CGT80
1/2 ton status
I have an 88 K5-350/700r4/np-208/10b 1/2ton with 4.88 limited slip and 315-75/r16 tires.
This truck sees 99% street/freeway use. When I do go off road it is just to go snowboarding or run mountain BLM dirt roads. I don't have to use 4wd very often.
I have a drive line vibration. Lowering the t-case with the 1" factory spacers made a difference, but the angle is still bad on the U-joint at the T-case. I had decided to go with a CV slip yoke shaft. I got to a recommended (by my mechanic uncle) drive line shop and they claimed to be able to make the single cardan shaft work.
I would stay far away from Banning Drive line service in Banning, CA. These guys don't know their heads from their asses. I asked about 5 times yesterday if the angles on the U joints were withing acceptable limits. They said yes. They reinstalled the 1" spacers (I had pulled them out in prep for a CV), replaced u joints and shortened the drive shaft to work with the spacers. Well, they got rid of the clunk that happened from 1st to 2nd gear due to the drive shaft bottoming out, but that is about it. Today, they admitted that dropping the T-case more might help, but they also wanted to blame the vibrations on other equipment. This shop claims on their receipt that they are a 4x4 specialist. BS. They also never actually measured the drive line angles. I know an experienced person can tell a lot from just looking at it, but they never bothered to see how far off it really was.
I replaced the engine, myself, with a GM goodwrench stock 5.7 tbi. Less than a few thousand miles ago, my uncle rebuilt the rear end, rebuilt the 700r4 with all the good upgrades, and went through a used 208 that I picked up here. The 208 looked very good (they were amazed and they specialize in transmissions), so they sealed it up put it in.
I have some vibration when on and off the throttle at low speeds. I have a constant vibration at 60mph and higher. This vibration has existed as long as I have had the K5 (lift was put on by PO). I need to hit 70mph smoothly and quietly. I read this site again last night and read about HAD and Tom Woods drive lines. I also found some other info on google. I also talked to 4 west in Colton, CA, an off road shop. CK5, HAD, Tom Woods, and 4 west pretty much say a CV will get me where I want. Banning says a standard 1310 or 1350 CV doesn't have enough angle and a larger high angle CV (they want $900 for just the CV joint) isn't recommended for freeway use.
4 west is local and will set the pinion angle and have the shaft built (1350 cv) and install it for $850. A different local driveline shop wants $650 just to build a CV shaft (I don't know if it was a 1350), I don't think they do installs. Or, I could do the prep myself and measure and order a shaft from someone else. If I screw up the install, I have to pay to fix it (ex. angles and measurements). 4 west does jeeps and K5's and Bronco's often. Of course they will not give me a 100% guarantee that a CV will eliminate all vibration either.
So, Brotherhood, what route would you do? Some kind of an SYE kit for the 208 or keep the stock slip yoke? Let a shop handle this with their preferred drive line company out of Orange, CA or save a few bucks and do it myself.
Most people seem to like HAD and Tom Woods, but I have found a few bad reviews also, as is the case with most companies. Most of the threads I found were from the early 2000's, and not based on recent work.
Does anyone here have the same combo I have with a CV axle?
This truck sees 99% street/freeway use. When I do go off road it is just to go snowboarding or run mountain BLM dirt roads. I don't have to use 4wd very often.
I have a drive line vibration. Lowering the t-case with the 1" factory spacers made a difference, but the angle is still bad on the U-joint at the T-case. I had decided to go with a CV slip yoke shaft. I got to a recommended (by my mechanic uncle) drive line shop and they claimed to be able to make the single cardan shaft work.
I would stay far away from Banning Drive line service in Banning, CA. These guys don't know their heads from their asses. I asked about 5 times yesterday if the angles on the U joints were withing acceptable limits. They said yes. They reinstalled the 1" spacers (I had pulled them out in prep for a CV), replaced u joints and shortened the drive shaft to work with the spacers. Well, they got rid of the clunk that happened from 1st to 2nd gear due to the drive shaft bottoming out, but that is about it. Today, they admitted that dropping the T-case more might help, but they also wanted to blame the vibrations on other equipment. This shop claims on their receipt that they are a 4x4 specialist. BS. They also never actually measured the drive line angles. I know an experienced person can tell a lot from just looking at it, but they never bothered to see how far off it really was.
I replaced the engine, myself, with a GM goodwrench stock 5.7 tbi. Less than a few thousand miles ago, my uncle rebuilt the rear end, rebuilt the 700r4 with all the good upgrades, and went through a used 208 that I picked up here. The 208 looked very good (they were amazed and they specialize in transmissions), so they sealed it up put it in.
I have some vibration when on and off the throttle at low speeds. I have a constant vibration at 60mph and higher. This vibration has existed as long as I have had the K5 (lift was put on by PO). I need to hit 70mph smoothly and quietly. I read this site again last night and read about HAD and Tom Woods drive lines. I also found some other info on google. I also talked to 4 west in Colton, CA, an off road shop. CK5, HAD, Tom Woods, and 4 west pretty much say a CV will get me where I want. Banning says a standard 1310 or 1350 CV doesn't have enough angle and a larger high angle CV (they want $900 for just the CV joint) isn't recommended for freeway use.
4 west is local and will set the pinion angle and have the shaft built (1350 cv) and install it for $850. A different local driveline shop wants $650 just to build a CV shaft (I don't know if it was a 1350), I don't think they do installs. Or, I could do the prep myself and measure and order a shaft from someone else. If I screw up the install, I have to pay to fix it (ex. angles and measurements). 4 west does jeeps and K5's and Bronco's often. Of course they will not give me a 100% guarantee that a CV will eliminate all vibration either.
So, Brotherhood, what route would you do? Some kind of an SYE kit for the 208 or keep the stock slip yoke? Let a shop handle this with their preferred drive line company out of Orange, CA or save a few bucks and do it myself.
Most people seem to like HAD and Tom Woods, but I have found a few bad reviews also, as is the case with most companies. Most of the threads I found were from the early 2000's, and not based on recent work.
Does anyone here have the same combo I have with a CV axle?
