Any1 knows anything about driveshafts?

[Skuzzy]

Virtually all the autmotive drive shafts are 6061 with 1/8 wall thickness.

I would really like to go with a carbon fiber drive shaft, as it is lighter than aluminum and also exceeds harmonic vibration absorption better than steel.  Best of all worlds.

And if the carbon fiber shaft breaks, it simply disintegrates, whereas steel and aluminum can do some serious damage to the car.

[Shuffler]

I used to twist driveshafts  in half on my 75 4WD Vega estate station wagon. If those 38.5 monster mudders did not break loose. I had to make a new 33 1/2" shaft every time. The end on the transfer case would destroy both exhaust. I finally went with a jeep drive shaft. It was smaller diameter than the GMC shafts but thicker wall. Then I started center punching flywheels. LOL those were the days.


Yup I'm redneck.

[SFRT - Frenchy]

Thank you folks, I learned a lot. The engine trany pivots on the trans monts located on the bell housing virtually in the middle of the engine/trany.

- If I lower the front I raise the back to be parallel to the TC but I hit the bottom of the cab (meaning I have to cut/bulge the floor .. aka .. work.
- If I lower the whole engine/trans and make it level the pumpkin will hit the oil pan at high flex. (Not by much but still ... again weld/cut/paint refab).

... maybe a double cardan short sliding driveshaft is my cheapest answer, CV joint my most expensive one.

[GScholz]

Thompson joint. It's like a double-cardan, but in one unit. It's been around for like ten years now.

[morfiend]

Virtually all the autmotive drive shafts are 6061 with 1/8 wall thickness.

I would really like to go with a carbon fiber drive shaft, as it is lighter than aluminum and also exceeds harmonic vibration absorption better than steel.  Best of all worlds.

And if the carbon fiber shaft breaks, it simply disintegrates, whereas steel and aluminum can do some serious damage to the car.

  Once saw a front yoke blow and the Maverick grabber flipped on it's roof!  It kinda did a pole vault as the shaft dung in and lifted the rearend up and over.

  I notice you have a shaft hoop in the cobra...



     

[Hajo]

  Once saw a front yoke blow and the Maverick grabber flipped on it's roof!  It kinda did a pole vault as the shaft dung in and lifted the rearend up and over.

  I notice you have a shaft hoop in the cobra...



     

drive shaft loops are required here to run the car at the strip.  Unless it is a 6 cylinder Maverick.

[morfiend]

 


 It was no 6 maverick,grabber with a 302 that had"some" work done. The "strip" was an unused piece of road in the country!

  There were a couple cars "parked" a few miles either side of the "strip" and they had CB radios so the heads up could be given!   Even had a Xmas tree set of lights when it got serious!


 We had a service station so I always knew when the runs would happen and would be there as often as I could!


   

[icepac]

I've had amazing luck just eyeing it out and getting as close as possible with what I have to work with.

I don't recommend it but had to mention it.

I also always use new engine, transmission and differential mounts in every project.

[Skuzzy]

I made a couple of jigs with laser levels and targets attached.  When the lasers hit the dots on the targets then they are parallel with a predetermined amount of offset.

I'll post a pic of the setup when I get ready to line mine up.