Amazon: Prop shaft to rear axle alignment

[bened]

I'm getting round to putting the rear axle back on my '68 Amazon and I've had a nightmare having re-read the Haynes manual, I didn't mark the position of the prop shaft to the flange on the rear axle. Kicking myself!

Is there any other way of realigning correctly as I'm sure the flange on the rear axle has rotated since removal? If it's put back in a different position is this going to be a major issues?

For reference I've the type 2 prop with the 4x securing nuts and bolts, the Haynes manual reads as follows: 2. The propeller shaft is carefully balanced to fine limits and it is important that it is replaced in its exact position prior to its removal. Scratch marks on the gearbox (or overdrive), differential pinion and the propeller shaft drive flanges for correct re-alignment when refitting

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Underdrive]

I've often doubted this advice because although propshaft balance is important, alignment with gearbox and axle flanges only matters if the shaft was originally balanced once fitted to the car. Also after 50 odd years chances are the propshaft will have been removed at least once before and with no guarantee it was replaced in the same position. Of course some knowledgeable person may come along and prove they were balanced on the car during production in which case please ignore!

[arcturus]

I believe that how it attached to the axle is not as important as the phasing of the UJs

[Army]

This is one of those "Haynes" moments where you need to not worry about it.

The important things to make sure are that the universal joints are correctly phased; that your centre propshaft bearing and mount is in good condition; and that the sliding splined joint is correctly aligned. My PV propshaft has an arrow and a raised dot to help you align the splines correctly.

The flanges at the gearbox and the differential are not important worry points. Sure if you'd marked it before removal you'd know for sure it was back in the position you originally found it but even then I don't think this is a point of concern.

If you were to replace the propshaft (or the differential or the gearbox with a new one for what ever reason) Haynes wouldn't tell you to go and get it dynamically balanced would it?

I don't believe that any mass production manufacturer has ever balanced propshafts on new vehicles on their production lines (unless they've decided to design something silly complicated that spins at ridiculous rpms - and that's unlikely to be a mass production vehicle!). Design and quality control is used to allow for "interchangeability" - a manufacturer wants to / has to be able to swap parts about to enable fast turn rounds and efficiency. Bringing in the chaps in white coats with expensive measuring equipment costs too much money...

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If you had vibration problems before you can do the following =>

1) Check the universal joints and replace if necessary
2) Check for excessive slop in the splines (limit in the book I think)
3) Check the run out on the flanges of the gearbox and differential (limit also in the book)
4) Check centre bearing
5) Check for correct alignment as already described

[bened]

Thank you all for your help, a lot less worried now! Everything was perfect before removal so fingers crossed it'll be fine once re-attached, if not I guess it may be the alignment, just one of those worry moments for DIY-ers!

Cheers

[Ron Kwas]

bened; I'm with arturus on this...I think you're worrying unnecessarily...as long as the front and rear section of Propshaft are phased correctly as shown, all is good!


Source: https://www.sw-em.com/Driveshaft_and_U-Joint_Notes.htm

Army; I have often run into tabs welded onto Volvo Propshafts (factory original), which I can only take as balancing elements.

Cheers

[Army]

Originally Posted by Ron Kwas

...
Army; I have often run into tabs welded onto Volvo Propshafts (factory original), which I can only take as balancing elements.

Cheers

I'm sure they are. I bet the individual parts of the propshaft are balanced independently off the vehicle. I was saying that balancing a propshaft on a vehicle is a time consuming involved process that is unlikely to happen in most manufacturing environments.

[bened]

Originally Posted by Ron Kwas

bened; I'm with arturus on this...I think you're worrying unnecessarily...as long as the front and rear section of Propshaft are phased correctly as shown, all is good!


Source: https://www.sw-em.com/Driveshaft_and_U-Joint_Notes.htm

Army; I have often run into tabs welded onto Volvo Propshafts (factory original), which I can only take as balancing elements.

Cheers

Thanks for the image explaining that Ron, in regards to the U joints, the prop hasn't been turned, removed or had any work undertaken on it while the axel's been off so should be good to go.

Cheers
Ben