I did not use MSD for the shift handle. I traded my straight one to another guy for a brand new curved one he was going to use on an AC Cobra he was working on. I too wondered why they didn't have a shorter shifter. It's a pain to remove the consol with the long one. It can be done but not easily.
Exorcising a '78
- Thread starter IICrew
- Start date
I did not use MSD for the shift handle. I traded my straight one to another guy for a brand new curved one he was going to use on an AC Cobra he was working on. I too wondered why they didn't have a shorter shifter. It's a pain to remove the consol with the long one. It can be done but not easily.
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How is your shifter boot looking?
DIY shifter handle is easy to do, if you can borrow a tube bender.
Done with that tube bender (except it is yellow):
DIY shifter handle is easy to do, if you can borrow a tube bender.
Done with that tube bender (except it is yellow):
I guess I caused a ruckus at Modern driveline. I cc'ed the email chain to the owner last week. Yesterday I received a call from another gentlemen from MD. He apologized repeatedly. They were preparing for SEMA last week and once he read my email took a couple days to do some verifying in house. Apparently the salesman I dealt with is being terminated. I was not the only one he dropped the ball on. The gentlemen claimed they care about their public image and will make this right.
They do carry a shorter shifters for us. They do carry shift boots. All of which the previous salesman claimed they did not carry. He sent me some links for replacement parts. Asked for pics of how this shifter fits. Time will tell but it seems they want to make it right.
They do carry a shorter shifters for us. They do carry shift boots. All of which the previous salesman claimed they did not carry. He sent me some links for replacement parts. Asked for pics of how this shifter fits. Time will tell but it seems they want to make it right.
I received my replacement shifter. They even comped me a shift boot. I went with the Lokar 6" 30degree arm. Looks great and location is now perfect. Modern Driveline really stepped up.
I added 2 degree shims to the rear axle. The vibration may be a little less. Doesn't seem to hit as hard. May come on a few mph higher. Really hard to tell much difference. I also have 4 degree shims but have not tried them.
Carpet and Noico black insulation pads have been ordered. Hoping this makes the interior cooler on those hot days. I also have a factory black console in one of the parts cars to install. This one was red at some point and shows it.
I added 2 degree shims to the rear axle. The vibration may be a little less. Doesn't seem to hit as hard. May come on a few mph higher. Really hard to tell much difference. I also have 4 degree shims but have not tried them.
Carpet and Noico black insulation pads have been ordered. Hoping this makes the interior cooler on those hot days. I also have a factory black console in one of the parts cars to install. This one was red at some point and shows it.
I know one guy who tracked down the vibration issues of his car down to the drive shaft itself. He had several different driveshaft installed (all new or freshly balanced) and it took him 2 years. He than stared this procedure:
And has now same wheel balancing weights on his drive shaft and it is gone.
And has now same wheel balancing weights on his drive shaft and it is gone.
I did not jack it back up and run it on stands today but previously I have and can see the pinion bounce as the vibrations start. It happens with the axles removed. Either I am missing something completely obvious or it has to be the angles. I believe I have eliminated every thing else. At this point I've been through 2 stock driveshafts and 4 sets of u joints. I think it's a left/right angle vs up/down. Not much I can do about left right. I have loosened the mounts and shoved the tailshaft left right and center but thats about an inch variance and doesnt change the vibration.
I have a quote from a driveshaft company to make me an aluminum one with a cv joint replacing the front u joint. It would have been ordered already but a friend of mine is retiring from being a tech and wants to sell his snapon box full of tools. I can't pass up the deal and have to pay him first.
I have a quote from a driveshaft company to make me an aluminum one with a cv joint replacing the front u joint. It would have been ordered already but a friend of mine is retiring from being a tech and wants to sell his snapon box full of tools. I can't pass up the deal and have to pay him first.
I decided to flip the 2 degree shims placing the pinion front down. That seems backwards in my mind. Installing the t5 makes the tailshaft drop. I thought. In my mind the pinion would then have to raise to stay parallel. It did help some though. No where near smooth but the harshest vibrations are less. I took it to up to 70mph and it still vibrates but not as bad as it did. I drove it for 30 minutes to make sure it was warmed up and it did not get worse as it did previously. I am waiting on 4 degree shims to try them but it looks like winter is coming this week and if they salt she will be grounded till that's is gone. It may be spring before I get meaningful seat time again.
