Register now to get rid of these ads!

driveshaft knock on lowered biscayne

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by bigrig, Nov 11, 2005.

  1. bigrig
    Joined: Sep 29, 2005
    Posts: 31

    bigrig
    Member
    from miami,fl

    last week i replaced the center support for the driveshaft because it had completely ripped off it's base(i found this out only after i pulled the driveshaft off the car) it was making a really HARD knock at low speed when i was slowing down just before i was stopped or when i would leave from i complete stop, worked fine for about a week but i hear the noise coming back not as loud or as hard but it is coming back. the car is lowered alot, do you think that i changed the driveline angle so much that it keeps ripping that center support off?
    should i try a shorter driveshaft?
    anyone with a x frame chevy had this problem?
    it's a 64 biscayne with a 230 inline 6
     
  2. bigrig
    Joined: Sep 29, 2005
    Posts: 31

    bigrig
    Member
    from miami,fl

    here's a pic [​IMG]
     
  3. DrJ
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 9,419

    DrJ
    Member

    Pontiac put a slip joint in the second/rear shaft so the movement of the rear end wouldn't push the bearing out of the rubber bushing. Chevy was too cheap and just hoped it would stay together till it was out of warranty (3 months).
    Most driveline updates for those '58-'64 X frame Chevys include cutting and turning one of the front yokes 90º so they are in phase :rolleyes: and adding a slip joint to the rear shaft.
    (I got this done on my '60 with new U joints for under $300.
    I don't have it done and on the road yet though, so I can't tell you how it works.)
    Also, when lowering the car sometimes the center support needs to be shimmed up, or the trans tailshaft eeds to be shimmed up or the pinion angle needs to change to keep it all in phase.
    There is a "black magic" service manual formula for all the included angles on cars that are stock height, but they start out with "make sure car is stock height" and if the car is always carrying a heavy load (lowered) it's an adjust and road test till the vibration goes away black magic trick.
    The pinion angle is adjusted by shimming that single upper control arm at the frame. If the rear bushings are shot, start by replacing them because the rear end is twisting all over the place if they are worn and letting the rear end move.

    If they had CV joints instead of U joints, none of this would be a problem.... :rolleyes: :cool:
     
  4. bigrig
    Joined: Sep 29, 2005
    Posts: 31

    bigrig
    Member
    from miami,fl

    another look[​IMG]
     

  5. KING CHASSIS
    Joined: Aug 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,862

    KING CHASSIS
    Member

    By lowering the car you have shortened the distance between the carrier brgn. and the rear end. When you are jacking up the car and putting it on jack stands, put them under the rear axle. This way the springs are loaded like it is sitting on the ground. Take the shaft out and measure under the car from the center of the rear carrier brgn. mount hole and the center of the u-joint on the rear end. And compare the difference with your driveshaft on the ground. I think that you will find that the rear shaft needs shortened a little. Also some one sells a carrier brg for those cars with poly "cushion" in stead of the rubber that is easily torn out. I worked in a driveshaft shop for 13 years and i have fixed this problem a "few" times. As to who makes the poly one that has slipped my mind i have been out of that business for about 4 years. But you could probably check in JEGS or with PST (they have them full page ads usualy on the back cover of car mags and they sell poly suspension stuff). Hope this helps
     
  6. KING CHASSIS
    Joined: Aug 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,862

    KING CHASSIS
    Member

    By the way bitchin ride.
     
  7. epinut
    Joined: Jul 11, 2004
    Posts: 736

    epinut
    Member

    Your Biscayne looks really clean. I'll squint my eye's & imagine a set of astros or chrome reversed with bias plys...:D
     
  8. bigrig
    Joined: Sep 29, 2005
    Posts: 31

    bigrig
    Member
    from miami,fl

  9. Randy D
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 340

    Randy D
    Member

    in addition to the mentioned solutions above, you might check to be sure you didn't spit out a snap ring allowing the U joint to move side to side with the cup out of place. Not likely the problem, but it was on a 60 impala i worked on earlier this summer. Nice car, BTW.
     
  10. mazdaslam
    Joined: Sep 9, 2004
    Posts: 2,524

    mazdaslam
    Member

    Nice car! You could also slot the bolt holes in the frame for the bearing mount.Slot them towards the front of the car.Then you can slide the whole shaft assembly foreward to make up for the rear being lowered.I did this on my old 64 Impala after ripping up a few bearings.I never had another problem after that.
     
  11. I screwed that up, didn't finish the thought, I'll try again; Rise-'er up 'til the driveshaft don't knock, it'll look better with a little rake anyhow. ;)
     
  12. bigrig
    Joined: Sep 29, 2005
    Posts: 31

    bigrig
    Member
    from miami,fl

    it's got a pretty good rake right now:D
    i'll post my results after the install-hopefully this will solve all the driveline problems i've been having,nothing like having a car you love driving and hating it for all the misery it brings you at the same time........
     
  13. Brandy
    Joined: Dec 23, 2004
    Posts: 5,286

    Brandy
    Member
    from Texas

    Lowering your X frame Late Great even slightly will throw the entire shiteroo out of whack. My 58 Biscuit is only lowered 3 inches and it ticks that bearing off something TERRIBLE.

    Easy fix for that is to take it to a driveline shop and have a slip yoke installed. That will allow the shaft to travel without eating the bearing. Something else that will allow you to maintain your bearing a lil longer is to install it properly, ie. have the car up off the ground all the way round and level. Also if you like, fill the holes in the bearing rubber with black urethane. It gives the rubber a little more substance. In the meantime if you feel like spending the money, buy a poly bearing from Inland Empire Driveline. They also sell a one piece driveshaft if you are feeling creative and cut the X center out and install new members.
    xxx
    Brandy

    http://www.iedls.com/
     
  14. Kev Nemo
    Joined: Aug 7, 2004
    Posts: 2,453

    Kev Nemo

    Yeah-me, too, except I have a lowered '62 Imp. Found out about the drive shaft at the Day of The Drags when the Christmas tree guy went 'Goddamn, something is bouncing pretty fierce in the rear of your car!'. No more runs after that:(
    I'm getting it fixed soon-maybe I'll get some pix????

    Oh yeah-sweet car, by the way:D
     
  15. Eagletucky
    Joined: Feb 21, 2005
    Posts: 735

    Eagletucky
    Member

    Keep the updates coming. I've got the same problem. Will probably go with the poly driveline/ driveshaft. Unless they want a fourtune for it.


    We'll see.
    Timmy
     
  16. bigrig
    Joined: Sep 29, 2005
    Posts: 31

    bigrig
    Member
    from miami,fl

    will do, should get it around wednesday or thursday.
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.