I did a search and don't find any discussion on the subject, and for the sake of making things easy to find, I started this thread...
I have the drive train of a 1983 Safari, or as it was also known, MQ Patrol, that is going in under the Sani as the SFA build. Consists of the C200 diff up front, and the H260 at the rear. Both diffs running a right hand drop. Ok, so that is not really relevant to this question, I just wanted to give some background and mention that the propshafts front and rear are not center.
In the belief that you measure twice and weld once, the measuring and planning has been ongoing for a while now. I have the Double Cardin to single UJ for the front and the UJ to UJ for the rear. Both propshafts obviously with slip joints installed, as was standard for this model.
I pulled one of the slip joints apart last night to see how the measuring works out. Seems the total slip shaft is only 130mm long, then it falls out
. So the question is, what should the standard extension of the slip joint be at normal ride height, and how far can the slip joint safely be extended before it breaks something or itself.
On my setup, I installed the front diff 60mm further forward to give the 33" tyres space,so as not to have to cut the body work. So initial measurements show me about 70mm short on the propshafts combined front and rear length to reach between the diff pinions through the transfer case. I presume the 130mm suspoension lift is also making it a bit bigger than just the 60mm longer wheel base.
Looks like I have some adjustment as to where I place the TC, and I have to do the connecting prop to the TC over to change the slip joint into the gearbox from a Safari to a Hardbody slip.The little propshaft can be made to any length I need to place the TC in the correct place.
Now I need to figure if I can "float" the TC somewhere between the propsshafts and make up the 70mm on the slip joints, or do I bash the TC up as close to the front as possible, and keep just 15-25mm on the slip joint and have the rear propshaft extended by the 70mm I am short. It's one thing if the slip joint can work with 50mm extension on it, but I don't how yet how far it is going to need to extend on full droop of the suspension.
My budgets are always as tight as it can come, so the less I need to fork out at the propshaft place, the better for me. And I am still looking for a place that is willing to take on the job of cutting the Safari gearbox end off the propshaft, and replace it with the Hardbody slip. They seem to also be telling me that they can't do a shaft shorter than 300mm between the UJ's, as they can't balance something that short.
Yet I see in the Safari manual, that Nissan had two setups for the Safari, one was a short 300mm propshaft between gearbox and TC, the other was simply a "H" joint (NOT a DC) or two UJ's back to back. Now how did they balance that? I also shudder to think what Nissan will charge me for that little shaft, and I am sure it is going to be too short for my application.
Which brings me to my last question, can you install spacers between the pinions and propshafts to make up some additional length, and if so, how big/thick can you go.
Anybody with some advise please.
