How does my seal look?

[jlwdvm]

I took my car out for its first drive this weekend. after I got it home and it was up on the lift overnight, I noticed a couple drops of gear lube on the floor. I traced it back the the rear seal area. I have a new Bowler T56 Magnum and a Dynotech driveshaft (measured per their instructions). This picture is with the rear at full drop. How does it look? The car did very well for its first outing...I put 50 miles on it in 90 degree temps with no problems.

[btmatt]

your yoke is contacting the rear seal; it is not designed to work this way. I am afraid that your drive shaft may be too long.

I used dingo sliders and Speedtech rear cross member on my camaro and can adjust my engine/trans position fore and aft. You might be able to do the same with your mounts to gain a bit of clearance

[jlwdvm]

This isn't a ride-height picture. If I am thinking about this correctly, the shaft would not be in as far at ride height?

[gator68428]

Maybe, maybe not. But regardless: to know if the driveshaft length is an issue, the car needs to be at ride height (weight on the wheels). A four post lift would be appropriate for this. When my car is at ride height and i compress the rear spring more (i.e. under bump) the driveshaft moves closer to the transmission. Either way in your case it looks a little too close (even assuming under droop the driveshaft moves closer slightly).

[gator68428]

Maybe, maybe not. But regardless: to know if the driveshaft length is an issue, the car needs to be at ride height (weight on the wheels). A four post lift would be appropriate for this. When my car is at ride height and i compress the rear spring more (i.e. under bump) the driveshaft moves closer to the transmission. Either way in your case it looks a little too close (even assuming under droop the driveshaft moves closer slightly).

Having said that. What we can see in the picture is the dust boot i believe. The seal is further in I believe (assuming its similar to my tko600). So we can't see how close it actually is to the oil seal. Would need to measure at ride height to be sure.

[TheJDMan]

I would have to agree, I think your drive shaft may be too long.

[jlwdvm]

I am waiting to hear back from Dynotech. I contacted a local firm that can shorten the shaft (if needed) and balance it to 3000rpm. I'm gonna get the car up on my 4-post to see things look different. How much room is needed from the back of the trans to the knuckle on the driveshaft?

[andrewb70]

...How much room is needed from the back of the trans to the knuckle on the driveshaft?

As was said before, that seal has two parts. One is the actual seal that is not seen, the other is the dust cover )to protect the exposed part of the yoke). I always shoot for a driveshaft that puts the dust shield right at the end of the machined barrel of the yoke, at ride height.

Like this:



Andrew

[gator68428]

Sounds like its very similar to the TKO600. In the manual transmission section of this forum there is a very helpful sticky thread by Hurst-Jeff that details this exact process for the TKO600. There is also a sticky for the T-56 but unfortunately doesn't appear to cover it. But it seems the concept is the same. If you have the driveshaft out at some point maybe you can measure the distance between the oil seal and dust boot and compare with that of the TKO600 (measurement below).

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...st-gen-Camaros

"Driveshaft Length, Slip Yoke, and Ujoint Sizes
The TKO’s output shaft sits about 3/8” within the rubber dust boot that is part of the TKO’s rear seal. Knowing this, you should be able to see approximately 0” to as much as ¾” of the slip yoke shaft showing past the tip of the rubber dust boot. If you can see ¾” of slip yoke showing, this means that you actually have 1 1/8” (3/8” + ¾”= 1 1/8”) of slip yoke that extends past the tip of the output shaft. If the slip yoke is compressing the rubber dust boot, your driveshaft would be too long. If the slip yoke is just touching the tip of the dust boot, your driveshaft length is fine."

[jlwdvm]

This is at ride height. I think I will be ok...unless I go airborn.

[andrewb70]

That looks fine. Note how the front operating angle appears to be a shallow V...this happens to many older cars that are lowered in the rear. Depending on how big that operating angle is, it may cause high speed vibrations.

Andrew

[TheJDMan]

That looks much better. BTW, if you go airborne long enough to damage the seal you will have bigger problems than the seal.

[jlwdvm]

I was careful to set my pinion angle correctly, and the Hooker LS engine mounts were spot on. I have had the car on the interstate at 75 with no vibrations.