Temporary rolling the car, 1/2 shafts needed?

[greg75vette]

As related to my flooded thread, I'm looking to get my vette off a roll-on lift and into the garage before winter hits. However, I just discovered a new issue.

I had Gary go through my rear end last winter. I'm now a proud owner of a super 10 bolt But, this means the current U joints at the rear end output/half shafts needs to go. I thought I might be able to use what I had, just to get it into the garage, but no dice. My half shafts are in no shape to be fitted with new u joints. I need to clean them up as well as paint the new flanges that mount to the output shafts.

Long story longer, would it be safe to roll the car into the garage without the half shafts installed? I know they are suspension members, but this would be a small distance--100 ft total--with only one large U turn making up the majority of the distance. Am I asking for trouble?

Thanks once more. Sorry about thread spamming...

 

[mrvette]

I"m going to make an assumption here, that Gary put larger U joints/yokes on the output of the diffy, if so, you MAY be able to just center the old cross shaft/cups in the new yokes, and shim maybe with wood, and clamp them down, I can't see the length as changing, the wheel end should be the same, I would imagine.....I have dealt with those mis/match cross shafts to mate a large say 400 yoke to the 350 drive shaft..... and the difference I remember was not all THAT great.....

:beer:

 

[greg75vette]

Well that was my hope! I figured they would be a little loose and I also don't have the locking ring since the original flanges didn't need one with that U bolt. But I just couldn't get the cap in. I lost all the needles trying to get it in just enough. I thought about running just the caps half way in with no needles, but that seems like an even worse idea, even over this short distance. It's killing me that I'm so close, but so far.

If I can't roll the car without the half shafts, she'll just have to sit outside for another winter, I guess. :clobbered::cussing::banghead:

 

[denpo]

Well that was my hope! I figured they would be a little loose and I also don't have the locking ring since the original flanges didn't need one with that U bolt. But I just couldn't get the cap in. I lost all the needles trying to get it in just enough. I thought about running just the caps half way in with no needles, but that seems like an even worse idea, even over this short distance. It's killing me that I'm so close, but so far.

If I can't roll the car without the half shafts, she'll just have to sit outside for another winter, I guess. :clobbered::cussing::banghead:

Put the wheel back on, tie them to the frame so they can't tilt, put the wheels on wheel dollies then roll it.
This implies that the path to the garage is smooth enough, and of course that you have such dollies.

 

[greg75vette]

Yeah, I don't have dollies and my path is far from smooth. The lift platform wouldn't work due to the grooves you can see here:


Here's a shot looking down the first driveway I'd travel down:


There's a hell of an elevation change and at the end is a 1.5" lip. I have another 1.5" to get into the next driveway as well. That's would probably be my only hope, too.

So it seems that I just need to quit whining and get the U joints. I also need to pick up some new lug nuts since I went to a larger size stud.

I have everything in but the sway bar (skipping), half shafts and the brake calipers. The calipers are next, then hopefully I can get the right size Spicers and move on.


Thanks for the tips gentlemen. I had to ask and see.

 

[JeffP1167]

with the toe rods, rear spring, and front trailing arm bolts in. Just put tires on and roll it, it will be fine. Just over inflate tires to make rolling it easier.

 

[larrywalk]

If I were you and had to get it moved, I'd bolt two steel bars or tubes between the top of the trailing arm pad and the lower spring pad hole on the rear end cover. This will keep the TAs from rolling inwards when the weight is taken by the tires.

 

[greg75vette]

with the toe rods, rear spring, and front trailing arm bolts in. Just put tires on and roll it, it will be fine. Just over inflate tires to make rolling it easier.

That was the hope. Since the spring 'pulls' the T/A downward and the tire mounts higher, I thought it might be fine. However, this is one of those moments where I really don't want to mess up!

If I were you and had to get it moved, I'd bolt two steel bars or tubes between the top of the trailing arm pad and the lower spring pad hole on the rear end cover. This will keep the TAs from rolling inwards when the weight is taken by the tires.

This isn't a bad idea. Even a bar that does from T/A to T/A. I'll look into that.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

The only part of the arm that can roll is the top. Take a motor cycle strap and run it between the holes above the spring mount. That would be more than enough to move it - that said, I'd never tow it down the road like that as the car, riding on the inside of the tires would be really squirrelly.

I also would simply tighten it... not cinch it down very tight.

