[CantedValve]

Uh oh...

My driveshaft seems to be too long for this AOD swap. With the yoke all the way into the transmission, I cant hook it up. IF I COULD hook it up, it would pop into place and there would be NO play. Mind you that the car is up in the air right now, and installing it in that condition is GOING to break something.

So I am gonna go get the thing re-tubed. The thing was getting pretty pitted anyway. I was quoted a rough estimate of $115 for retube and rebalance. I am thinking of telling them to chop it 1.5"

What is the general rule regarding how much tranny yoke should show when it is installed? For some reason 1" comes to mind...

 

[Art]

With the weight on the tires and the suspension loaded, push the yoke all the way in the transmission, pull it out 1", then measure from the center of the bearing cap to center of the bearing cap for length.

 

[CantedValve]

Okay. Unfortunately I dont have that luxury, as I dont fit under my car. I am going to do it geometrically

I know difference between loaded and unloaded height. I know driveshaft length. I SHOULD be able to figure it mathematically. I am guessing around 1.375" before any real number crunching.

And I thought I would never use that crap

 

[Art]

Measure the old tranny, measure the new one...

No geometric formulas needed!

 

[bbenthin]

Couldn't you measure the difference in the length of the old vs new trans set-up from the front of the bell back and chop the difference off of the drive shaft?

Maybe I'm over simplifying this. ::

 

[Art]

Unfortunately I dont have that luxury, as I dont fit under my car.

Have a jack? Some jackstands???

 

[dodgestang]

IF you jack the car up by the pumpkin the suspension is still loaded and you can get an accurate measurement for the driveshaft length you need.

You can also measure you old tranny, you new tranny, and you old drive shaft (center of the U to the center of the U) subtact teh differnece in tranny lengths from the driveshaft legth and call it done.

You can also order a nice Aluminum one from Streetor track for well under $300 IIRC

 

[CantedValve]

That's the thing... its different. The output shaft extends well beyond (1.5") the end of the tranny. When the yoke goes on, it fits flush with the end of the housing. It is correctly built, but I didnt take into account the shaft when I measured. No biggie... my driveshaft was on its last leg anyway.

 

[CantedValve]

Doesnt work... you want the load on the tires right? If its jacked up in the air, it inst on the tires.. unless (duh) you put the jackstands under the axles tubes...

*smacks forehead*

 

[Art]

Sorry I posted such erroneous information.

I would imagine if I had 49 solutions, you would have 50 reasons it wouldn't work..... ::

 

[CantedValve]

That is where I got the 1.5"

When you get down to it, the amount I "lost" in the swap was only about .25"... but I think it was WAY too tight to begin with. Everything was stock... I dont really understand WHY it was that tight, but oh well.

 

[johnpro]

Which tranny did you have before? FMX? Which yoke are you using? AOD?

If you're not using the AOD yoke, that's your problem. If you did have an FMX, that also could be the problem (could because I've never had an FMX).

I didn't have to do a thing to my driveshaft on my C4, except attach the AOD yoke to it with stock '66 u-joints. And the '66 and '69 C4 driveshafts are the exact same length.

 

[CantedValve]

FMX to AOD. I _DID_ get the AOD yoke. Still too tight. No matter, I will just get the driveshaft fixed.

 

[johnpro]

You could just pick up a C4 driveshaft and call it good to go. I know I've paid about $50 for the one in my '66 and the one that's in my son's '69 (was in his '65).

Just another CHEAP alternative

 

[CantedValve]

I was under the impression that the driveshafts for the C4, FMX, and Toploader were all the same (I think I had somebody check a parts book).

No nevermind. I am gonna just retube this one. I dont want to spend the days/weeks looking for a C4 chaft and finding that it is the same.