It seems like every turn there is something to slow me down. After I spend nearly a whole day trying to install a stupid fluid tube I finally get the C-Beam up into place and begin the installation of the driveshaft. I lubed up the end of the slip yoke and it slides in but not far enough to allow me to connect the driveshaft/U-joints into the pinion yoke. Do I need to force it in? Nothing has changed in length so I don't understand why I can't slide the slip yoke far enough into the tailshaft. It seems to just stop hard before it gets to the end of its travel.

Any suggestions?

Suggestion? - Yes,but you might not be happy with it. Take teh c-beam loose at the rear end with the jack under the trans. Once the rear of the c-beam is loose lower the trans just a few inches and you will be able to put the driveshaft in OK.

That's not a problem as the C-Beam is not bolted up yet. I'm tired tonight but I'll be doing this tomorrow.

Thanks I'll give it a try, but for some reason it seems like it should slip in there further. Lots more shiney section on the slip yoke showing.

Yah, that doesn't sound right. I'd pull it back out, and inspect everything carefully. Is there grease, or some foreign material in the cavity of the slip yoke? Is this the same yoke and driveshaft that was in the car before you pulled it apart? Have the trans or diff been altered in any way since the shaft was last in the car?

Live well,

SJW

SJW - Nah... everything is unchanged. The transmission is a rebuild, but the same case and tail shaft. PeteK built it.

I'm going to go back down there tonight after work and play with it and see if I'm just not aligning it properly, but it really feels like it is stopping.

Where do you live in Central Maryland? I live in Chesapeake Beach, but used to live in the Rockville/Gaithersburg area. I belong to Corvette Club of America and a lot of my Corvette buddies live up that way too. We hold our Autocross events at Lincoln Tech in Columbia. Also, Sport Chevrolet in Silver Spring is our sponsor.

I seem to recall mine was tight, too. Do what Andy said and put the rear of the driveshaft in first, then lower the tailshaft of the trans a bit and slip in the front yoke.

Matthew

In my Auto the drive-shaft slides in tight but it does. In my manual, I had to use a BFH and dented the thin part of the frame a bit, worked like a charm.

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Hmm... This makes me wonder if the tailshaft bushing might have a burr on it, or have some sort of fabrication flaw that alters its inner diameter or concentricity. Odds are it was replaced during the rebuild. To the extent that it's possible to do so, I'd suggest trying to peek at it through the gap between the shaft and seal, using a bright penlight.

Is there any chance there's a layer of grease on the external splines of the tailshaft, and/or the internal splines of the yoke, that could be causing an airlock to form in the cavity of the yoke? Or a buildup of grease or some other foreign material in the yoke cavity?

I'm in the Greenbelt area, and a member of FSCC. I worked in G-burg for around 12 years, then in Columbia for around 8 years. We oughta get together for a chilly-pop and some bench racin' one of these warm summer evenings.

Live well,

SJW