Where to find the data?

skipnrocks · Jun 17, 2017

I have searched for hours for this and not finding anything. But here we go. I am using g a Buick 3800 to build a trans axle buggy for my boys. I know with the Honda motors there was a company that sold an inner shaft to go into the transaxle with a flange on the outside to bolt a drive shaft too it. I am not having such luck. So I thought we'll maybe I can find the shaft specs and find a similar shaft in an axle shaft that would give my conversion to a flange or ujoint.

So does anyone know where to find the tech data on spline count and diameter for a 2001 Buick inner shaft.

Ps. The only data I found was people welding a yoke over the outer shaft and bolting to that. But I don't like that because the cv cup is pretty chinsey looking. And I to me it would be like fixing a broken axle by welding it back together. May get you by but not going to handle 40 in stickies

jccarter1 · Jun 17, 2017

Not exactly what what you are looking for but I wouldn't rule using the welded yoke idea those axle shafts were designed to handle the tourqe load of being the drive axle and you are using it as a drive shaft which has a lot less tourqe load bc your axles multiple the gearing and now their axle shafts are handling most of the drive tourqe

skipnrocks · Jun 17, 2017

jccarter1 said:
Not exactly what what you are looking for but I wouldn't rule using the welded yoke idea those axle shafts were designed to handle the tourqe load of being the drive axle and you are using it as a drive shaft which has a lot less tourqe load bc your axles multiple the gearing and now their axle shafts are handling most of the drive tourqe

I think I would feel better if I could weld to the shaft going into the trans axle. But the cup that the cv works with looks like black plastic. I know it's not but there is no beef to it. We're running 40 in stickies so I don't love that cup. I thought of pulling it and having my old Dana 60 shafts re splined to work in there. But I'm not sure if that's an option.

TBItoy · Jun 17, 2017

I'd pull a cv axle out, cut the cup off, and machine it down for a weld yoke.

No different than the weld in the driveshaft tube

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whiskeymakin · Jun 18, 2017

I think it would be fine to weld a yoke on there just have it machined so you don't have any wobbles.
Are you going to use a transfer case at all? If you do that will take even more stress off of the cv cup.
A buddy of mine just cut this for my little v6 honda project

skipnrocks · Jun 18, 2017

No I won't be using a transfer case. But I do like that. It doesn't look like too much machining. I wasn't sure how much slip these allow and thought of maybe using the whole cv as the driveshaft then yoking the end then I could carry OME spares. I also thought of sending the stub shaft to moser with an old pinion or two then having them machine that to match. Then I can just swap any yoke onto the splines part.

skipnrocks · Jun 18, 2017

What size joint did you use with that? It's probably the easiest local thing I can do. Then I can pick up a spare. Make three at once and be set.

whiskeymakin · Jun 18, 2017

I'm using a transfer case in the mix but, 1310 is big as I could fit in the space. I did a lot of searching thru spicers website to find what I needed. I also thought about seeing if branik or somebody like that could make a flange with the honda spines, but this is easy enough and should work fine. Low cost too.

I would use a regular slip yoke style driveshaft and not depend on the cv stub as your slip. Not sure how the Buick shaft is but, the honda has a circlip on the end that holds it in place. No in and out slip at all and if it comes out a half inch or so, you lose the oil seal. It would be a mess.

Not sure how much slip you actually need if your 4 link is right but, I would still have a slip yoke driveshaft. Be dang near impossible to install/remove

skipnrocks · Jun 18, 2017

I think 1310 would be the way I would go also. I'll wait on moser to see what they would charge. It might be nice to have one cut out of chromoly. Since the splines part of the shaft is only an inch or so diameter. If I have a lot of breaking issues I'll throw in a t case. But I think I would have to build a rear from scratch moving the diff way over to clear the engine.

whiskeymakin · Jun 18, 2017

I'm trying waggy d44s. Rear has dutchmans. Front rcvs...we will see how it does....fingers crossed. Should be fine for me and the boy.
I had to add a tcase in the mix to make it all line up how I wanted it. Plus it will give another gear if I need it.
Nissan datsun divorced case. Maybe it will hold up. As far as I know they company that used to make a divorced kit for a toyota case is no longer in business.
The nissan case works best because the outputs are not offset. It's all straight up and down

skipnrocks · Jun 18, 2017

I bet you will be fine with waggy 44s. I did a Dana 60 up front because I wanted the weight. Strength and the price was awesome. Then a ford 9 rear to keep the weight down. I understand they tend to be back heavy so hopefully it will add balance.

skipnrocks · Jun 19, 2017

So I talked to moser. They said they can cut and spline a Dana 44 outer to slip in for 125 a pair. Then 25 to put the snap ring grooves in it and if I want them to be chromo it will be 280 for the shafts if they supply them. But I figure it would cost me 150 to machine the cups and another 100 for the weld in parts and then some to have them welder on a lathe to keep them straight. So it may be worth the extra 100 to just slide in a set of chromos. Maybe I can find a couple chromo liters for cheap??

whiskeymakin · Jun 20, 2017

Will you have a good seal to keep tranny fluid in? On the honda it had a larger shoulder for the seal and necked down to the splines

skipnrocks · Jun 20, 2017

whiskeymakin said:
Will you have a good seal to keep tranny fluid in? On the honda it had a larger shoulder for the seal and necked down to the splines

They will match the seal surface. The shaft seal surface is 1 3/8 so I will have to start with a stub shaft that diameter or larger.

I am still thinking of using a pinion. But I'm not sure if it's better to use chromoly

whiskeymakin · Jun 20, 2017

This is my opinion on it....a weld yoke is about 20 bucks. I'd say you could get plenty of used cv cups at a scrapper cheap.
I got a buddy deal on lathe work, but I'd say a local shop can fix you up a few and have spares for a lot cheaper than having custom made deals. The odds of breaking one is very unlikely.

skipnrocks · Jun 21, 2017

That's the rout I'm going to try first. I'm going to pick up a pair of spares and have four cut at once. If they break too easy I'll have a set cut from chromo shafts.