Driveshaft question?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
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From: Ft Wayne IN
Driveshaft question?
Looking at a Dana-44 ds and the seller said it was fron a manual trans car. The issue is that there is a harmonic balancer/stabilizer on the tranny Yoke. All the other D44 ds's I have looked at don't have these. I know some people cut the 27.5" shafts when doing the d44 swap. Other than that did any 26.5" shafts come with them?
Randy
Randy
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Looking at a Dana-44 ds and the seller said it was fron a manual trans car. The issue is that there is a harmonic balancer/stabilizer on the tranny Yoke. All the other D44 ds's I have looked at don't have these. I know some people cut the 27.5" shafts when doing the d44 swap. Other than that did any 26.5" shafts come with them?
Randy
Randy
The drive-shaft could have come from any A4 to a manual trans '84 to '88 where the A4 slip-yoke would have been a fit by spline count/diameter. I've read where when it was used that it required nearly 3/4" be removed from the slip-yoke for a fit. How does it compare with your D36 yoke now? What's the dimension dampener to end of slip-yoke on both? It could also have been used in an original '84MY that a D44 was added to A4 or MT because the '84MY was delivered with a D36 regardless of transmission.
It wouldn't surprise me if the '85MY slip-yokes didn't have the dampener. An '85MY is a one year only application for the MT.
Your concern is center to center u-joint dimension, if the slip-yoke is a fit for you it's a plus BUT I'd think it needs the balance confirmed before install.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Jan 15, 2013 at 02:28 AM.
Team Owner
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Yours is a factory 4+ car? If your '86 is a factory car that would indicate that '86 - '88MY cars were all with dampener! I realize the chances of this are far fetched but has a part number label survived all these years? I believe an '86 would carry a 14093173, if it were an early car an '85 would be 14084010. I always thought this was likely because of the sourcing of two different vendors for the components but until this question was asked there was no reason to ask or even be concerned.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Magnolia Tx
Yours is a factory 4+ car? If your '86 is a factory car that would indicate that '86 - '88MY cars were all with dampener! I realize the chances of this are far fetched but has a part number label survived all these years? I believe an '86 would carry a 14093173, if it were an early car an '85 would be 14084010. I always thought this was likely because of the sourcing of two different vendors for the components but until this question was asked there was no reason to ask or even be concerned.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
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From: Ft Wayne IN
That's what this shaft ended up being from after a talk with the gentleman. I guess he claims the 4+3 is a manual trans. I don't know anything about them other than the shaft is the same length as the automatic cars and has the same dampner setup.
After talking with my local drivetrane shop they are going to cut mine down, weld and balance for $95
. I haven't seen a manual shaft for close to that amount so it's a no brainer for me. Thanks for the help!
After talking with my local drivetrane shop they are going to cut mine down, weld and balance for $95
. I haven't seen a manual shaft for close to that amount so it's a no brainer for me. Thanks for the help!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Heidelberg PA
Cruise-In V Veteran
Just a FYI - if you have the dampener remove it. It is not necessary and with age if the rubber lets loose you will have significant damage. I was lucky to have a spare corvette tranny to replace the damaged end of my current tranny.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
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From: Ft Wayne IN
If anyone else has removed the balancer on DS yoke please post your results. Thanks!
*UPDATE* I talked with RPM transmission and they said there is no reason it can't be removed. They were nit even sure why the factory used them. Interesting!
Last edited by C4vettrn; Jan 17, 2013 at 10:34 AM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Heidelberg PA
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Yes!!!!! Pittsburgh Driveshaft!!!!!
Team Owner
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The comment about removing it and using it in the same car doesn't really fit your particular needs. Buy a correct slip-yoke to go with your $95 drive-shaft modification is I believe the "right way"!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Heidelberg PA
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You need to be concerned also about how much of the slip-yoke is inserted in the transmission and also the condition of the slip-yoke under the dampener. If you're intending to "stuff" that into the transmission you'll have a surface that is likely going to eat up seals.
The comment about removing it and using it in the same car doesn't really fit your particular needs. Buy a correct slip-yoke to go with your $95 drive-shaft modification is I believe the "right way"!
The comment about removing it and using it in the same car doesn't really fit your particular needs. Buy a correct slip-yoke to go with your $95 drive-shaft modification is I believe the "right way"!
Yes you will have to be sure of the condition of the slip yoke and if it will work.
Team Owner
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The amount of slip yoke that is inserted into the tranny will be determined by the length of the drive shaft. If the driveshaft length is correct the removal of the dampenor does not effect anything except that it cannot disengage while going down the highway and cause significant damage.
Yes you will have to be sure of the condition of the slip yoke and if it will work.
Yes you will have to be sure of the condition of the slip yoke and if it will work.
Earlier I commented that I had heard that 3/4" needed to be trimmed from the slip yoke to accomplish a fit and that is what I believe would be required likely but now the surface of the slip-yoke that used to have the dampener needs to become a sealing surface to the extension seal or so it seems to me. Am I wrong? Could be! It still seems best if the drive-shaft center to center is a fit BUY the slip-yoke that will make it a fit. Why as deep into this mod would you want to start using "bone-yard" solutions?
If I had the drive-shaft in front of me I could address the situation and so could you and many
others. We don't!
I don't know that I'd trust or be very confident in a comment by RPM regarding the situation.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Jan 17, 2013 at 01:22 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
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From: Ft Wayne IN
The slip Yoke shaft has been cut 3/4" and the drive shaft fits. The only issue is the balnacer is rubbing on the rear seal of the Tail housing. I only need about 1/8" for tolerance. If the balancer can be removed "problem solved" if shaft surface can clean up "obviously". If it is pitted or non servicable then back to plan A. When DS was on my D36 it would slide into tailshaft until it hit somthing or bottomed out inside the housing. With the 3/4" cut it will slide in tell the balancer hits. Untill I get that off I don't know how much further it can go in. The DS fits now but there is ZERO play in the system and it's rubbing on the seal. Hope this makes sense.
As long as the shaft surface is servicable/sealable and the tolerance inside/outside the trans housing is OK, I don't see why it matters what Yoke is on there? I will not run somthing that is halfassed, but there is sometimes more than one way to skin a cat "maybe/maybe not"
The way I look at it I have nothing to loose other than a Yoke
As long as the shaft surface is servicable/sealable and the tolerance inside/outside the trans housing is OK, I don't see why it matters what Yoke is on there? I will not run somthing that is halfassed, but there is sometimes more than one way to skin a cat "maybe/maybe not"
The way I look at it I have nothing to loose other than a Yoke