if a slip yoke could yoke slip?

I am installing a slip yoke style transmission in my 65 Dart. I took the driveshaft from the 74 Dart that donated its 8.25" rear end. I assumedg that because the wheel base is the same that the driveshaft would be correct for my car as well.

With a mock up engine and transmission in place I slipped the driveshaft in place and it seemed like very little was actually engaging the splines of the output shaft. Just eyeballing it it looked like at most 2 inches was inside the transmission.

Is this normal, or do I need another driveshaft? Is the engine farther forward in the early dart as compared to the later dart?

I guess the driveshaft may not have been the original unit from the car I got it from. It was in a pickyourpart after all, anything could have happened to it in 30 years.

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My cars are all gone, my new affliction is my Jeep Cherokee. I have lifted it, put some armor on it, and preparing for new gears and lockers. After that, bumpers, on-board air and a winch.

The yoke should go most of the way into the transmission. Push the yoke all the way in and back it out about an inch to an inch and a half and that's where it should be when the car is at ride height.

The Dart that donated it's driveshaft wasn't a Dart Sport (Duster look-alike) was it? They have a shorter 108" wheelbase.

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Joshua

No, it was a valiant(can't remember if 2 or 4door). I thought they all shared the same wheelbase by 74. But this shaft is way too short.

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My cars are all gone, my new affliction is my Jeep Cherokee. I have lifted it, put some armor on it, and preparing for new gears and lockers. After that, bumpers, on-board air and a winch.

Ooops. Yes, Valiants from '67 onward have the 108" wheelbase. You wrote that the driveshaft came from a '74 Dart. A Dart, other than a Dart Sport, would have been fine, but not a Valiant.

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Joshua

Doh!
My memory faded a bit, but the details came back as I had more time to reflect on my problem. I guess I was confused. I thought there was a 71 Valiant that had the same wheelbase as a Dart. I just assumed that after that they all had the same wheelbase.

Would it be a safe bet to take my driveshaft to a driveshaft shop, and say I want a new one that is 3"'s longer than the one from the Valiant.

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My cars are all gone, my new affliction is my Jeep Cherokee. I have lifted it, put some armor on it, and preparing for new gears and lockers. After that, bumpers, on-board air and a winch.

dart64rg: I'm right up the highway from you over in Clairemont; I used to live in El Cajon, but it's too damn hot over there... You should give Drive Line Service over on Morena Blvd. a call; I had them shorten a driveshaft for my 318 Dart and they did great work. If they can't get one for you and you do find one somewhere else, have them balance it for you. Good guys over there...

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Hi Dart,

I pretty much agree with Joshie's advice...I would not just got to a place and tell them how long a shaft I wanted. you may get exactly that and it still be wrong.

I just had two different driveshafts made up for my d100. I wanted one with only 7290 (large) U joints, and one with the combo U joints (7260 to 7290). There is a seriously good driveline place where I live that I got to do the work. They told me to use my spare yoke, push it in all the way and then pull it out 3/4 to 1 inch. THEn turn the yoke or the pinion so that the faces of the yoke and pinion are parallel to each other (the flat parts where the joints mount) and measure center to center at the bottom of the curve where the joint will sit in the pinion and yoke. The pulling out approximates what happens when the differential winds up on itself.

Worked like a charm!
rock
'64d100