Date:         Fri, 6 Jul 2012 08:00:31 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      propshaft excitement
Comments: cc: Syncro@yahoogroups.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I can't stop fooling around with the propshaft on my syncro. A couple of weeks ago I thought I'd experiment with applying some adhesive backed bitumen based fabric to the middle of the shaft to see if it has any effect on a very slight driveline vibe at 60 kph. This mod was described in both the 80-90 (UK) and IG16 (German) websites.

About this driveline vibe - I have to confess that during the bushing replacement I did on the propshaft (http://shufti.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/vanagon-making-new-syncro-propshaft-internal-bushings-part-2/)(http://shufti.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/vanagon-making-new-syncro-propshaft-internal-bushings-part-one/) my paint marks to assure correct re-assembly were in a word, vague, and I think I clocked the rubber giubo one bolt hole off. Instead of taking it apart again or taking it to driveline shop for re-balancing, I used the hillbilly method of using a gear (jubilee) clamp around the shaft and trial and error in its position. This actually worked out fine, but I could not leave well enough alone and I stuck on some of the aforementioned fabric.

So all was well until yesterday and my son and I drove to a family get together (btw, there was a nice '48 Chrysler Royal Coupe at the do. http://shufti.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/chrysler-royal-coupe/). During the drive the fabric came adrift and made the most incredible noise as a flap of the material hit the skid rails. Think of a baseball card in bike spokes and magnify noise 1000X. We had to stop and I cut off the offending flap. The really annoying thing is that the remaining fabric is really firmly stuck to the shaft, going to be a pain to cut it off.

BTW I did not notice any difference with the fabric on the propshaft before it started flapping.

alistair