it slowly and trying every spline, but nothing. I will give it another go, thanks for the tips, guys.

 

Hey, what ever happend about this problem. I'd like to know.

 

Ah crap. An old thread. Oh well, here's my suggestion.

Are you trying 2 different yokes? One was used as a stopper and the other is on the driveshaft?

Look at the splines inside the yokes. Not all yokes have splines all the way down inside them. If in doubt, try a different yoke.

The yoke goes all the transmission as far as it will go. You then pull it back out 1". That's where the yoke should be positioned when the driveshaft is installed. If a yoke that bottoms out is pulled back out an inch, is the driveshaft too long?

How much splines does it engage when it bottoms out? Probably enough if it can bottom out then get pulled back out an inch and is still inside the output seal.

 

What happened with this is: I gave up.

Parted the car out and never had an answer.