Cray54

My front u-joint failed on my drive shaft and no one around here will fix it since it is staked in. Does anybody have a 5-speed drive shaft for a first gen Maxima that I could buy? (ASAP... missed this weekends auto-x and theres another next weekend)

Thanks,
Chris

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

I don't have one unfortunately. Will a 280z/280zx drive shaft fit? Good luck in the fix.

S

Cray54

a 280z or zx shaft will not fit... BUT, do you have one available to you?... if so, can you check if the u-joints are staked in or if they are removable?

-Chris

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

I don't, but I may know someone that may have one though. I will get back to you on that.

S

VR4Rob

This is a ridiculously old thread, so for bumping it I apologize. However, I DO have a 5spd driveshaft for a 1st gen if anyone still needs one. Ideally, I would like to trade for a good auto driveshaft.

Cray54

VR4Rob,

Have you tried using your 5-speed shaft on the auto trans? The manual shows different shaft lengths, but the shafts from two manual cars and one auto all ended up matching for me.

I also have a source for a 1 piece shaft that I meant to post a while ago. Let me know if you are interested in that and I'll dig it up.

Thanks,
Chris

VR4Rob

Yeah I tried to shove it in there but I see two main problems.

First is the output shaft/yolk size. I think the manual trans has a slightly smaller diameter output shaft. I tried for several minutes to get the yolk to slide into the trans but it wouldn't budge.

EDIT: I just measured and yes, the yolk sizes are different. The manual DS has 1 1/32'' inner diameter and the auto has 1 1/8'' inner diameter

Second problem is, even if I did get the driveshaft in there, the center carrier bearing wouldnt line up with the stock holes, so there would be no way hang the driveshaft.

I'll take some info on a one piece shaft but I'm sure it's going to be more than my budget allows. I got this driveshaft from pull-a-part for 13 bucks It sucks because this car is a good u-joint and some valve stem seals away from being damn near perfect.

Cray54

I know at one point the yolks were the same as I used the auto shaft from my 81 Maxima on my manual 84 Maxima. Perhaps when they went to a 4-speed auto trans the yolks changed.

The 84 service manual does not show any difference other than 1st shaft length.

Do you happen to know your transmission code?

The one-piecs shaft I used is here (Currently $279):
http://www.thrashdriveshaft.com/import2.htm

BUT, I'm fairly certain they only sell one length and one yolk so it may not help you.

-Chris

VR4Rob

Thanks a lot for the info Chris. I might also try contacting PST, which is a company out of Florida that made my 1 piece carbon fiber driveshaft for my VR-4 and a beefed up driveshaft for my old lifted Tahoe. The yolk thing is really puzzling though, I haven't read anything anywhere about the yolks changing.

What are you currently running in your car? Since you've had a few driveshafts in your car, what do you see that's the first thing to fail? The front U-Joint? You don't happen to have that old auto driveshaft laying around do you?

What's funny though... there was a near 100% complete 5spd '84 at the junkyard I went to on Friday. It had everything down to the shift boot that I'd need to do the conversion. If only I had more time/money and less sense

HowlerMonkey

There are two different yoke sizes for auto tranny maximas.

I know.......I've been through all of the permutations of the driveshafts.

VR4Rob

Care to explain this further? What years and/or trans models got the larger sized yolk?

Thanks

HowlerMonkey

Edited out incorrect information posted last night.


Just noticed your screen name........I'm about to go to atlanta and put my brother's VR4 back together after that stupid non-tech weasel took both the tranny and engine completely apart..........as his first attempt at working on a car.

Nothing like starting at the top concerning difficulty and complexity......gotta give him props for diving in but then take them away for being stupid enough to try it.

HowlerMonkey

I measured all of my driveshafts.

All measurements are on the front section of the driveshaft.

The yoke outside diameter on the manual tranny is 35mm or 1.378 inches.

This is the same outside diameter as one I pulled from an auto tranny 4n71b maxima at the junkyard, a 280zx turbo, and the manual maxima tranny but this auto driveshaft was just over an inch shorter........but not unusable as it had enough length to engage the tailshaft bushing at least a little since I used it for about 10k miles behind a turbocharged l24e.

I couldn't get an accurate measurement of the tranny output shaft OD on the manual but it is a bit less than the 27mm I found on both my 3n71b from a 280zx turbo and the 4n71b I that came with my maxima........The caveat is that the 4n71b that was in there required a yoke outside diameter of 38mm and had a 27mm output shaft so it is possible some maximas with 4n71b either came with these dimensions or had been replaced at some point with a 4n71b from a different application like a 300zx turbo or possibly a mitsubishi.

I suspect this because the front u-joint had been replaced with a replacable one (that I could not find anywhere) .......so it is possible a tranny shop had the front section fitted with the larger yoke to fit the replacement tranny since my car had 225,000 miles when I got it.

The length of the front section of the slightly short shaft that still worked was 16 inches from the collar that overlaps the snout to the face of the flange that you mount the rear section of the driveshaft to while the proper length for my 1984 with a manual tranny is 17 1/2 or possibly up to 18.....but it is at least an inch longer.

I did find a u-joint for a PTO (power take off) at a forklift shop that was close but the caps could slide right in by hand rather than by force and the inside clips were of the wrong dimension so......measured cup depth on both sides and welded the cups to the shaft with 4 pretty hot spot welds per cup and used a wet rag to keep conduction from bringing the heat to the grease inside.

I don't recommend this as the joint was only rated for like 20hp but it did live behind a l24e turbo for about 15,000 miles before the tranny gave way and upon inspection, some of the spot welds had cracked loose from the cup but luckily stayed on the driveshaft so centrifugal force did not throw one out.......which would have been harsh at over 100mph.

Cray54

HowlerMonkey,

Thank you very much for the details. Lots of helpful data, I like that.

-Chris

turkeypantz

my 83 maxima manual drive shaft and 84 maxima automatic drive shaft are different at the spline. (just for anybody's reference. I know this is an old thread).

kingtuner10

I would buy a running car, use the drive shaft, and then sell the remaining parts. Maybe you will get some profit too

Here are some used cars: 1 , 2, 3

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

lol i think Cray sold his 1st gen a couple years ago

new stuff is out and driveshafts that were made to be replaced when the U-joints went bad in the 70's and 80's can have the U-joints replaced now. i was able to get my Supras U-joints replaced, while its a driveshaft designed to be replaced when they go bad

you can probably still get U-joints for 810 through Nissan or maybe Ebay

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

Chrome my 86.5 D21 still has the original driveshaft u joints.....this thread is dead!

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

so does mine, but my drivetrain is wonked. getting slip yoke clunk sometimes and whatnot, time for a SR20 swap lol

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

Time for a VQ40 or VK56...hahahaha

Bazdid