How to align driveshaft halves

[JohnL]

I took her around the block and am hearing an increasingly loud "clicking" in rhythm with the axle revolution/driveshaft RPM. Am trying to diagnose, but its only me, no one around to follow around and listen to exactly where the noise is coming from...I hope its not from a screw up on the No-slip install...

Anyway, I'm trying simple stuff first. When I disassembled the rear, I slipped off the rear driveshaft while removing the rear axle from the springs. I tried to scratch alignment marks before I separated tehm, but then I stupidly POR-ed over them so now I can't find them. I tried to get them aligned the same as the front, but I can't tell.

How do you correctly align the driveshafts?

Thanks!
John

 

[RustyNailJustin]

In phase... Just line up the yokes, a straight line between center caps on the yokes once you got it eye balled just put it together.

 

[JohnL]

What if I'm one spline off here one way or the other? WOuld that cause the joints to collide or strain?

 

[RustyNailJustin]

Wont cause anything like that but could cause a slight vibration. Drive shaft angle, not how you got it phased will cause the the yokes to smack eachother, and add stress.

 

[Yoda]

Get them aligned correctly. I think it would be cause of your noise, and it is easy to do.

The front yoke on the shaft should line up exactly as the rear yoke. If there are an odd number of splines on the slip, there is only one way it will line up. If an even number of splines, there will be two ways it will line up.