Driveshaft balancing act
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 388
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Ky
Driveshaft balancing act
Does anyone know where to have a driveshaft balanced? I am replacing my couplers and DRM advised me to have the shaft balanced before I assemble it, trouble is I can't find anyone who knows what I'm taking about. Shops around here look at me like I'm an idiot, and the dealers want to sell me a new assembly for $800.00!
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
I've never heard of anyone balancing the torque tube/shaft assembly. Why would it get out of balance? Aren't the new couplers balanced? The center of the shaft should remain the same and I don't believe its indexed at all.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,364
Likes: 1
From: Rugby North Dakota
call Randy at DRM and ask him where they have their shafts balanced at - I don't know if DRM balances the driveshaft themself, or if they send them out of shop to have it done - but if DRM recommended doing it, I'd do it, cause DRM knows their stuff - you might have to send the shaft away to have it balanced since I'm guessing not every shop has balancing capabilities.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 388
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Ky
You don't balance the torque tube assembly, just the driveshaft assembly. I'm going to give Randy a call to find out more, like is it REALLY needed, and if it is, where the hell do I get it done!
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9,615
Likes: 13
From: Burlington NC
We send our to a good driveshaft shop here in MN. They do some custom work on 4x4's, street rods, racecars and stuff like that. They also do a ton of clutch and CV joint work there too.
We assemble the shaft with the two ends on it and the rubbers intact. Then they come pick it up in their little white truck. Then the next day they drop it off again, needing a check
What they do at the driveshaft shop.
They spin the shaft to see if it's still straight, 50 percent don't need any work, about 10 percent of them get thrown away(Brian
) The shop can straight out small bows. Then they spin it on the machine and balance it like you would a flywheel. There is a little tab that gm welds on them to help with balancing. Some times they have to move the tab and drill holes into them fine tune the balance job.
Is it really worth doing all this to a shaft. Well for the 90-175 dollars to make sure that you have done everything in your power to make sure the shaft lives a happy life.
Randy
We assemble the shaft with the two ends on it and the rubbers intact. Then they come pick it up in their little white truck. Then the next day they drop it off again, needing a check
What they do at the driveshaft shop.
They spin the shaft to see if it's still straight, 50 percent don't need any work, about 10 percent of them get thrown away(Brian
) The shop can straight out small bows. Then they spin it on the machine and balance it like you would a flywheel. There is a little tab that gm welds on them to help with balancing. Some times they have to move the tab and drill holes into them fine tune the balance job.Is it really worth doing all this to a shaft. Well for the 90-175 dollars to make sure that you have done everything in your power to make sure the shaft lives a happy life.
Randy
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 388
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Ky
Great, I guess Randy didn't want to talk to me. No one around here has any idea what I'm talking about. Unless he post the name of the drive shaft shop he uses I'm going to be calling him anyway. My guess is he'll post the name in less than 5 minutes.
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9,615
Likes: 13
From: Burlington NC
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
Last I knew the C5 didn't have a DRIVESHAFT. It has a TORQUE TUBE and two CV Axles. I believe you're calling the torque tube/shaft a driveshaft but its not. A driveshaft is used between a transmission and differential, however these are joined together in a C5 eliminating the need for a driveshaft. A torque tube is used between the engine and tranny.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 388
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Ky
I'm calling the shaft inside the torque tube a drive shaft. It may have another name but I don't know what it is. We can call them whatever you want, like drinking straw and toothpick. My toothpick needs balancing. the drinking straw is just fine and will hold my toothpick in place without any additional work. I just wish there was a toothpick shop in my area capable of balancing 3 piece toothpicks without carrier bearings.
btw, thanks for the quick response Randy.
btw, thanks for the quick response Randy.
Last edited by B Neat; Oct 2, 2007 at 07:15 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,364
Likes: 1
From: Rugby North Dakota
I'm calling the shaft inside the torque tube a drive shaft. It may have another name but I don't know what it is. We can call them whatever you want, like drinking straw and toothpick. My toothpick needs balancing. the drinking straw is just fine and will hold my toothpick in place without any additional work. I just wish there was a toothpick shop in my area capable of balancing 3 piece toothpicks without carrier bearings.
btw, thanks for the quick responce Randy.
btw, thanks for the quick responce Randy.
!!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 388
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Ky
call Randy at DRM and ask him where they have their shafts balanced at - I don't know if DRM balances the driveshaft themself, or if they send them out of shop to have it done - but if DRM recommended doing it, I'd do it, cause DRM knows their stuff - you might have to send the shaft away to have it balanced since I'm guessing not every shop has balancing capabilities.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 388
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Ky
Hey Randy, you think those guys at Proven force would be interested in giving up their fixture design to a local shop down here? They said they would like to know how they hold on to those things in their balancer. The way they see it, more and more of these things are going to need balancing as the C5s get older and they want in if the fixturing isn't too complex. I'm going to take mine down there when I get it out so they can see what they're up against.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,396
Likes: 2
From: North Manchester Indiana
Looks like I was mistaken regarding balancing since DRM is a respected tuner here on the board.
Last I knew the C5 didn't have a DRIVESHAFT. It has a TORQUE TUBE and two CV Axles. I believe you're calling the torque tube/shaft a driveshaft but its not. A driveshaft is used between a transmission and differential, however these are joined together in a C5 eliminating the need for a driveshaft. A torque tube is used between the engine and tranny.
Last I knew the C5 didn't have a DRIVESHAFT. It has a TORQUE TUBE and two CV Axles. I believe you're calling the torque tube/shaft a driveshaft but its not. A driveshaft is used between a transmission and differential, however these are joined together in a C5 eliminating the need for a driveshaft. A torque tube is used between the engine and tranny.
just cause you cant see it,,,dont mean it aint there.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,396
Likes: 2
From: North Manchester Indiana
I'm calling the shaft inside the torque tube a drive shaft. It may have another name but I don't know what it is. We can call them whatever you want, like drinking straw and toothpick. My toothpick needs balancing. the drinking straw is just fine and will hold my toothpick in place without any additional work. I just wish there was a toothpick shop in my area capable of balancing 3 piece toothpicks without carrier bearings.
btw, thanks for the quick responce Randy.
btw, thanks for the quick responce Randy.
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9,615
Likes: 13
From: Burlington NC
You can call and ask them. They are pretty nice guys and should be able to help out your local shop. Or just send it up there.
I would just bring it into them and have them take a look at it. If there isn't a guy over 50 years old there, then just run.
Randy
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 388
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Ky
JD would never catch it, He has payments to you guys EVERY month. But his wife would kick my ***! she doesn't miss a thing!
Matter a fact, the guy at my local shop has been there sence they built the building! He really knows what he's doing so maybe he can figure somthing out with reguards to these G.M. toothpicks
Thanks again for your help Randy
Buddy
Matter a fact, the guy at my local shop has been there sence they built the building! He really knows what he's doing so maybe he can figure somthing out with reguards to these G.M. toothpicks
Thanks again for your help Randy
Buddy
Last edited by B Neat; Oct 2, 2007 at 04:03 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 388
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Ky
Believe it or not, nothing is damaged. The carrier bearings are toast, actually 1 of them feels a little gritty, but everything else seems fine. Here's a picture of 2 old couplers and 1 new one.
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