Drive shaft, so explain to me (1 Viewer)

[Romer]

I am noticing fresh metal marks on my front drive shaft that go along the circumfrance of the shaft. There are actually 2 lines slightly above and in front of the Swaybar.

So explain to me please how the shaft expands and contracts through the spline that it can tough the swaybar or something else to get these marks. At rest there is plenty of clearance.

The swaybar is pretty much stationary, so please explain this simple operation.

 

[Junk]

It's the bezel cops messin with your 80.

 

[Rich]

When the axle drops down, the driveshaft goes with it. The swaybar remains in place. Driveshaft and swaybar make friends.

 

[Romer]

I understood that relative to wheeling. It just seems these are pretty fresh marks and I don't see how that could happen on the highway or regular city roads.

Maybe a stupid question, just still trying to isolate my high speed decceleration noise.

 

[Rich]

Go slower over the speedbumps!

 

[Romer]

Ok, so your telling me these marks have nothing to do with my high speed decceleration grinding noise. That helps, I can move on to something else.

Maybe I should just swap drive shafts if I can find someone with a spare and see if that has any impact.

 

[tarbe]

Slee sells nice drop blocks. Got my driveshaft out of my sway bar's business.

 

[Rich]

Ken, I have to say I don't have a clue as to what is causing your grinding noise issues. I would presume, given that you have a lift, that they were likely caused by the swaybar, but I'm not there, and you are, so use your best judgement.

 

[mabrodis]

Ken, if you're around on Sunday I could swing by and take your LX wheeling...err, I mean try to diagnose the problem... Seriously I'd be happy to take a look...

My guess is it's not from YOUR driving, it's the garage gnomes...they wheel your vehicle when you're asleep...

 

[Romer]

Thanks Mark, I'll let you know. I am having another friend listen to it tomorrow to see if he can point me in a direction. That direction may be to Christo's shop. I'll have to wait and see.

I'm thinking even though its been balanced and had the U joints replaced, there is something else wrong with that shaft. If this friend tells me it sounds like a shaft problem, I will try and "borrow" one from someone who has a spare to see if that makes a difference.

Hope things are going well for you!

 

[NorCalDoug]

I recall Bailey (Cruisin GA)having a similar problem with his. He had J springs IIRC installed. You still have the OME mediums, right? No...you added the gaskets, I recall. You could PM him to see what problem he ran into. I can't recall enough about his thread to give you a hint on what to search on.

 

[Safado]

More with leaf springs then our coil setups...there is a tremendous force on the pinion during acceleration and it actually forces the pinion up. During deceleration the opposite happens. I can't honestly say that this is what you are seeing...but just test it. Remove the front shaft, lock the CDL and take it for a spin...is the noise gone? Or just throw a new coat of black spray paint on it and take it out on the highway....make the noise happen and take a look at what you've got.

Good Luck

 

[CruisinGA]

I had something similar, but worse.

My swaybar actually made a 1/4" deep indentation on the driveshaft slip yoke cover.

I had J's +1" and caster plates. Did not have the problem with the heavy springs, heavy springs +1", or J springs +1". Only J's+1 WITH caster plates caused the driveshaft and swaybar to become friends.

 

[CruisinGA]

Driveshafts do not stay in a perfect plane while rotating. They flex etc quite a bit. At rest my driveshaft was not touching the swaybar.

 

[dmc]

I'm thinking even though its been balanced and had the U joints replaced, there is something else wrong with that shaft.

Romer,

Did you do the U joints yourself? I remember reading that the driveshafts on an 80 should be out of phase or have the yokes opposite of each other. Perhaps the driveline was reinstalled improperly aligned. I've heard that will cause a bad vibration.

I know this doesn't explain the marks on your DL but might explain the noise. When you take the sway bar off does the noise go away. I agree with Spencer. Paint it again. Drive around with the sway bar off and see what happens.
dmc

 

[clarkrw3]

When cruisers deccelerate they get quite a bit of nose dive which in turn compresses the front suspension...which in turn could bring you driveshaft in contact with other none moving parts such as the sway bar. Just a thougth but I could be full of it also...who's to know.

 

[Romer]

To answer the questions:
I had the U joints replaced and the shaft rebalanced at a drive shop
I installed it per the FSM
I had cleaned out the spline
I am running med springs
I took the spacers out because it was really grinding bad with the spacers. At slower speeds and when I was just giving it little gas
I cleaned out the spline and greased by hand
I have not driven without the shaft since I replaced the Swaybar bushings (Maybe this weekend)

I took the cover plate off the wheel hub and there is plenty of grease
The wheel Bearing is still tight.

I opened the zirc on the drive shaft and bled it out a bit.

One of the swaybar bushings was worn really bad, so maybe it is sitting a little different. I did readjust it after I put the tires on.

I'll probably have more to post later today. I am getting another opinion at lunch.

 

[CruisinGA]

Check to be sure the driveshaft is 90 degrees out of phase...

 

[Romer]

Check to be sure the driveshaft is 90 degrees out of phase...

It is, per the FSM

 

[turbocruiser]

Ken, you do have drop blocks for the sway bar setup right???