 

[greg75vette]

The only part of the arm that can roll is the top. Take a motor cycle strap and run it between the holes above the spring mount. That would be more than enough to move it - that said, I'd never tow it down the road like that as the car, riding on the inside of the tires would be really squirrelly.

I also would simply tighten it... not cinch it down very tight.

motor cycle strap? Like one of these?



If so, that's a brilliant idea! I have a few of these I can use.

 

[mrvette]

The only part of the arm that can roll is the top. Take a motor cycle strap and run it between the holes above the spring mount. That would be more than enough to move it - that said, I'd never tow it down the road like that as the car, riding on the inside of the tires would be really squirrelly.

I also would simply tighten it... not cinch it down very tight.

motor cycle strap? Like one of these?



If so, that's a brilliant idea! I have a few of these I can use.

Good thinking, but I wood take a 2x4 cut to proper length, and put it between the t-arms and then cinch the living hell out of the arms, really tight to the 2x4 that should be enough to solve much of the twisting, which would force the top of the tires IN, not out.....

 

[greg75vette]

Oh I have 2x4s. Some didn't even get wet! I have about 6 of these straps. You can actually see two of them on the frame to the lift in my pics I posted. That was so the Vette didn't get blown off the jack stands during Sandy... I can use the straps to cinch the 2x4 in place and then cinch up to the frame. Between these two ideas, I should be good enough to move my short little distance.

Looks like I have a goal for this weekend, thanks to you guys!

 

[mrvette]

Oh I have 2x4s. Some didn't even get wet! I have about 6 of these straps. You can actually see two of them on the frame to the lift in my pics I posted. That was so the Vette didn't get blown off the jack stands during Sandy... I can use the straps to cinch the 2x4 in place and then cinch up to the frame. Between these two ideas, I should be good enough to move my short little distance.

Looks like I have a goal for this weekend, thanks to you guys!

Best of luck man, Y'all need it.....:clobbered:

 

[greg75vette]

Lmao, thanks for the encouraging words!

 

[larrywalk]

The only part of the arm that can roll is the top. Take a motor cycle strap and run it between the holes above the spring mount. That would be more than enough to move it - that said, I'd never tow it down the road like that as the car, riding on the inside of the tires would be really squirrelly.

I also would simply tighten it... not cinch it down very tight.

That's not going to help - it would only twist (roll) each TA inwards which would do the same thing that would happen when weight is borne by the tires. With weight on the tires, the half shafts are in compression - something is needed to prevent the TAs from twisting inwards.

 

[greg75vette]

You know, I misread his post or assumed what he meant...

I interpreted his post as run a strap from the frame above down to the hole in the T/A. This would pull the T/A up, while the spring pulled the T/A down. Either way, a 2x4 between the T/As should help even more.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

keep in mind I'm using my calibrated eyeball (good for +/- 10' or so) to judge that the tire won't hit at the top when you ratchet the two arms toward each other.... however, your results may very and could cause impotence.... The trick is make them flop the way you want them to go, then control that flop to keep it from happening while you're moving it :thumbs:

 

[mrvette]

keep in mind I'm using my calibrated eyeball (good for +/- 10' or so) to judge that the tire won't hit at the top when you ratchet the two arms toward each other.... however, your results may very and could cause impotence.... The trick is make them flop the way you want them to go, then control that flop to keep it from happening while you're moving it :thumbs:

The amount of flip is dependent on the angle of the dangle, and that's the way the mop flops......:harhar:

 

[greg75vette]

keep in mind I'm using my calibrated eyeball (good for +/- 10' or so) to judge that the tire won't hit at the top when you ratchet the two arms toward each other.... however, your results may very and could cause impotence.... The trick is make them flop the way you want them to go, then control that flop to keep it from happening while you're moving it :thumbs:

The amount of flip is dependent on the angle of the dangle, and that's the way the mop flops......:harhar:

:lol::lol: You guys crack me up. Whenever I get this thing moving I plan on having at least two other guy help so there are enough eyes and muscle. I'll be checking this 'apparatus' often, but I think I have a good idea to where to put these blocks.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

keep in mind I'm using my calibrated eyeball (good for +/- 10' or so) to judge that the tire won't hit at the top when you ratchet the two arms toward each other.... however, your results may very and could cause impotence.... The trick is make them flop the way you want them to go, then control that flop to keep it from happening while you're moving it :thumbs:

The amount of flip is dependent on the angle of the dangle, and that's the way the mop flops......:harhar:

While that may be true, I'm not getting anywhere near your dangle to measure its oscillation and incidence