I also noticed the rear axle is not even front to back. I have about 3/4" difference in tire to quarter panel gap. I had the first shop set thrust angle when he aligned it. He even talked about how easy it was using the traction bars. Either things moved or wasn't set right. Kinda hard to move on its own with the traction bars. Maybe that is contributing as well. I wish I had a rack and way to shoot a laser grid upwards onto the chassis and measure away.
I will try to get her realigned and see if I can find a road force balancing shop. I wonder if the sticky weights or old wheels on the front are contributing as well.
I also noticed the rear axle is not even front to back. I have about 3/4" difference in tire to quarter panel gap. I had the first shop set thrust angle when he aligned it. He even talked about how easy it was using the traction bars. Either things moved or wasn't set right. Kinda hard to move on its own with the traction bars. Maybe that is contributing as well. I wish I had a rack and way to shoot a laser grid upwards onto the chassis and measure away.
I will try to get her realigned and see if I can find a road force balancing shop. I wonder if the sticky weights or old wheels on the front are contributing as well.
Ran her up to 75 with just a mild vibration!!!!!!
I centered the rear wheels in the well. Front to back. Just loosened the u bolts and adjusted the traction bar to get it eyeball close. It will need a proper alignment but that will happen sometime over the winter/early spring.
Then I had the tires road force balanced at Discount Tire today. They are the only place I could find near me who does it. Tire discounters, Bob Summeral and the local shop have balanced them previously on a regular balancer. None made much of a difference in the vibrations. Replacing the rear wheels and tires didn't help. Therefore tires were ruled out as the problem. Discount Tire did not find excessive run-out or any bent wheels. All were out of balance though. One was 2 oz out and the rest were under 1.5 each.
It is not stable at 65+mph as the caster and toe are off as well as the thrust angle now. But !!!!! It is a lot smoother. I still have a mild driveline vibration at 60+ but it's not enough to think its about to self destruct. My better half commented how we can actually have a conversation now that it's so much smoother.
It still has the 2 degree shims in place. The tires and axle adjustment made such a difference I am going to remove them and see what it feels like.
Basically wasted a year chasing my tail. Replacing parts and being frustrated. Just needed the most basic of steps done competently. I probably changed the thrust angle when I replaced the traction bars. A performance shop touched her next and set the thrust angle wrong. He even told me how easy it was to set using the traction bars. Then Bob Summeral didn't catch it when they re aligned it. I should have caught it myself as well.
The best part is now I am able to move on to the pretty stuff! Carpet will be here in a week or so. Maybe I can get new seats and a stereo before summer!
I centered the rear wheels in the well. Front to back. Just loosened the u bolts and adjusted the traction bar to get it eyeball close. It will need a proper alignment but that will happen sometime over the winter/early spring.
Then I had the tires road force balanced at Discount Tire today. They are the only place I could find near me who does it. Tire discounters, Bob Summeral and the local shop have balanced them previously on a regular balancer. None made much of a difference in the vibrations. Replacing the rear wheels and tires didn't help. Therefore tires were ruled out as the problem. Discount Tire did not find excessive run-out or any bent wheels. All were out of balance though. One was 2 oz out and the rest were under 1.5 each.
It is not stable at 65+mph as the caster and toe are off as well as the thrust angle now. But !!!!! It is a lot smoother. I still have a mild driveline vibration at 60+ but it's not enough to think its about to self destruct. My better half commented how we can actually have a conversation now that it's so much smoother.
It still has the 2 degree shims in place. The tires and axle adjustment made such a difference I am going to remove them and see what it feels like.
Basically wasted a year chasing my tail. Replacing parts and being frustrated. Just needed the most basic of steps done competently. I probably changed the thrust angle when I replaced the traction bars. A performance shop touched her next and set the thrust angle wrong. He even told me how easy it was to set using the traction bars. Then Bob Summeral didn't catch it when they re aligned it. I should have caught it myself as well.
The best part is now I am able to move on to the pretty stuff! Carpet will be here in a week or so. Maybe I can get new seats and a stereo before summer!
It seems the "simple stuff" is often overlooked and we almost automatically assume it's something major. Been there myself!
Happy to hear you've gotten it to a manageable level!
Happy to hear you've gotten it to a manageable level!
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