Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 22:24:35 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes57@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes57@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Subject: Re: Problems with the u-joints of the driveshaft
This is probably why VW only sells complete shaft assemblies. they must know
something. I have had some luck repairing these things but it seems about
50/50.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Dr. Rainer Woitok <woitok@RRZE.UNI-ERLANGEN.DE>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Thursday, April 29, 1999 3:05 AM
Subject: Problems with the u-joints of the driveshaft
>Syncronauts,
>
>recently another German Syncro driver contacted me because he's
>permanently having problems with his drive shaft. The viscous coupling
>was replaced due to the grooves where the input shaft enters being
>totally worn out. Later he observed severe vibrations which he traced
>back to the drive shaft. He removed it and took it to a special shop
>for balancing. After putting the drive shaft back in everything seemed
>normal for a few weeks, but then the vibrations were back. Currently
>he's driving with the drive shaft removed.
>
>Some months ago we had a discussion on this list about universal joints,
>and I faintly remember that at least one person mentioned that when you
>mount the u-joints onto a shaft the wrong way you're into trouble due to
>the different rotational speeds occuring at the different ends of the
>shaft at different times and thus placing severe stress on the material.
>
>I've never yet disassembled my drive shaft, so my question here is: can
>one mount the u-joints on a Syncro's drive shaft the wrong way? And
>what has a Syncro's drive shaft with correctly mounted u-joints to look
>like? And could a wrongly assembled drive shaft cause these vibrations?
>Or should he check for other causes? Which ones?
>
>Any input will be greatly appreciated and passed on to the owner of said
>castrated Syncro :-)
>
>Sincerely
> Rainer
>
>'89 Caravelle GL Syncro 16"
>
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