Driveshaft phasing help...

[happycamper]

I've looked at the threads, but I'm feeling a little dense or something... can't figure out the lingo or whatever. I'm trying to figure out if I am phased correctly, gotta big vibration up over 60 MPH. Just replaced all the steering and had it aligned today, but it is still persisting, everything is within Ford spec's. Here are some pics; if all of you could check out maybe where I'm wrong: PS- no weights on my shafts ever.

[forrestbump]

Did you recently remove and dissemble your drive shaft? If so and if you didn't mark each section of drive shaft as to it's orientation to each and every piece than YUP you're out of phase.

You can have your drive shaft balanced to correct this condition. Just remember to ALWAYS mark each piece so this won't happen to you again.

I use a steel stamp set that has an "Arrow" symbol and "stamp" each drive shaft piece how it's assembled BEFORE disassembly.

One other thing to check for is U Joint seating in yokes. They may look like their seated, but it doesn't hurt to reverify.

[fordman]

phased means to have both shafts u joints lined up with each shaft. so each shaft u joints will be in the same direction as the other shaft behind it. the soild side of the driveshaft should match the solid side of the other shaft. the the side with hte yokes will also line up with the side with the yokes.

but you need a rommulan phaser to get them right.

[70_F100]

Forrestbump, I have to disagree with you a little here.

As long as the yokes are aligned like Fordman said, there shouldn't be any problem. That, and the driveline angles are correct.

At the factory, they just picked up each piece separately and installed them, making sure the alignment was correct. Each section was balanced independently. You could buy each piece of the driveline separately from Ford if you needed a replacement.

I know I've heard lots of folks over the years talk about "mark everything so it will go back together the same way", but that really isn't something that's necessary.

[basketcase0302]

but you need a rommulan phaser to get them right.

Do you get those from the same stores that sell relative bearing grease?

The carrier bearing looks new. Has it been moved or is it a new addition?
I ask this due to my having a similar issue when I built BC # 16, (that was eliminated by moving the carrier bearing "off center").

[happycamper]

Okay, just back in from test drive...re-orienting all of the u-joints to line up didn't do squat, so I'm going to have the tire balance checked tomorrow. Seems like its all shaking on the right side between mid seat and bed. Shaking at the gas pedal too; but thats bolted to the cab. Gonna try rotating the tires after dinner and give it a go again. Problem feels like a bent rim or loose wheel, although I checked the latter.

Just out of curiousity... When I installed the trans mount pad to the crossmember and then tried to line up the holes on the frame, I had to slightly pry one side or the other backward to line up the bolt holes. Wondering if I have the mount pad for the tranny in backwards and that is causing me to be out of alignment on one side or the other (depends on which bolt you put in first), or, maybe I have the crossmember in backwards, (looks like a "K," and the K is facing forward). I did have to replace the carrier bearing because the rubber center wallowed out around the bearing.

Any thoughts here...?

[happycamper]

I'm not buying the wheel hop idea from the alignment shop either. He tried telling me that the unloaded bed and leaf spring suspension may be suspect; ie: bad leaf springs. Sounds like job security to me...

[fordman]

not wheel hop.

prying the transmission crossmember a little wouldnt have put it out of alignment. prying it alot real hard to force it to bolt up may be a problem. the crossmember will really only go in one way to the stock mounting holes. it could possibly be forced in the wrong way i guess.

[happycamper]

I guess what I meant to say was that I bolted the mount to the tranny, then bolted the mount to the crossmember. Upon bolting the crossmember then to the frame, the holes would only line up if I forced it, (one side or the other, depending on which bolt you wanted to put in first). If I just lay the crossmember in there without the tranny or the mount, the holes line up perfectly without force. Makes one think the engine and trans are a little off to one side or the other. Soon afterward the center carrier bearing rubber failed.

