Hello forum - in short, I purchased a sight-unseen, pik'n'pull drive shaft for the rear of my '93 80.
I received a double cardan and yoke-booted shaft that is about 7 inches shorter than my rear shaft. The yard claimed it was a rear shaft from a '97 80. It is actually the same length as the front shaft in my '93. It also appears that the flanges are at least correct and matching. And it has external U-joint snap rings and proud zerks (as in fully exposed to potential rotational damage due to rocks), where OEM shafts have internal u-joint snap rings and protected (by and large) zerks. The only identifying numbers on the shaft are stamped on the flanges and they only identify the flange (C-22954, or some such). The numbers appeared to point to other numbers and things, such as '1310' and 'Spicer'. The U-Joint grease cups are yellow.
I am not aware (nor are my local 80 techs) of any US spec 80's that came with double cardan OR booted-yoke shafts.
I would love to use the thing as a front shaft (I need front and rear replacements anyway, but I was starting with the rear one first till I ended up with this thing). I have no idea what could come of putting a mystery shaft in a vehicle, even if it bolts straight up. I'm trying to kill some vibrations that cropped up immediately following a transmission rebuild (yeah no, there should be no relation but tell that to the tranny shop
). To this point, the only way to deal with the vibrations is to grease the u-joints and yokes of both shafts about every 50 miles. The grease flings out or is squashed out within that time and the rattling/banging vibrations return.
If you would like to see this mystery shaft, just look up a custom double cardan shaft for an 80. It looks like that only with a yoke boot (have yet to find a custom made shaft with a boot), plus a decent patina of rust.
If I decide to bolt it in to see what happens, I have no idea what to look or hear for during testing (road test, no lift available). Anyone have a few suggestions for what I should not be seeing or hearing? Could I hork my entire driveline by trying it? Don't have time for that.
As always, big thanks and happy trails!
I received a double cardan and yoke-booted shaft that is about 7 inches shorter than my rear shaft. The yard claimed it was a rear shaft from a '97 80. It is actually the same length as the front shaft in my '93. It also appears that the flanges are at least correct and matching. And it has external U-joint snap rings and proud zerks (as in fully exposed to potential rotational damage due to rocks), where OEM shafts have internal u-joint snap rings and protected (by and large) zerks. The only identifying numbers on the shaft are stamped on the flanges and they only identify the flange (C-22954, or some such). The numbers appeared to point to other numbers and things, such as '1310' and 'Spicer'. The U-Joint grease cups are yellow.
I am not aware (nor are my local 80 techs) of any US spec 80's that came with double cardan OR booted-yoke shafts.
I would love to use the thing as a front shaft (I need front and rear replacements anyway, but I was starting with the rear one first till I ended up with this thing). I have no idea what could come of putting a mystery shaft in a vehicle, even if it bolts straight up. I'm trying to kill some vibrations that cropped up immediately following a transmission rebuild (yeah no, there should be no relation but tell that to the tranny shop
). To this point, the only way to deal with the vibrations is to grease the u-joints and yokes of both shafts about every 50 miles. The grease flings out or is squashed out within that time and the rattling/banging vibrations return.If you would like to see this mystery shaft, just look up a custom double cardan shaft for an 80. It looks like that only with a yoke boot (have yet to find a custom made shaft with a boot), plus a decent patina of rust.
If I decide to bolt it in to see what happens, I have no idea what to look or hear for during testing (road test, no lift available). Anyone have a few suggestions for what I should not be seeing or hearing? Could I hork my entire driveline by trying it? Don't have time for that.
As always, big thanks and happy trails!
