[s-cars] Off with the drive shaft

[Mark Turczyn]

Thanks to Bill and other list members who posted me off list-- I will 
be pulling my drive shaft off with confidence soon--

>
>We just used a length of 2 x 4 with some notches cut so as to facilitate
>keeping the board tight along the drive shaft.  We secured to the board with
>some long hose clamps.

Ok --first I have to find a straight 2 x 4 which I have not seen in 
four years in the local home centers..

So  If I can find one that is straight in the 3.5 inch direction I 
will know the shaft is straight in one direction and if I never 
unclamp it I know it is straight in in 5 axis.

What if you have to work on the center bearing and remove the board 
and clamps?  I can clamp it all back up but is it now more of a 
handling fixture then a control fixture?

 From the opinions I have gathered -- you really only need a handling 
fixture if you carefully mark the CB bracket location and keep track 
of the shim stack on each side.

If that is the case there is no need for me to get real fancy and use 
my old aluminum four foot level and had some plastic V blocks.


>
>FWIW, I see now that 034 sells this $100 drive shaft support bracket.
>http://www.034motorsport.com/product_info.php?products_id=579
>Maybe you can be the first to try this out and let us know how it works?;)


I hope I do not need to replace mine--- what is your opinion of how 
soft my support rubber is around the bearing---mine is more like a 
soft diaphragm---no tears or rips but the weight of the shaft does 
seem to sag it down a slight amount.

>I recall the rear end of the shaft was a bear to get off without the proper
>tool (and know how,) but in the end the edge of a short dense piece of 2 x 4
>and a five pound hammer did the trick.


I dead blow hammered the front one to break it free from the gasket.

Too bad I cannot just drop it down from the tranny in the front and 
try to re-grease or remove it in place.

I cannot seem to pull it back far enough for the center shaft to 
clear the lip of the tranny prop shaft.

Anyone know if this can be done and I am not getting full stroke due 
to the dry grease????

>While your at it you could check for what is one of my latest problems too,
>which could probably cause some driveline vibration.  That is the two
>bushings that attach the forward subframe cross member to the differential.
>Now may be a good time to change these if they appear worn.  Problem is I
>have no advice on how to tell if they are worn.  My own is obvious because
>of the occasional metal to metal noise upon acceleration / deacceleration.


Now you got me thinking about more fixes.   I suspected a dry CV 
joint since I was getting a metal to metal hammering when 
accelerating.  Now you say even with good CV joints you get the same 
noise.

I hope you fix your problem before I get my shaft R & R finished so I 
can fix it before I put everything back together.

>I have a new/used cross member coming tomorrow so I may know a part number
>then.  Needless to say, my cross member is rusted enough that I just figured
>to replace the whole thing.


Please do.

>ALSO while you're in there now is more than an excellent time for new ebrake
>cables.  They will never be easier.  If not, at least tighten them up.
>You'll see the one nut that does this for sure.


Great advice----

>Hopefully you have a lift.  If not you'd best call Mike Platt cause he loves
>this real man stuff;)


No lift-- jack stands, hard driveway, weak back.

>I have sort of retired meself from this heavy duty mechanic urS stuff and
>will gladly outsource my crossmember and new throw out bearing repair to the
>local mechanic race car wrench.  oh yeah!


You are a smart man--- I am a sucker for a challenge-- but am not 
sure I ever want to do a clutch if it goes.  Did my wife's 90 one 
summer and swore that paying someone with a lift is the ticket.

I am doing the drive shaft because I think I can survive under the 
car for this operation.

>I remain really good at and sickly enjoy new brake installs however.


Hmmm-- says a lot about your present state of mind.



-- 
Mark Turczyn