propshaft balence

hi from all the help on here i worked out my propshaft bearings were gone been on you tube for a vid on how to do it and it says mark the spline before you pull the prop off i forgot this on one of the props like as idiot is there any way of working out where it needs to be thanks ben

Hi,

I changed my bearings yesterday. I'm not sure if mine were replaced in the correct place the last time they were changed 15 months ago by a garage.

What I found with mine if the rear UV yokes are (imagine a clock face) at 12 o clock, Quarter past, Half past, and Quarter to,

The front yokes are at Ten to, Five past, twenty past, and twenty five to. I have just taken mine for a test run and there is no more bearing noise and no vibration. so at the moment all seems fine.

I have asked Austen, from Bell enginering, to clarify if the prop is put back together right in another thread. Keep your eye on it for an answer.

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/f-o-austen-bell-engineering-215385.html

All the best

Grayo

As props are balanced then it should not really matter, the reason they say mark them is to allow for any wear but that normally is not a issue.
As for lining front and back props when the VCU is engaging it will change the relationship between the front and back sections anyway

Answered on other thread.

Austen, from Bell Engineering has kindly answerd my question regarding the props/VCU, it make no dofference what so ever.

Have a look at Austen's reply below.

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/f-o-austen-bell-engineering-215385.html#post2406787

All the best

Grayo

ive just put the prop back on today and its better that it was but im still getting vibration through the car if i adjust the bearing mounts i can change the amount of vibration so im thinking its that is there a way of lining them up where they need to be

There bearings must be at 90° to the VCU and ideally the VCU center line needs to be in line with the read diff input flandge center line!! Also make sure that all the UJs are free but with no slop in the joint.

Nodge68 said:

There bearings must be at 90° to the VCU and ideally the VCU center line needs to be in line with the read diff input flandge center line!! Also make sure that all the UJs are free but with no slop in the joint.

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Common sense innit! Unlike cam belts, now that's VOODOO!

As long as the vcu bearings aren't the ones with the overly stiff rubber then just rough alignment is fine. The engine and diff move so exact alignment with these is complete tosh. Your vibration will be coming from elsewhere. Try uj's and front prop cv joint.

i think it is the how the bearing are alined as each time i adjust them i get i different vibration or a vibration at a different speed also is there an easy way to get them at 90degrees as if trying to do it by eye is there a tool i can use thats easy to use under the car

here is an easy way get a piece of flate metal that is perfectly square on the ends, and is the same length as the bearing are apart then put it inbetween them both at each end , make sure the metal is being touched all the way along the top and botoom and sightly tighten that side bolt then do the other side , and i am sure you will have them leavel if you can not do that then use a set square. hope this helps as i am full of useless tips

leders said:

i think it is the how the bearing are alined as each time i adjust them i get i different vibration or a vibration at a different speed also is there an easy way to get them at 90degrees as if trying to do it by eye is there a tool i can use thats easy to use under the car

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I used a metal sliding square the type a carpenter would use. I put the flat handle part of the square against one side of the VCU then adjusted the sliding rule so that it was touching the bracket of the bearing, I then moved the square to the other side of the VCU and did the same that side. Keep on adjusting until both sides are equal distance from the VCU. Thats what I did with mine, I looks right and on test drive up to 80mph no noise or vibration.

teddywood1 said:

here is an easy way get a piece of flate metal that is perfectly square on the ends, and is the same length as the bearing are apart then put it inbetween them both at each end , make sure the metal is being touched all the way along the top and botoom and sightly tighten that side bolt then do the other side , and i am sure you will have them leavel if you can not do that then use a set square. hope this helps as i am full of useless tips

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Nothing wrong with your suggestion, as I posted above I used a set square to do mine but as you say a square piece of metal will do the same job.

austen said:

As long as the vcu bearings aren't the ones with the overly stiff rubber then just rough alignment is fine. The engine and diff move so exact alignment with these is complete tosh. Your vibration will be coming from elsewhere. Try uj's and front prop cv joint.

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What Austen said!! it aint the space shuttle.

You are chasing your tail messing with the vcu alignment, changing the angle is just highlighting an issue with the uj or CV joint. I have changed hundreds of vcu's and not once aligned them with a square, and never had a vibration. My guess is that one of the uj next to the vcu is worn. Just out of interest, is the damper on the vcu OK? Its not one of the cheap copy's off eBay is it????

austen said:

You are chasing your tail messing with the vcu alignment, changing the angle is just highlighting an issue with the uj or CV joint. I have changed hundreds of vcu's and not once aligned them with a square, and never had a vibration. My guess is that one of the uj next to the vcu is worn. Just out of interest, is the damper on the vcu OK? Its not one of the cheap copy's off eBay is it????

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Agree. I've dropped my prop more times than I remember and when re fitting just use common sense - if it looks aligned it is aligned. But don't listen to me, listen to Austen!

Just to qualify - I have done 50k miles since buying my Fleabag and of that half with prop connected and half with it orfff. Every spring, prop off and then refitted (more or less) every winter. Replaced VCU at 80k mileage, total now 120k, no other issues with transmission over my 50k miles, no history prior to my ownership.

ok ive now tried lining up with flat piece of metal still vibration still there so now i spose i need to work out which prop it is i have noticed on this test run i get more noise/vibration when i let the clutch in and out when driving does this narrow down the problem at all

leders said:

ok ive now tried lining up with flat piece of metal still vibration still there so now i spose i need to work out which prop it is i have noticed on this test run i get more noise/vibration when i let the clutch in and out when driving does this narrow down the problem at all

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As per Austen, grab hold of the UJ's on the prop and front drive shafts and give em a good shake to see if play is evident - apols if you have already done this earlier in the thread.

grab the prop shaft and rotate it while holding either side of the uj, see if there is an rotational play. Do that to all 3 uj's and also the front prop CV joint. There should be no rotational play in any of these. Report back and we'll go from there.

Oh and regards the vcu alignment, I told you so

ok ive taken the rear prop off left vcu and front prop in taken for drive and all was good had a look at the uj s on rear prop one is really stiff and a little piece of rubber hanging out of it i take it this is the problem also does anyone know where i can get a uj off the shelf near dorchester dorset ( and i know you told me so i was just trying to be optomistic )