Driveshaft installation

[Jetto]

Hello. My brand new S3 standard length driveshafts are about 10mm longer in free length than my old ones. When trying to fit the new rear bearing carrier this extra driveshaft length means that they don’t push up against the de Dion ears. There is some compression in the shaft but it doesn’t feel right pushing that much force to compress the shaft. Even a lot of force doesn’t seem to seat the carrier against the ear.

I tried my old shafts and my old bearing carriers which fit much closer so the issue must lie with the new shafts.

Advice would be appreciated please.

 

[Wrightpayne]

Which differential type? (Out of interest)

[JP]

I was looking to change my driveshafts as part of my rebuild.  I currently have the old tin can type, but would need to switch to the tripoid type if I had decided to go ahead.  I was told that they were slightly longer, but I was also assured that the extra length would not be an issue because there is sufficient movement at the diff end.  I haven't bought them (yet!). Are you sure that your driveshafts are fully seated in the diff?

[Jetto]

Mine's a Sierra diff with a TranX plated LSD just rebuilt

[Jetto]

JP, I too had the older tin can driveshafts and these new ones are the tripode type. Super frustrating having just spent £700 on them.

They're seated fully as far as I can see. I trialled my old shafts and they seem fine

[JP]

I have the std Sierra open diff.  It was Chris at Redline who assured me that the extra length should not be a problem.

[SM25T]

Arch can supply a spacer to fit on the outside of the deDion ear .... effectively making the ear thicker. I used +6mm so radius arms didn't contact brake caliper as pads wore. Maybe a solution ?

[Jetto]

SM25T, ok thanks for that info, sounds like that could be the fallback plan. I assume my rear track width would be increased by use of those spacers? Do they make them to match the camber of the current ears fitted?

[mic]

Both the joints on the shaft are spring loaded, are you compressing the shaft enough? 

[SM25T]

#8 .... Yes, track would increase by thickness of any spacers. Ask Arch Motors at Huntingdon what they can supply.

[ChrisC]

Could the tin can driveshafts have not been refurbished?

[Jetto]

Update, with the knowledge that the joints are spring loaded I used the bearing carrier fixings to slowly and equally wind the bearing carriers up to the ear. They have mated up with some effort but I'm slightly conscious that there is now no more spring loaded play in the driveshafts, essentially they seem to be compressed to maximum. Is it normal to take up all the spring compression in the joints when fitting? The driveshafts seem to turn ok when the prop is rotated by hand with no clunks so it's probably ok.

ChrisC I would have liked to have refurbished the tin can driveshafts however I couldn't find any replacement tin cans as they have been discontinued. As far as I'm aware they need to be cut off to refurbish. If I stumble across some I'll refurbish them and keep as spares.

 

[Wrightpayne]

I have these drive shafts and was hoping the stretch type boots will fit si the cans wont need cutting off (again - I've done them once already!)

top tip - you only need to cut one can off per drive shaft to change both boots the normal way - if you can get the kits!