Well we made it through Pinks without any carnage. However, as Darryl mentioned, I am on borrowed time with my current driveline. After witnessing Greg's mass destruction of his trans and driveshaft, I think it's time for me to strengthen things from the transmission on back.

I think I'll pull the transmission this fall and see if the NW transmission guru that Dave, Kevin and Darryl use, could do an upgrade of it for me.

Mike P mentioned that late model GM truck driveshafts found at auto wreckers make an excellent upgrade over the stock unit I run.

Last concern is the rear end. It is a 12 bolt with a Moroso Brute Strength posi unit and Richmond 4.10 gears. It still has stock axles and 7/16" studs. Darryl mentioned alot of info to me, but unfortunately, alot of it was over my head, and I don't recall what I'm supposed to do to improve it.

As I'll be looking at hopefully 10 second times soon, I believe the rules, and common sense, dictate that this gets attended to. Do I have to use c-clip elim's ?

Any input on what you're using, and at what power levels would be appreciated. I did a pretty thorough search in the driveline forum, but I would like to know what the local choices are. Thanks. :):boring::p:rolleyes::boxing:

(My 6 year old daughter insisted on adding the smilies.)

The GM truck driveline upgrade sounds good....maybe upgrade to a 1350 series solid style yoke(no zerk fittings) on each end as well???

For the rear end, if it has the stock 7/16" main cap bolts, you could upgrade with a few different options...if you haven't done one already.
1. New main cap on ring gear side only with 1/2" bolts
2. Main cap studs
3. Main cap support cover with studs that prevent main cap deflection.

Axles are definitely needing an upgrade from stock units and the 7/16" studs. Tom's differentials in Idaho is a good place to get Made in the USA differential parts at a very reasonable price. If it were me, I'd have Dave do the bolt-in axle ends for Chevy brake pattern with the Torino bearings while doing the other upgrades....the ends cost about $90 as a pair complete from Moser and I think around $115 pieced together from Tom's(of course you need the correct bolt-in axles to match the ends).....they also don't leak like the C-clip eliminators which are $150 from Moser.

You need Ford ends, alloy axles and have Dave weld your axle tubes. Also add some good wheel studs.

Weld the tubes, and a set of Yukon axles, with a set of 1/2" studs, and new lugnuts. that would be minimum, as far as differential upgrades. It would be nice to add a set of C-Clip eliminators as well.

This would be the Outcast budget upgrades.:D;):thumbsup::yes::hurray::p:disco:

As far as the truck aluminium;) DriveShaft, I've read aboot it, but I need to look into it. Greg's incident has Me thinking the same as you.:yes:



:waving:

Weld the tubes, and a set of Yukon axles, with a set of 1/2" studs, and new lugnuts. that would be minimum, as far as differential upgrades.



:waving:

For what it's worth John, I was priceing yukon axles and Colin from IWE rear ends only in Coquitlam (?) gave me a better price on them than I could have got ordering them and having them shipped from the U.S. They have a web site www.iwerearendsonly.com.
DO NOT forget the IWE part like I did once. It's not a pretty site.

im in the same boat johnny. doc told me to take my driveshaft to drivelines northwest and tell em im racing with it and they would take it from there. as far as the rear he said throw a spool, axles, c clip eliminators and the diff cover with the support studs. then it should be half bullet proof

Those all sound like solid ideas.:yes:

I'm not sure how many I shared Martin's conclusion with as too why my driveline failed and the tranny housing cracked at the front of the casing.

I'm sure he's hit the nail on the head (or tranny on the tail - DAVE settle down....:p).

The first thing he asked me without seeing the driveshaft was "how much room did you have when you pulled the U-joint into the yoke?"

I recall about 1/2-3/4" just enough to clear the yoke and pull the U-joint back into place.

He said, That's not enough room for a street/strip car... you want at least an inch. Basically the rear end is able to shift forward and back due to the stock style suspension. He said it sounded as if the driveshaft was forced into the trans and the result was the carnage that ensued.

Now that he's said that I've looked at the driveshaft, and that's exactly what appears to have happened. The tapered part of the driveshaft has been crushed and the larger failure towards the front of the shaft was a result of that rear failure. It doesn't appear that the driveshaft was "twisted".

The U-joint which had less than 3,000 miles on it was suddenly stopped because of the driveshaft being bound up and snapped the end off.

Here's a picture of what I'm talking about. It sure looks like a compression failure to me.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t227/66buickspecial/driveshaftfailure1.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t227/66buickspecial/driveshaftfailure2.jpg

I think the trans would be alive today if the driveshaft had enough room to move.

Why did it happen on this run?

The track was prepped way better than Bremerton usually is on our test and tune nights so traction (and suspension movement) was at a premium, also due to the lighter tire/wheel package up front and pulling the tires, I'm sure different angles were obtained... and the correct nitrous solenoid gave me just a bit more power than I've had until the last Bremerton run.

UHHMMMM, what about the 8000 RPM LAUNCH?:D:yes:;):hurray:

The first thing he asked me without seeing the driveshaft was "how much room did you have when you pulled the U-joint into the yoke?"



Do you mean yoke into the tailshaft?

:cool:
It was actually my typical 4000rpm launch... but it was an 8,000+ (tach was pegged) nitrous shift to 2nd.:thumbsup:

Good thing this motor doesn't make any power over 6400...:D

Do you mean yoke into the tailshaft?

nope... when I pulled the driveline back to seat the u-joint in the pinion yoke.
It had just enough room to slip past the end of the yoke and go back into place.

I guess it would be the same on the other end.. but with it tight in the trans I had just enough room to get it past the ends of the pinion yoke.

OK, same thing. It's how much freeplay, your yoke has in the trans before it binds out.

I need to check Mine. I know my problem already is that with the lowering springs, I got no room for a bigger diameter driveline.

I really need to get a race car, and stop effing around.:yes:

Typically a driveshaft shop(I used Drivelines NW) will give you 3/4" of travel when you give them a bottomed-out tailshaft yoke measurement....sounds like 1" is a better idea though for our applications.

I kinda figure I'll tell Drivelines NW what I'm running and how it gets hammered on and see what they come up with.:yes:

I kinda figure I'll tell Drivelines NW what I'm running and how it gets hammered on and see what they come up with.:yes:


Just show them a copy of your wheels up picture. They will get the point :D.

Just show them a copy of your wheels up picture. They will get the point :D.

Nice!:D:beers:

I just ordered a Denny's nitro drive shaft and he said they are giving me 1" of clearance in the tranny slip yoke to allow for suspension squat.