U-joint phasing problem ?

[John Buchtenkirch]

Well I have installed the new U-joints with only minimal problems but another problem has turned up. Bart pulled the 2 driveshaft halves apart without marking them. When I assembled them the phasing of the U-joints is off (see photos). Even if I rotate one of the halves 180 degrees they still don’t quite line up.

Bart did find a painted on line on one half and a center punch mark on the other half but when you slide the splines together with those marks lined up the 2 halves are 90 degrees out of phase or completely wrong in my eyes.

I looked at the driveshaft I took out of the parts car Bavaria and they are also a good 10 degrees out of phase so I don’t know what to think ? I realize these are older cars that have been worked on by numerous mechanics and things may have been changed thru the years but I’m just not understanding why I can’t get them to line up. I have successfully shortened probably 30 or 40 driveshafts (admittedly all American 1 piece) thru the years and getting the U-joint phasing perfect was important but I never expected phasing problems :confused::confused::confused: with a stock driveshaft ? ~ John Buchtenkirch

 

[pamp]

The shaft

Was the shaft shortened? If so, well maybe...

 

[61porsche]

Driveshaft phasing & alighnment

John,

Are we speaking of the splined shaft alignment to the centerbearing? It should be marked.

 

[John Buchtenkirch]

When I line the marks on the 2 halves (see photos) the phasing is about 90 degrees out. I say about 90 because it isn’t a true 90 degrees so I’m suspecting pamp's idea that maybe some one welded the driveshaft together when slightly off. Other than that I guess I’m out of ideas. ~ John Buchtenkirch

P.S. By the way does Bart have the center support bearing on backwards :confused::confused::confused:, he says that's the way it was.

Final P.S. The blue book has confirmed the backwards center support bearing. But it also has a drawing of the drive shaft 90 degrees out of phase which goes against everything I ever knew about driveshafts !!!!!!!!

 

[61porsche]

Here's a link to the spec with a drawing:

http://www.e9-driven.com/Public/Library/BMW-E9-Manual/pages/en/26000000.html#refertoc

 

[pamp]

Driveshaft

I agree John, mighty strange. Murray (blumax) has a complete drive shaft for a 2002 laying on his shop floor as we speak. Maybe send him a P.M. I am sure he could answer you on this issue.