Drive shaft in phase

[m78]

I ran into a snag while trying to line up the universal caps (snap rings) on my two piece DS. On the front shaft, rear splines/yoke, the yoke will end up 1 gear off of being lined up. (I had it 90* out ). And I can't find anything in the shop manual other then lining up the universal caps. Anybody know another way ?

 

[Mil1ion]

Thisn is why the instructions sate to MARK to re-match the parts. of course if U-joints were replaced wrong a few years earlier marking means squat.

 

[Jolly Green]

Don't know if I fully understand the question. Can you lift up the truck and spin the shaft connected to the dif to line up the yoke? Again, maybe I'm not understaning you.

 

[DNFXDLI]

Was the slip joint taken apart?

 

[m78]

Heres the picture a little bigger.The slip yoke has been reinstalled so that the 2nd half of the DS (rear) is phased correctly. The snap rings face you just like the picture. ( the right side)
The front half ( left side) ends up with the u-bolt cap lining up with the snap ring cap unlike the picture. But the universals still all face the same. The dotted lines that are under the "center bearing assembly" is where the splines are that won't allow the snap rings to line up as in the picture. As far as I can determine , it's physically impossible to do as it shows in the manual.

 

[John in AZ]

Need a pic of your shaft. I have seen them welded up wrong at the drive shaft shop.

 

[mustangtoby]

What John said. If the splines won't line up, sounds like somone welded it just a little bit off. Does it vibrate? If not, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[m78]

All original equipment. Still has the paper tag from the factory on it.
I get a very slight pulsating vibration.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Heres the picture a little bigger.The slip yoke has been reinstalled so that
the 2nd half of the DS (rear) is phased correctly. The snap rings face you
just like the picture. (the right side)

The front half (left side) ends up with the u-bolt cap lining up with the snap
ring cap unlike the picture. But the universals still all face the same. The
dotted lines that are under the "center bearing assembly" is where the splines
are that won't allow the snap rings to line up as in the picture. As far as I
can determine , it's physically impossible to do as it shows in the manual.

Cool post, picture and description there, M80 (minus2!

Wow, never had this problem tho.
Others mention it being welded.
Is it?
Looks like it's just bolted in the picture??

If it's welded (like you say, at the factory) take it to a good driveshaft shop
and get it fixed. {shrug}

Either way, take it in and get it straightened and balanced if you want it to
run nice and smooth!

Set the truck up on blocks and start it up, put it in gear and run it up to like
75mph and feel the driveshaft. If it's "like new" it'll run smooth and straight
as anything you ever messed with. BTDT My old clunker has less vibration
at 75mph than most cars on the road since its tires have also been -trued-
too. Are you game for that craziness? LOL

---------------

My '75 F150 had a bad clutch the first time I pulled it off the lot for a test
drive on Feb 14 1975... it had 14.1 miles on it. Still dealing with that sorry
sucker today! Read where all of the manufactures were sloppy with their bell
housing alignment and Ford's been "voted" the worst during that era. Lucky
me huh? Anyway, since the last time I took it apart I got a dial indicator
and plan to fix it soon, got a new diaphragm-springed LuK clutch in a
Rhino-Pac from RockAuto yesterday.

It came with two ball bearings, one's a 6303 for my FE/FT for use as a pilot
bearing the other is a 6303 and don't know what that one fits. 351w uses
a tiny little 6003.

Alvin in AZ

 

[m78]

I won't get under a truck thats on stands running 75mph.
I put my DS back together the way I had it.

 

[mustangtoby]

If you take it to a machine shop, they can put it on a lathe and balance it. Then you'll know if the vibration is from the shaft or somthing else.