4l60e cracked case for 3rd time

[Erik the Awful]

With your suspension bottomed out, you should still have some splines left for your driveshaft to go into your transmission. If I remember right, at normal ride height you should have 3/4" of splined length sticking out of the transmission, but that all changes with lift, lowering, modified suspension travel, cranked keys, etc. The bottom line is that if you take the springs out, set the suspension all the way down, and unbolt the driveshaft caps from the differential, you should still be able to move the driveshaft in towards the transmission a 1/4" or so. At full height it should have enough spline engagement to not strip the splines nor for the driveshaft to fall out.

 

[El Tigre]

U-joint angles in phase ,and not extreme?

 

[VictoryRedK1500]

thank you everybody who has helped me!
im truly at a lose and dont wanna sell this truck. and i hate just walking by it every moring and its just sitting.
i think im going to just get a driveshaft from summit and put a new trans in and hope for the best
fouth time is a charm right???

if i find out more or the root cause i will let everybody know so that it may help somebody eles and any new information is greatly appreciated!!!!!!

 

[VictoryRedK1500]

With your suspension bottomed out, you should still have some splines left for your driveshaft to go into your transmission. If I remember right, at normal ride height you should have 3/4" of splined length sticking out of the transmission, but that all changes with lift, lowering, modified suspension travel, cranked keys, etc. The bottom line is that if you take the springs out, set the suspension all the way down, and unbolt the driveshaft caps from the differential, you should still be able to move the driveshaft in towards the transmission a 1/4" or so. At full height it should have enough spline engagement to not strip the splines nor for the driveshaft to fall out.

thats right, i have had the drive shaft out before to change a seal. and i remember pushing the drive shaft into the transfer case some, dont know how much but i would not think that it would be bottoming out. would the best way to measure be from how to truck sits to how much before it bottoms out???

 

[Erik the Awful]

I think taking the springs out is somewhat infeasible. Sitting at ride height, if you take the driveshaft loose and shove it forward into the transmission, how much gap do you have between the rear u-joint and the pinion?

It's been a couple years since I had the driveshaft made for putting the Cadillac 500/TH400 in my Jaguar, but if I remember right you measure from the end of your tailshaft to the center of your rear u-joint and the driveshaft shop will subtract 3/4" or 1" to give you room for installation and suspension compression. On the Jag I wasn't worried about suspension compression because it's IRS.
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/how-to-measure-for-the-correct-length-driveshaft/

 

[thegawd]

WOW it would be something if this was caused by the driveshaft binding!

good call!

Al

 

[VictoryRedK1500]

well after all this time it was a bent driveshaft. does anybody recommend this driveshaft? or would i be better at getting one made? https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rnb-946-781

 

[Erik the Awful]

Last time I had a driveshaft made it cost me about $150. Take your old driveshaft to a driveshaft specialist, tell 'em it's bent and that you need it rebuilt or replaced. Make sure they know you want the new driveshaft balanced.

 

[VictoryRedK1500]

Last time I had a driveshaft made it cost me about $150. Take your old driveshaft to a driveshaft specialist, tell 'em it's bent and that you need it rebuilt or replaced. Make sure they know you want the new driveshaft balanced.

i would but the closest place to me is 2 hours away the local one shut down. im so ready to have my truck back so going to bite the bullet and order through summit

 

[El Tigre]

I support your decision. It's the smart play....