driveshaft woes

a91what

SendMeUrDataLog
10 Year Member
Apr 6, 2011
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Hillsborough county
Okay I'm having a problem with the driveshaft bolts backing out I've tried new bolts they backed out then I tried soaking new bolts in extra lock tight they still backed out. I think the drive shaft may be warped I checked the pinion it doesn't have any play new u joints the car has a slight vibration over 75 mph... Thanks
 
Tried lockwashers.. red locktight. Has to be a hell of a vibration to keep backing them out.... When I put the car together I had the driveshaft apart to paint it....... So I don't know if I lined it all back up wrong. I have tried rotating it 180. No more vibration but still backed the bolts out.......
 
The vibration needs addressed. If it is not the tires and your driveshaft is messed up, flipping it might only change where the vibration is. You do not want it ruining the tranny output bushing, the rear end pinon bearing, nor either seal. I would check with a straight edge, then head to a shop that balances driveshafts. The alluminum Ford shaft is not expensive, and the junk yard link lists options that should be cheaper. But you might get lucky with a bad u joint that has seized.
 
It does vibrate..... But I believe that the bolts backing out cause it. When I feel the vibration I check them. When they are goodntight I don't seem to notice it much but the car does vibrate on its own..... Speakers..... Anyway this is driving me nuts. Should the driveshaft have a damper on it? I've been reading on what causes this too happen and tccoa says leaves the mooseballs on... Lol.
 
I've decided to take the ds out and give it a good look over.. if it's damaged then I'm going to try the aerostar ds swap. If all is good with the ds. Then what could I be doing wrong for the bolts to keep backing out?
 
I have yet to come across a vibration free driveshaft in a fox. I've had multiple steel ones and aluminum ones in many Fox's, MN12's and P/U's and all have vibrated to some degree. That being said....if the vibration is minimal, then I would concern yourself with replacing the driveshaft. By minimal, I mean you should be able to bring the car up to highway speeds and not hear feel anything excessive. I've always gauged it by being able to see clearly in my rear view mirror. If the image in the mirror becomes "blurred" because of vibration under 140km/h, that's an indication there may be a problem.

I suspect that it's your pinion flange that has gone south, not your driveshaft. I've had u-joints so badly ceased they would shake my rear view mirror out of adjustment at highway speeds....yet still would not work the driveshaft bolts loose. Red Loctite requires enormous force and many times heat to break the bond. No amount of shaking is going to loosen those bolts....especially continuously the way they have been.

I suspect that they've worked themselves loose in the past and gone untightened for prolonged periods of time and wore the threads of the pinion flange. Try threading the bolts in by hand to see how tight/loose they feel. If there's any play in them at all, that's likely your problem.

If it's been vibrating badly for any length of time, it may very well have taken out your tail stock bushing as well. Check for excessive play, wear on the yolk where it enters the transmission, or leakage at the seal.
 
Yes ^ if the bolts seems loose in the threads either the flonge threads are gone or maybe even the driveshaft bolt threads are stretched you can start at minimum and get new bolts to see if its any tighter then get another pinion flange if the new bolts don't solve the problem
 
Yes ^ if the bolts seems loose in the threads either the flonge threads are gone or maybe even the driveshaft bolt threads are stretched you can start at minimum and get new bolts to see if its any tighter then get another pinion flange if the new bolts don't solve the problem
He'd already said he tried new bolts and the problem persisted, which makes me believe its the pinion flange itself?