driveshaft woes

[Asgard]

I have an aluminum driveshaft. At about 55 miles an hour and above, if I am not accelerating or fully decelerating I hear this horrible rubbing/vibration sound. A friend of mine took a look at it and said that the driveshaft was too short. The yoke sticks out about 3 inches from the tailshaft. It is also an AOD. My question is this: is there a difference in length between an automatic and a t-5 driveshaft? I'm asking this because my car was originally a t-5 but was converted to an auto. Many things that were done were not done right(this was all done a long time before I owned it). I was wondering if a new aluminum shaft would fit properly or if I should just get a stock auto shaft until I save up enough to convert it to a t-5. Thanks.

 

[TIMMY2734]

same driveshaft. Are you sure that the bolts just arent loose? Did you loctite them?

 

[Asgard]

Didn't check it. You can move the shaft forward and backwards about and inch or so. Like I said, I was not even the owner when this thing went in. When I have light tomorrow I'll take some photos of it.

 

[Fox Saleen 163]

Look for scratches or scars going around the circumfrence of the driveshaft. Specifically under the e-brake handle. When I put my aluminum driveshaft in it rubbed the e-brake cable adjuster bolt under the car. I just took a cutoff wheel to it and trimmed it a bit. No more problems.

 

[Asgard]

I should also add that there is a clunking sound that occurs when I shift from park or reverse to drive. It also happens going from drive to revers/park. Also, at times, if I mat the gas pedal and catch first gear it clunks/bangs/thunks/etc.

 

[Fox Saleen 163]

Sometimes if I engage or dis-engage my clutch when I am still pressing the gas a little it will make a clunk sound. I never heard that sound with my stock driveshaft in. Aluminum may dampen vibration better than steel, but I think it amplifies noise.

 

[Maryland Stang]

It sounds like the U joint bearings may be going bad. Put the car on a lift or jack it up and put jackstands under it. Crawl under it and grab ahold of the driveshaft with one hand and the front or rear yolk with the other hand. Now see if you can turn the driveshaft without the yolk turning. If the driveshaft turns at all then you need to replace the U joints. There should be no play, none, in the U Joint.

 

[Asgard]

I thought that was the case as well, but I've had this problem for as long as I've owned the car. It has been well over a year and I'm pretty sure it had the same problem before I owned it. From what I understand, if it was the u-joints, my car would have taken up pole-vaulting long before this point in time.

 

[88gt]

u-joints would be my guess also. I would take a look at the pinion while your down there rollin' around. See if you can turn it by hand, how easy, how much play before the wheels turn....

Just throwin' ideas..

Jim