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Front driveshaft parts interchangeability? (added link to Dana/Spicer CV info)

dyeager535

dyeager535

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Please see post #8 below regarding new question. Thanks! :)

Absolutely worthless info, but are most driveshaft slip sections "coarse" splines?

Finally got my '91 V3500 front shaft apart, and it looks to be 32 spline-ish, and keyed so it will only go together one way. Obviously to keep it in phase, but I've never seen an older shaft set up like this.
 
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dyeager535 said:
Absolutely worthless info, but are most driveshaft slip sections "coarse" splines?

Finally got my '91 V3500 front shaft apart, and it looks to be 32 spline-ish, and keyed so it will only go together one way. Obviously to keep it in phase, but I've never seen an older shaft set up like this.
Click to expand...

All of the Blazer shafts I have taken apart are the fine spline that has the "key" tooth on them. I believe that all of the CV shafts are this way and the Non-CVs are course spline.

Dick
 
OK, good info. Kind of figured the split was going to be CV vs. non-CV. I assumed all the CV shafts were similar, an older shaft I have (probably 203?) is coarse splined, but the flange is the same as the '91.

Getting the right joints for the CV at the auto parts store yesterday was impossible, but found them online at Napa in 2 minutes.:rolleyes:
 
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Are the fine splines Involute, or square?

Reason I ask is that I was told that square splines slip under load better than Involutes, but I have no confirmation of that info. If GM did Involutes then it's likely hogwash.
 
I'd have to pull it apart next time I'm near it and look real close I guess. They appeared to be square, especially the keyed one I was paying attention to, which is a bit longer across the flat.
 
Adding this:

http://www2.dana.com/pdf/J321-CV.PDF

If it's a repost, start the "R" "E" etc. posts. :)

I don't have time to look at it now, but I recall they mention involute. The teeth certainly aren't perfectly square, they are rounded a bit at the edges, not from wear.
 
I have two front driveshafts here. Both have the same Saginaw style C/V joint, flange, yoke, etc. One is coarse spline and the other fine. I believe the fine spline one is the factory original on my 85. The coarse spline was already pulled in a junkyard so who knows. I had assumed they just switched over one year.
 
So can you or anyone by chance confirm or deny that the two "halves" of these fine spline shafts are the same, besides length?

I should have known better, but turns out the front yoke (axle end) is shot. Probably hit a ruck when they stole/destroyed the donor vehicle. No way to know until I pressed in a new joint and it binds up quite nicely. :(

The axle end of this shaft is weird. I have no idea what it's for, but there is a metal collar about 3" long that is OVER the axle end of the driveshaft, which sits somewhat up against the base of the yoke. I can rotate it either direction, and move it up/down maybe 1/4", but I can't beat it off, and it's quite soft metal. It seems like such an odd addition, I can't help but wonder that if I find another fine spline donor shaft, I'm going to find out something is different than this one.

Anyone comment as to whether I should just be able to grab any fine spline donor front shaft and utilize the front half on the back half of the one I've got?

I already rebuilt the CV in this one, I'd hate to go back through another one. I'm surprised even the CV was good, it had been pushed so far past the operating angle that it bent one of the ears on the flange, every single joint cap had been pushed out of it's bore at least a bit, and the CV "ball cup" was bent. Fixed all that only to find the other ends yoke is shot. :(

Should have just bought a new shaft, this has taken entirely too long and too much money for a used piece!
 
It sounds like the yoke ears are just bent in a little, causing the joint to bind when installed. This has happened to me before, I just spread the yoke ears appart and all is good. Sometimes taking appart old rusty joints with a hammer will bend the ears in. This is what I use to spread the ears:

spreader.jpg

It's just a 1/2" bolt, nut, heavy duty washer and socket.


_____
 
Unfortunately, my dad came up with that idea already. We spread the ears with the "tool", but it sprung back most of the distance. Still bound up. Then we heated up the base of the yoke ear with the tool in place, and spread it so it took a set, wider than before. Still bound up.

From the looks of the yoke, the end of it came down on something (again, likely a rock) and it LOOKS, from eyeballing it, that both ears are bent in the same direction.

After installing the joint the last time, we tried tapping the ears a bit with a hammer to see if we had overspread the yoke, but that didn't help either.
 
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