OT - DIY drive shaft balancing/testing

bill horne

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Oct 12, 2003, 2:51:52 AM10/12/03

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Some years ago I read an article about DIY drive shaft
balancing/testing. It involved putting wormdrive-type hose clamps o the
shaft, with the idea being that the wormdrive part of the clamps would
act as weights, and depending on the location of the wormdrive part,
would lessen or increase any imbalance.

What I don't remember is the location to place the clamps on the shaft -
front, back, or middle, or maybe there was a procedure for placing them,
sequentially, in several specific locations along the shaft. It may even
be that you were supposed to start at the location of the greatest
runout. Anybody know anything about that?

--
bill
Theory don't mean squat if it don't work.

Will Sill

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Oct 12, 2003, 7:47:05 AM10/12/03

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bill horne <red...@rye.net> wrote this priceless prose:

What little I know about driveshaft balancing I learned from losing a
front U-joint on a Dodge dually in CO. After straightening the shafts
with a log chain and a hydraulic jack enough to get the rig to a
driveline shop, I watched the pro straighten them right with an
acetylene torch and a wet rag. But he had the advantage of a
lathe-like machine to spin the shaft up to speed - and sensors to tell
him how much weight was needed where. I don't doubt for a minute that
the hose clamp thing would "work" - what I doubt is that I have any
way of knowing when it was right. Do you?

Will Sill

Lon VanOstran

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Oct 12, 2003, 8:12:48 AM10/12/03

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Before you go to very much effort, let me talk to my dad. One of his Astro vans
had a driveline vibration. IIRC, the fix was to change the angle of the
differential, but CRS strikes again. He is in the north woods with no phone at
the moment, but will be home this evening. His memory is better than mine. Of
course, there is always the possibility that I am remebering something which
didn't happen. I try to tell people not to disturb such memories if they are
pleasant, but nobody listens. <g>

If it happened, Dad will remember every little detail......and understand it.

Lon

Pearce

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Oct 12, 2003, 9:10:00 AM10/12/03

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bill horne <red...@rye.net> wrote in message news:<3F88FA08...@rye.net>...

BILL,
check in the November issue of Popular Mechanics........Car Care p.138........mike

bill horne

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Oct 12, 2003, 12:57:59 PM10/12/03

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Well, yeah. I'd spin it up or drive it to see if the problem is better
or worse.

bill horne

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Oct 12, 2003, 1:01:06 PM10/12/03

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Ok, thanks. I'll wait. My putting this into practice is not imminent -
I'm just rallying my forces in case I don't get no satisfaction at the
next dealership I take it to.

bill horne

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Oct 12, 2003, 1:06:16 PM10/12/03

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Thanks. I'll check WalMart - it's unlikely my local library will have
it, since PM doesn't normally cover romance, house decorating, peanut
farming, or black women.

Will Sill

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Oct 12, 2003, 1:40:23 PM10/12/03

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bill horne <red...@rye.net> wrote this priceless prose:

>Well, yeah. I'd spin it up or drive it to see if the problem is better
>or worse.

If it is so bad you can see or feel vibration while it is running on
jackstands, I'd _guess_ you need more than hose clamps to fix it.
Nothing to lose by trying it, eh?

Will Sill

bill horne

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Oct 12, 2003, 5:26:34 PM10/12/03

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Not unless I stick the screwdriver in my eye. I've disabled all the
safety features on my screwdrivers.

JohnQ.Public

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Oct 12, 2003, 6:39:52 PM10/12/03

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>Thanks. I'll check WalMart - it's unlikely my local library will have
>it, since PM doesn't normally cover romance, house decorating, peanut
>farming, or black women.
>

About the balancing thing, I have been told that the object in question is
considered balanced if, when spun , it does not come to rest in the same spot
twice. This test has served me well on my motorcycles, especially on the front
tires where vibration really shows to an extreme. The tires are usually marked
as to where to put the tire in relation to the valve stem and then usually just
opposite that is where you place the weight. The test has helped me dial in how
much weight and if the factory was offbase by a spokie one way or the other.
Hope this helps.......
On the peanut farminf , interior decorating , black women thing, I can't help
you there, run dont walk , from that nasty politically correct library.]
MLM

Carl Wedekind

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Oct 12, 2003, 7:06:00 PM10/12/03

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There are two procedures for doing this in my 1990 Bronco II Shop Manual
under "driveshaft balancing". Swing by a Ford dealer and see if the service
guy could copy it for you. If not, I could try to scan the pages for you.

Carl

"bill horne" <red...@rye.net> wrote in message
news:3F88FA08...@rye.net...

bill horne

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Oct 12, 2003, 7:35:09 PM10/12/03

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Carl Wedekind wrote:
>
> There are two procedures for doing this in my 1990 Bronco II Shop Manual
> under "driveshaft balancing". Swing by a Ford dealer and see if the service
> guy could copy it for you. If not, I could try to scan the pages for you.
>
> Carl

Thanks, but don't go to that trouble yet. This thing is still under
warranty, but you know how dealerships are - deaf, blind, and dumb.

First they have to convinced that there is a vibration. Then they have
to be convinced it's not normal. Then they have to be convinced to work
on it. Then I have to get lucky that they do it right. I generally
celebrate the day one of my vehicles goes out of warranty.