Re: E30 driveshaft question

["Russ Maki" <rinard@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Michael,

I think you're confusing the splines at the juncture of the two-piece
driveshaft with the spline yoke, which is the u joint immediately aft of the
spline connection and the center bearing.

I'm not a driveshaft expert, but I don't believe there should be any
movement along the spline juncture itself. Your transmission should be
bolted down on mounts and the driveshaft at the point in front of the spline
u joint is fixed  by the center bearing. So there is no shifting to
compensate for. The splines merely serve as a point of adjustment as you fit
the front half of the driveshaft to the output shaft of the transmission.

Again, I'm just an enlightened amateur, but I have had the driveshaft off my
E30 and see no reason why there should be any shifting along the spline
joint once the collar nut is torqued down.

Cheers,
Russ Maki
'87 325ic




> Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2001 13:04:47 -0500
> From: mdrainville@domain.elided
> Subject: E30 driveshaft question
>
> After removing the driveshaft from my E30 I found out that it was not
> sliding on the spline yoke. After consulting my Bentley, I learned that a
> nut (looks like a cap) needs to be loosen before any movement is possible.
> Well, they were right, After loosening that nut, it was possible to move
> the shaft on the splines.
>
> My question is: Should the shaft move on the spline with the nut
tightened?
> It seem like not. But what makes me perplex, is that in the
troubleshooting
> area on the Bentley manual, they say if you experience a clunk while
> releasing the clutch, it may be due to a seized spline yoke. Well, when
the
> nut is tightened, the yoke is in the same condition as a seized yoke. I
> don't understand.  On my 4 Runner, the two driveshafts have a spline yoke
> that are free to move, even for the front differential that is fixed to
the
> frame like the diff on my E30.
>
> So, should it slip or not?? That is the question.
>
> Thanks
> Michel Drainville
> 91 318ic

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