DC Shaft Install/Torque

[Montana Cruiser]

I recently had a DC shaft built for the front of the 80. I'm currently working on CC so I have only test fitted it at this point. What I noticed is the joint on the transfercase side is now too big to get a socket on the nuts for my torque wrench. For fitment I was able to snug the nuts up with an open end wrench, but I want to make sure these are torqued down properly, any ideas? Even leaving the diff side hanging and moving the shaft around does not provide enough room

 

[turbocruiser]

Ohh, boy, here is the time that Dan's gotta make sure he's swallowed all his coffee before listening to me and my OCD cause I'm gonna tell you what I was telling him about the first time i installed the DC DS, be warned not to spray your coffee all over your keyboard, and ohh, this is the short version ...

You have to lift the rig up from the frame so the axles are as low as possible, drop the sway bar and sway bar blocks, cycle between neutral and park to get the shaft to turn and then to lock so that you get as much open angle as possible between the flange and the joints so you can then get the socket to the torque wrench on. Once you've done that to one of the four bolts, you gotta go back to neutral, rotate to the perfect position, go back to park to lock it, etc etc etc. Or, you can just do what we do now and snug it up with wrist strength only, if you put allotta arm into it yer gonna snap something. Trust me this was hard for me and my OCD to accept but you can put the DS on in one hour or in fifteen minutes, your choice. Okay, resume coffee drinking without fear for your PC!!! HTH.

 

[Montana Cruiser]

Ohh, boy, here is the time that Dan's gotta make sure he's swallowed all his coffee before listening to me and my OCD cause I'm gonna tell you what I was telling him about the first time i installed the DC DS, be warned not to spray your coffee all over your keyboard, and ohh, this is the short version ...

You have to lift the rig up from the frame so the axles are as low as possible, drop the sway bar and sway bar blocks, cycle between neutral and park to get the shaft to turn and then to lock so that you get as much open angle as possible between the flange and the joints so you can then get the socket to the torque wrench on. Once you've done that to one of the four bolts, you gotta go back to neutral, rotate to the perfect position, go back to park to lock it, etc etc etc. Or, you can just do what we do now and snug it up with wrist strength only, if you put allotta arm into it yer gonna snap something. Trust me this was hard for me and my OCD to accept but you can put the DS on in one hour or in fifteen minutes, your choice. Okay, resume coffee drinking without fear for your PC!!! HTH.

Mmmmmm, I think I may choose to snug it up with wrist strength and CHECK it OCD style Sounds like the best of both worlds to me.

 

[OGBeno]

I didn't have any issues installing my front DC DS.

I used a 1/4" ratchet, 1 6" extension, and a 1/4" socket universal 14mm from Sears and basically was able to torque just fine by alternately turning the DS and locking it as Turbo said above.

I checked it by taking a 14mm wrench with a pipe extension and voila! DC DS is on....

 

[Montana Cruiser]

I didn't have any issues installing my front DC DS.

I used a 1/4" ratchet, 1 6" extension, and a 1/4" socket universal 14mm from Sears and basically was able to torque just fine by alternately turning the DS and locking it as Turbo said above.

I checked it by taking a 14mm wrench with a pipe extension and voila! DC DS is on....

Do you have the Slee shaft? Maybe it's a bit different? I think it uses Spicer U-Joints, mine was made from a Taco shaft and are Koyo. Not sure that would make any difference, but I can't even get a socket to fit flush against the flange with it out of the truck, actually seems like a wierd design to me.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

It is a bit of a challenge to get to those nuts. Last time in, I bought a 14mm socket with a built in universal-it works like a charm. It would throw the torque values off by a bit, though. Didn't matter since I didn't put a torque wrench on it anyway! I used my calibrated forearm, and so far, so good.

 

[OGBeno]

It is a bit of a challenge to get to those nuts. Last time in, I bought a 14mm socket with a built in universal-it works like a charm. It would throw the torque values off by a bit, though. Didn't matter since I didn't put a torque wrench on it anyway! I used my calibrated forearm, and so far, so good.

Yup. Me too. good ole arm torqueing. Just make sure it is tight and you'll be golden.

Yes, I have the Slee with the Spicer joints. I've installed a Slee with the Koyo's as well and the above method worked fine....as Andrew said, the integrated universal socket 14mm is ideal for this job. IIRC, $4 or so for a single socket. Sears has nice u-jointed socket sets in metric for about $50-60.

 

[Montana Cruiser]

Thanks guys, I feel better about it now, maybe I'll check out the built in joint-socket deal ..... another reason for yet another trip to Sears, going to return the crappy torque wrench I purchased anyways. One turn on the dial and the plastic locking mechanism snaps