Mopar Muscle Association UK

Adam68 wrote:I'm inclined to go with James , so quit the bodging & do it right.

Seriously , i would think anything spining that sort of speed would need balancing if any mods are carried out to it , ie , shortening or lengthening.

Don't wanna get into a fight , but most of you are talkin bannanarama

It always amazes me. People dont even cough or think about laying out their had earned dosh for some shiny rocker covers,or similar. Then cant wait to show everyone their shiny engine bits.

Yet a lot of the same people shy away from something like balancing a prop or similar. Having been up close & personal in a car where the UJ failed, I assure you it is not a nice feeling. The noise is unbelivable, sounds like the whole lot is coming right through the floor and its not taking any prisoners. Even worse if theres no prop loop !

Me, I can never understand scrimpin on vital parts, if for the sake of balancing a part, its gonna to help reduce unnessary load & strain on UJ's, reduce vibration & make it safer, then thats the one for me

It wont look shiny & you wont be able to show your mates, probally a bit like your pants will look when the prop lets go through not doing the job right in the 1st place

Just my opinion

[quote=

It wont look shiny & you wont be able to show your mates, probally a bit like your pants will look when the prop lets go through not doing the job right in the 1st place

Just my opinion [/quote]

RichDeb wrote:Denise Welch???Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

http://www.bighealey.co.uk/

I think we've gone a bit off topic here. Forget the crankshafts, conrods, flwheels and clutch housings, and Pete hasn't modified his propshaft. It wasn't out of balance (he's confirmed there was no vibration). All that's happend is the UJ failed. Common enough in an old propshaft. All he needs to do is replace the UJ and put it back the same way it is. Why does he need to get it balanced? (Fair enough if he's modified it or was building a race car).

Exactly,I can't find anywhere in the FSM that says after replacing UJ,get shaft re-balanced.

And don't forget that Pete's got an open diff and a low powered engine, so a propshaft loop is not really a worthwhile investment until he's modified the car. He's not going to break the prop with one wheel spinning is he?

Pete, did you really mean the propshaft actually fell off i.e. was dragging on the ground, or did the UJ bearings break up but the UJ stayed together?

Maybe I go the wrong end of the stick, I thought the conversation had drifted on to "Is it beneficial to balance or not " and was basing my comments around the benefits of a prop being balanced or not being balanced.
I agree if the prop shaft was previously balanced & not damaged & merely installing new UJ's it is not necessary to re balance the prop.

As for open diff & low powered car. I agree the risk of causing the UJ's to break would be reduced, assuming UJ's are in good condition to start with. However, if UJ's are old & on there way out, then they will break regardless if LSD or not, or if engine only has minimal power. Power / torque or however you wish to phrase it, will always seek out the weakest link.

Most of the sort of cars we are discussing are in the region of 35 plus years old. So if UJ's have not been changed they are all near the end of the life, unless they have been meticulously maintained. I guess this was the case from the initial statement the prop fell off. Which was on a car to use your words, with open diff & low powered engine. Thankfully this happened when the car was stationary. I am also glad he has decided to install a propshaft loop.

Cheers,
Mark...

If it literaly "fell off" I'd have to agree with you about the prop loop Mark.

I've never heard of a propshaft falling apart because of the bearing breaking up in the UJ though? Usually it all stays together and the only way to get them apart is to take the circlip out and bash the bearing cup out.

I figured Pete might be on a budget Pete, but didn't like to say.

Didn't think $25 for a driveshaft loop would have broke the budget. But I admit I didn't fit one to my car for years even though the same thing happened to me not long after I got my 318 Oz Charger.

My driveshaft fell off one day as soon as I tried to pull away from the kirb. I heard something drop and then found I had no drive.

If I had known what I was looking for I might have noticed it was failing when i had the engine out. But I was young and skint too. So I put a safety loop on the "To do" list and that is where it stayed until I upgraded the 440 Challengers power output many years later.

I think if I was racing the car and increasing its power I would fit one. My Dad had a bad accident in a lorry years ago when one let go. It can be nasty.

But if the car is basically stock I guess there is not a lot of need for one.

Although some guys are on a budget/skint , it does'nt hurt to mention the different ways things could be done.

No one is telling Pete what to fit , only advising , if it were'nt for this thread , Pete would not know what a prop loop was , sooooo when he builds his first super dooper motor , along with a beefed up drive train , he will say to himself , "think I'll fit a prop loop" & whatever else he may pick up on.

The information is free on this site & added together many years of experience.

No probs Pete , can i have a barrel instead , as i like more than one.

Oi Mods , you may have modded my post , but you forgot to mod it in Marks post.

Anyway bola* is not a swear word , eh Rob.