Driveshaft bent? 1/8" out of round..

soctty7676 · Aug 26, 2005

In my quest to get the f*(&(*&) 60mph vibration to go away, I jacked the car up, put jackstands under the axle and checked the driveshaft. I wedged a straightedge between the mufflers up against the driveshaft and spun the wheel. The driveshaft "wobbles" between 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch up and down from the straightedge. Is this normal? Or might this be the cause of my vibration? It has all the weights attached and stuff, doesn't look like there are any areas where one fell off.

Also, There are worn rings around 2 or 3 (can't remember) parts of the axle about 3/4" wide. Looks like it rubbed on something because the rust of scraped off. Then one long deep scratch about 1 foot long down the driveshaft (front to back). BUT, there is no damage to the mufflers or anything around it.

Any ideas??

Thanks!

RandyStinchcomb · Aug 26, 2005

what year car? could be that the U-joints are shot....

soctty7676 · Aug 26, 2005

RandyStinchcomb said:
what year car? could be that the U-joints are shot....

The car is a 1998, I jerked around the driveshaft and did see any play in the u-joints. They seem to be pretty tight. Is there any other way to check them, cause at 80,000+ miles, I could see that being a problem.

Cobra Jay · Aug 26, 2005

If it's a wobbling 1/16 no that's not normal. That's waaaaaaay higher out of round than factory specs. I use to work in the D/S Dept. at Sterling Axlle a while ago. I don't remember the exact limits , but it was in the ten thousandsths of an inch area. Get rid of it and go buy an aluminum one. The stock one isn't worth messing with. If it's bent, it's toast. That is, unless you take it some where and have it straightened and rebalanced. But by the time you pay for all that, and new u-joints, you could already have a new FRPP aluminum shaft.

soctty7676 · Aug 26, 2005

GT JAY said:
If it's a wobbling 1/16 no that's not normal. That's waaaaaaay higher out of round than factory specs. I use to work in the D/S Dept. at Sterling Axlle a while ago. I don't remember the exact limits , but it was in the ten thousandsths of an inch area. Get rid of it and go buy an aluminum one. The stock one isn't worth messing with. If it's bent, it's toast. That is, unless you take it some where and have it straightened and rebalanced. But by the time you pay for all that, and new u-joints, you could already have a new FRPP aluminum shaft.

Yeah, that's what I figured, I think it is even closer to being 1/8" wobble than 1/16", so that is probably way out of wack. You are right though, it is not worth fixing, just replace and be done with it.

Any good online places to get a FRPP shaft? I need to get it in before the 8th of Sept, so they can put it in when they replace my clutch.

Thanks!

Cobra Jay · Aug 26, 2005

soctty7676 said:
Any good online places to get a FRPP shaft? I need to get it in before the 8th of Sept, so they can put it in when they replace my clutch.

Thanks!

They went up big time in price last year. I got mine from Ramchargers for 219, but that's only because I knew a guy who worked there and he gave me his discount. Most of the places iwho advertise in the Ford mags list them for 249.

Start a new thread and ask guys who have bought them recently where they got them from and for how much.

tjm73 · Aug 26, 2005

GT JAY said:
They went up big time in price last year. I got mine from Ramchargers for 219, but that's only because I knew a guy who worked there and he gave me his discount. Most of the places iwho advertise in the Ford mags list them for 249.

Start a new thread and ask guys who have bought them recently where they got them from and for how much.

Screw Ford. My brother just had a custom aluminum driveshaft made at a local company for his 418W Ranger that was at least 6" longer than a Mustang and it was only like $150 bucks. At least call around locally and get prices. Also local shops can take a F150 aluminum driveshaft and shorten it to the correct length and rebalence it for a lot less than $250.

RandyStinchcomb · Aug 26, 2005

tjm73 said:
Screw Ford. My brother just had a custom aluminum driveshaft made at a local company for his 418W Ranger that was at least 6" longer than a Mustang and it was only like $150 bucks. At least call around locally and get prices. Also local shops can take a F150 aluminum driveshaft and shorten it to the correct length and rebalence it for a lot less than $250.

well if you do that(use an F150 shaft) make sure you get one wth 1330 series u-joints, as some F150's have 1350 series joints and wont work wth stock slip yokes and pinion flanges.

soctty7676 · Aug 26, 2005

RandyStinchcomb said:
well if you do that(use an F150 shaft) make sure you get one wth 1330 series u-joints, as some F150's have 1350 series joints and wont work wth stock slip yokes and pinion flanges.

Yeah, I don't think anyone around my area has the experience to do this for me. The only place I could find to balance my stock drive shaft wanted $200!! I will just take the shaft (ha ha) and buy one made for the car.

Cobra Jay · Aug 26, 2005

tjm73 said:
Screw Ford. My brother just had a custom aluminum driveshaft made at a local company for his 418W Ranger that was at least 6" longer than a Mustang and it was only like $150 bucks. At least call around locally and get prices. Also local shops can take a F150 aluminum driveshaft and shorten it to the correct length and rebalence it for a lot less than $250.

Why would you want to do that? The f-150 d/s does have a larger O/D , but the inside wall thickness is no where near that of the aftermarket FRPP Mustang shaft. The FRPP shaft is 1,000 times stronger than the f-150 shaft.

If I were going to hav a shaft shortened to fit my car(which I wouldn't waste my time with BTW), the Crown Vic and Grang Marquis police interceptors come with an aluminum d/s that is made from the same diameter and thickness of aluminum as the FRPP shafts.

BTW, tell you brother GOOD LUCK getting a D/S loop for his car with that d/s.

04gtdrop · Aug 26, 2005

i got an FRPP d/s... i got it from summit for like 220? i think. i should have gotten one last year when they were like 150. ohhh well, live and learn...

soctty7676 · Aug 26, 2005

04gtdrop said:
i got an FRPP d/s... i got it from summit for like 220? i think. i should have gotten one last year when they were like 150. ohhh well, live and learn...

THANK YOU! I ordered the Ford Racing Aluminum D/S from Summit. $229, which isn't bad since everyone else wants $269, and it is shipping out Monday, so I will get it in time. Hopefully this will fix my vibration problem!

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