1 piece driveshaft help

[supraman502]

ok so I just picked up my 1 piece steel driveshaft today, my uncle runs a fleet service center, finially realized a few months ago they had a drive train shop. Had him convert mine to a 1 piece and put new yokes on it.

So anyway, tried to install it tonight and its about a 1/2 inch too short, looking for the best option to make this work without making another one thats a 1/2 inch longer lol

would spacers / longer bolts be too weak?
would a 1/2 alum 1 piece spacer throw the balance off?

only 2 things I can think of, any ideas?

some pics of the drive shaft and the gap

 

[Rennat]

did you measure wrong? or was it an error the shop made?

there was a driveshaft for sale not that long ago which had an aluminum spacer so it fit either auto or stick... and he said his was good up to 600hp+

 

[jdub]

would spacers / longer bolts be too weak?
Yes. Don't want to do this on the differential end...not a balance issue, but strength issue.

would a 1/2 alum 1 piece spacer throw the balance off?
In the middle of the shaft?

You can use this shaft, but the splines will not fully engage on the tranny. The best thing to do is make another one.

 

[supraman502]

would spacers / longer bolts be too weak?
Yes. Don't want to do this on the differential end...not a balance issue, but strength issue.

would a 1/2 alum 1 piece spacer throw the balance off?
In the middle of the shaft?

You can use this shaft, but the splines will not fully engage on the tranny. The best thing to do is make another one.

the spacer would be between the diff and the shaft

 

[supraman502]

did you measure wrong? or was it an error the shop made?

there was a driveshaft for sale not that long ago which had an aluminum spacer so it fit either auto or stick... and he said his was good up to 600hp+

I just gave them a stock d/s and said I wanted it the exact length, but 1 piece. So the auto is a 1/2 inch shorter than the manual?

 

[Zumtizzle]

^Correct!

 

[supraman502]

^Correct!

so atleast worst case if I cant figure something out, sell it to an auto owner and make a new one lol

 

[jdub]

the spacer would be between the diff and the shaft

I wouldn't do that...it would require longer bolts. More susceptible to shear.

 

[supraman502]

I just looked at the thread for the one for sale that came with a spacer, looks alot thicker than a 1/2 inch, might have been the pic though

 

[Angry7M]

I was wondering if you know how much the shaft you had made weighs? Theres a guy that modifies of makes driveshafts for cheap here, so i was thinking of modifing mine too.

 

[Zumtizzle]

I just looked at the thread for the one for sale that came with a spacer, looks alot thicker than a 1/2 inch, might have been the pic though

opps it's more than half an inch.

the auto is much longer than the manual.

 

[prsrcokr]

Who else has verified this info? Both of my R154 DS's were the same measurement, which was ~3/8-1/2" shorter than the 1 piece I just received. After a single event the car will hardly roll in nuetral as if the DS is binding or not completely disengaging. 1st and 2nd are also suddenly hard to shift.

Haven't dug deep into this but it's odd, no problems in 190K miles with the stocker and after 1 auto-x I've got tranny problems.
Any ideas?

 

[forcefedsupra]

My one piece is like that also. It is supposed to be. They do it like that because the tranny flexes as well as the differential. If it fit tightly, it wouldn't allow for flex and would damage the whole system when you hit a major bump. It is correct, use it.

 

[prsrcokr]

Right, it doesn't fit tight but it's 1/2" longer than stock so I thought it could be putting more stress at times (if expanding, like when people over grease a stock DS and it causes problems)

I'll have to take things apart to figure why I'm having problems suddenly, this was just my first indication since it happened just after install. I'm easy on shifts, maybe one of the brass rings finally let go? Also could be something with the shifter I guess, the C's unit always seemed a little funny that it was chamfered like stock, I could have lost a bushing and it's not engaging/disengagin the gear properly.

3-5 and Reverse seem fine so I'm thinking it's more than something simple. I'll let yall know what I find.

 

[prsrcokr]

Anyone else have measurements? I'm hearing the NA's are longer and some autos.
My stock 5 speeds were 50-1/4", this replacement 1 piece was 50-3/4".