HELP! Driveshaft / Gearbox

[Team_Sprite]

What are we doing wrong? We didn't check the drive-shaft yoke / smooth-case tail-shaft compatibility before installing the motor/gearbox (do people do that?), and now seem to have about 2-3 (+/-) inches more drive-shaft than needed. The yoke only goes on around 2" to the tail-shaft and stops, the 'collar' on the drive-shaft just fails to reach the seal/spline. (the teeth match) The drive shaft is aprox. 33." We were just given a shorter drive-shaft, but the yoke has finer teeth. I can switch yokes if need be, but it seems something else is wrong. We purchased the trans separate from the car, so this gearbox and drive-shaft have never even been on a blind date before. I will try the yoke on another tail-shaft over the weekend, and if it fits, then, I guess, we pull the motor back out (sigh) but would sure like to avoid that. So: how far does the yoke fit over the tail-shaft? Does it have free play just before bolting up the rear-end? What's up? As Willie sings: Time slips away....

Brian & the girls
www.teamsprite.com /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grouphug.gif

 

[aeronca65t]

There are three different types of driveshafts for Spridgets.

The 1500 is totally different, so I'm sure that you're not dealing with that.

But there is a "late" 1275 driveshaft that's a bit different (see the picture below...it comes from the Moss website).

The vast majority of Spridgets from 948 to older 1275 use the "old style" driveshaft.

Sounds like you ended up with a late 1275 driveshaft.

 

[bugimike]

Just ran out and looked in the garage...thought I had one, but it is the 1275 one...sorry!!

 

[Team_Sprite]

It has the collar like the one on the left. One odd thing though, in the line drawing it looks like the splines are on the outside of the shaft, that must be an illusion? What about anything that may block the yoke sliding on, the speedometer drive???


Brian

 

[bugimike]

The one with the collar is certainly the correct one! The collar should completely cover the end seal on the tranny. looking from above you should be able to see if it is seating all the way to the lip on the trans case ahead of the seal. The speedo gear should not interfere at all!
There isn't anything jammed way back up in the splines is there?

 

[aeronca65t]

You don't have the spline filled with grease, do you?

 

[Billm]

I have had difficulty getting driveshafts to spline before but with some persistance (and too often some profanity!!) they have always gone on. This is a blind opperation and never really "fun" but from what you've said it should go on. And "No" the splines are not on the outside of the shaft, the illustration is misleading.
Good Luck- we have all been there
Bill

 

[Bugeye58]

Brian, here are some measurements I just took from a known Bugeye shaft.

OAL..................... 33"

ID of Collar..................... 2 1/8"

OD of Splined Snout................. 1 3/16"

Depth of splined snout.............. 4 5/8"

Rear of collar to front of snout.... 4 3/8"

Inside depth of collar............. 2 1/16"

Ctr. to Ctr. of U joints.......... 26 1/4"

I hope this is of some use to you.
Make sure the collar isn't dinged and hanging up on the tailshaft.
Jeff

 

[spritenut]

I just measured both styles of drive shafts, they are 33" long. They are interchangable too. One (the early one) has an added collar which was eliminated later in production as a cost saving measure. It does nothing but maybe keep road dirt off the rear tranny seal.
Now if the rear tranny seal is bent or the collar is bent, it will not go in. But getting it close, tapping it home from the rear into the tranny is usually neccessary.
There is about a 1/2" or so of freeplay once it's all the way home. Just pull it out and bolt it to the diff.
Make sure the splines are lined up and meshed. You can feel this, then beat it in with a hammer from behind. Do not try to beat it in if the teeth are not meshed or you will bend the rear seal and/or collar.

 

[jlaird]

You have a drive shaft that will work, period.

Chean the splines as well as you can including inside the tube cover. A bit of greese on the whole thing is proper. Tape the shaft and the splined part in a straight line with painters tape so it is easy to get on the end of the transmission.

Now try it once you get the splines on a tap tap tap to get it on far enough to bolt up is prob in order. I bet you did not have it in the seal even, tap tap, carefully, it should go.

 

[bugimike]

If it is so tight that you have to "tap it home" it is too tight. Investgate further. The drive shaft should slip on and then give you about a 1/2" of free play to snug it back to the pumpkin, insert the four bolts and tighten it all up!

 

[middleagecrazy]

I agree with Mike. If you have to tap,tap,tap somethings wrong. I have never used any type of hammer or mallet to install one. I personnally use electrical tape and tape the yoke straight. It only takes about four rounds and the plastic tape becomes litter a mile or so down the road. I did this last week after replaceing the front U joint. It's the third time I've had the shaft out and it has worked every time.

Anthony

 

[Billm]

As Spritenut said you need to verify that the surrounding cover on the driveshaft is round!! If it is too badly bent you will have the problems that you are mentioning- the protective cover hitting the rear seal and holding you out.
Bill

 

[Team_Sprite]

Thanks all. It stopped just a few millimeters short of the collar reaching the rear seal, so it's something before that. When we first tried to install the drive-shaft; we tried some 'tapping' moving it a little, but just made it harder to get off. Today I dressed the drive-shaft spline, and did a thorough cleaning, removing paint etc. I ran a welding rod around the tail-shaft and couldn't detect any obstructions. Tomorrow I'll run over to a friends and try the yoke on another tail-shaft.

Brian & the girls
www.teamsprite.com

 

[startech47]

Count the splines on both the output shaft and the yoke and make sure they are the same. Make sure it is not a DPO mismatch. Phil

 

[bugimike]

That comment about "removing paint etc." bothered me a bit, that should all be perfectly clean metal, with no paint anywhere there-about!! I also recommend a light lube -nothing real "heavy" like grease which might give you an air pocket - I used a little gear oil on mine, just to make it slide easy! I agree that you should count splines (male & female) to match compatibility, though I cannot think how they would not match if they are Spridget!

 

[jlaird]

Hay, only tap tap to get the splines past a bit of grit, not to force on at all.

Ok folks, you now know why I do dry fits etc, etc. Something like this can be a real frustrating deal.

Can you young folks with good eyes see up in the shaft with a flash light? I can not.

 

[bugimike]

We will have to wait and hear from some "young folks" Jack!
I would have to investigate with some kind of "probe" - like a dental mirror through the shifter hole, plus much twisting, straining, and grunting...But that's what I keep telling myself is keeping me "young", he, he!! If not young, at least "flexible"!

 

[jlaird]

My prob is focal length up in tight places like that.

 

[Team_Sprite]

Well, it went on further tonight after all the cleaning. I think part of the problem was the nice paint job we did on the yoke. With about 1 inch left I quit for the evening, I'll face it tomorrow with new 'vigga.' I have some hand problems, and need to quit about four hours before I do quit. So I'll fuss with getting the bugeye review page up on our site tonight.

Thanks so much for all the input.

Brian