DIY double cardan propshaft

[steve_a]

As you do when you have loads of jobs to do on the landy I was thinking about other jobs that are more interesting.

I had just changed the UJ on my propshaft (looked like death through natural causes in the end) which I thought had gone because of my 2" lift and some rather vigorous off roading last year when it struck me that I could perhaps make my own double cardan.

Take 1 propshaft that is a bit old and not much use. Tap the UJs out of each end (that's what is says in the book, I beat the life out them to get it to work for me).

Take the ends that normally bolt to gearbox and diff flanges and put a UJ between them making what to my mind looks the doofer on a double cardan bit with semi standard parts.

Bolt to gearbox end (or other I guess, whatever) and that should readuce the total angle gone through for each UJ yoke?

I know they aren't balanced, but they aren't going to be too long.

What's the verdict, think it'll work?

I have a propshaft in the garage, but I'm reluctant to destroy it to try it out (even though it has mega play in the sliding joint and probably scrap).

Someone must have thought about doing this before and found it didn't work, as it is a really cheap way of getting rid of problems for the front and rear props with little effort.

[v8bobber]

I'd be really interested to hear how you get on with this one! Had a similar thought about this for a forthcoming 80", Rear prop may be a bit short to do this thoug

Dave

[steve_a]

As I did the service on the disco I thought "f***K me that oils hot, got to get the filter off and out of there before I start to scream". But a few moments later I was thinking about it again.

Propshaft length is the issue, isn't it. A 90 front might work for the back, at a guess the two ends will add about 2" to the length, probably too much for a standard length one on the front, although perhaps a 88" prop might work.

I guess if you have to make a custom length prop it rapidly mean no point.

I think I might try and pick up a few propshafts at sodbury and see if any are the correct length. Unless anyone has some locally they don't care about.

I think a rear prop will be the easy one as you have a bit more room to play with across the whell bases.

[Guest diesel_jim]

I tried this....

The trouble is, if you look at a pukka double CV shaft, it has a "centering socket yoke " thing inbetween both UJ's which supports them and stops them from "drooping" in the middle.

thus:

with just two UJ's back-to-back, the shaft will form a kind of "arc" and droop where the UJ's are.

sorry bud! look out for a series 3 109" stage 1 V8 front prop, usually get loads at Billing/sodbury, and use one of those UJ's, thats what i did. got the local prop place here in Swindon to weld it up.

Or, as the propshaft chappie said, "A Toyota hilux front shaft is double CV, and cheap and stronger than most LR stuff" so maybe you could utilise one of those?

[simonr]

I wouldn't give up that easily!

Drill a hole through the middle of the two yolks that make up the middle of the joint and stick a compression spring through the hole. Make a top-hat thing to go in either end of the spring to push on the middle of the spyder - it should be enough to hold the whole thing straight(ish) if the spring is man enough.

Si