Splitting The D'shaft, Or Welding A New Flange On- Any Ideas??

[altezzaclub]

My $100 RA60 Celica diff conversion has run into the only serious problem..

 

Its a tad tight putting the KE70 d'shaft onto the Celica diff, it would be nice if the driveshaft was 5 or 10mm shorter.

 

The diff nose has a different bolt pattern to the KE70 driveshaft, and the circular locating shoulder is a different diameter.

 

The driveshafts themselves and the universals are different sizes, the Celica being about 5mm larger in diameter with heavier UJs. The overall lengeths are perfect, the Celica is a handful of mm shorter, but sadly the center bush is in a different place so each half of each shaft is a different length.

 

So-

I can't put the Celica flange onto a KE70 UJ

I can't put the Celica driveshaft in without making new center bearing mountpoints on the KE70 chassis

I can't split the driveshafts and use a KE70 front with a Celica rear halfshaft.

 

It looks like I'll have to get the Celica rear universal welded onto a slightly shortened KE70 driveshaft. I can't see any 'farm spec' way around it.

 

Does anyone know how to take the KE70 driveshaft apart?? The Celcia one has a flange at the center bearing so it unbolts into two halves. I can no doubt work out how to get the KE70 into two parts eventually, but thought someone on here might have done it.

 

Any bright ideas on who would shorten and balance it around Central West NSW?? One place in Dubbo does, and one in Lithgow.

[B.L.Z.BUB]

From memory there is a nut in the center but it's hard to get a standard spanner to as the spanner is too wide. My mate had a spanner he had ground down to fit.

 

It was annoying 1/4 turns to unbolt it. It was a while ago so can't remember exactly how it works but the narrow spanner worked a treat.

[corollaart]

Retorque tamworth do them .I would ditch that messy centre bearing junk and get them to make you new one piece.

 

The last one i had done was about 300.

 

Which may or may not be expensive ,but its not some thing you want falling out at a 100ks.

[ke70dave]

I'd just get either the tailshaft modded or a new one.

 

i went through what you are going through trying to put an S series in my ke70, couldnt find anything oem to bolt it to my K series box.

 

Delow's conversions will sell you the ra60 yoke (if you don't have one), get it welded on and balanced and you are off!

 

A completly new one peice tailshaft only cost my mate about $400 for his spoontah.

[altezzaclub]

Cheers guys- I found Central West Engineering Supplies do them here, but when I popped down the guy was out. I'll catch him tomorrow and fnd out what he needs. I might have to swap the RA60 back in just to measure the d'shaft length needed.. :(

 

Anyway, that will get the KE70 shaft out and I'll look for that nut.

 

Dave did you fit the S?? How much clearance did you give it at the diff yoke and did you use a two-piece?? The KE70 only seemed to have 5mm when I put it back up, so I assume the centre bearing stops it needing more than that. Not like a one-piece on leaf springs...

[ke70dave]

Reason i was trying to fit an s series was my borgy was dead, and my mate had an S series.

 

I gave up after finding no tailshaft to suit, ended up having another mate with a free borgy so i just threw that in.

[altezzaclub]

Yeah, now people are talking $300-$400 I can see that!

 

The Celica is a drop-in really, and they are more common in wreckers than AE86s or T18s. The only major jobs are to lengthen the panhard and solve the drive-shaft, the major advantages are banjo design for LSDs and bigger brakes. oh- and I hope they don't whine as easily!!

 

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To update-

 

I had them shorten the driveshaft 8mm & weld the whole Celica flange & UJs onto the stock shaft. The d'shft is split with a 16mm spanner, one tiny part of a turn at a time..

 

Its still got a slight vibration in it at 50-60kph, so I'll get the balance checked at Retorque next time I'm in Tamworth. As I swap diffs between cars I've been taking the driveshaft apart and fitting the Celica-ended rear piece to different front pieces (auto & manual boxes) The vibration always follows the rear section.

 

The last time I swapped halves I didn't pay enough attention and had the UJs slightly out of alignment and the center bearing in backwards. Although it looks symmetrical if you have it the wrong way around it moves the d'shaft joint to one side slightly. The vibration was so bad it threw half a litre of oil out past the rear seal over the 550Km. When I pulled the seal out I found it was almost new, which is what made me inspect the d'shaft more closely. A new seal and a bit of care has got it back to not leaking and a slight vibration.

Edited October 25, 2015 by altezzaclub