[terry1167]

I don't know for sure and am not an expert in this area, but my Last year my 02 Caddy had a vibration right at 67-69 mph. I took it to my mechanic and they "tested' a variety of drive train components, etc and they all tested out fine. Balanced and rebalanced the wheels and still persisted. I thought it might be a broken or slipped belt in the tires, even though I've never experienced that ever but had heard of this occurring. I lived with the vibration for 6 months or so and just chose to drive faster than 69 mph . Then decided to buy a new set of radials and the problem went completely away.

2nd story: With my 72 F250, I drove it one day this spring and it suddenly developed a vibration/thumping with what appeared to be with the driver front side, at about 62 mph. Literally developed overnight, or so it seemed. I checked a variety of things and balanced the wheels, but all seemed ok. I thought for sure it was the U joints or perhaps, once again a broken belt. I decided that it was time to get new tires, since the others were getting some cracking from sitting and I can't take a chance with carrying the big, heavy campers. Sure enough, as soon as the new tires were installed, problem disappeared completely. Rides and handles like my Lincoln Towncar....ok, maybe not quite..... but amazing difference.

I never knew that slipped/broken belts occurred that much until it happened to me 2x over a 12 month period. Like I said....just my

[happycamper]

This vibration does not go away...65mph and up. Getting more and more crazy as speed increases.

[fordman]

i remember you got a different crossmember. how many sets of holes were in the frame for the crossmember. 1 or 2 sets? did you face the Y part of the crossmember forward? which rubber transmission mount did you use? what did it come off of?

[390Nut]

Drivelines DO need to be balanced, especially ones that are 40 or so years old, specifically if they do not go back together the same way they came apart. Components wear over time, and become "mated" so to speak. Don't know all the technical jargon, but gauranteed it happens. I watched my (now ex) brother inlaw throw his driveline going down the freeway (two different times, within 5,000 miles each time after install) because he didn't believe me and just threw the drivelines back in without making sure they were where they were supposed to be. The third one (another junkyard item) he made sure to mark it and put it back together properly, and after several years and 50,000+ miles it was still in there doing what it was supposed to do. he has since sold that truck.

If you don't believe me, go take all your connecting rod caps off and swap them around a bit, and see how long your engine lasts after that.

that said, when did the vibrations first appear, and what did you do to the truck just prior to the appearance of said vibrations? It's not very common for vibrations in a truck (that are not easy/obvious to diagnose) to magically appear. they usually start out small and get worse over time.

[happycamper]

Trying to give you all the best info I can provide...All of these woes have started since I went from a frankenstiened 302/C4 combo that was originally a I6/3SPD setup. I used the entire driveline from my donor truck; 360/C6, the trans mount, crossmember, and driveshaft sections. I did notice that my frame has 3 sets of holes for the tranny crossmember location; think I am using the middle set of holes. Also, I had to cut out the mid crossmember to get the tranny in and out. When I put the donor mid-member in, it had to be bolted, (old one was riveted). It was also a little unusual in the fact that I kinda had to suck it all together with the bolts as its form seemed slightly smaller than the old one, maybe about a 1/4" on each side, right at the radius arm brackets. Seems like that area "spread" a little bit without the mid-mount and the mid-mount ties it all together and gives more foundation for the radius arm bracketry. This odd one and the fact that I have never had to even "slightly" pry a trans crossmember into position made this whole experience a new one for me in the driveline swapping business.

I feel like I'm pretty experienced at doing this stuff, however, I've never done it on Fords and have never had any troubles in the past. Makes me feel like an idiot because I can't figure out what is going on. I've got a nicely built roadrunner running in the 11's, but a pick-up truck that feels like it is going to shake apart over 70 MPH. Doesn't compute with my friends; they think I'm slipping. Not sure what to do with this thing....does drive perfectly fine around town, or at 60MPH or less. Don't want to just give up and sell it; too much invested, plus don't want to buy some new problems on something else.

[forrestbump]

Try this: http://www.actionmachineinc.com/driveshaftfaq.aspx and see what's said about phasing relative to vibration.