Drive shaft too short!!

[HICKL]

I finally got a T5, bought it on this forum from ZLETTMASTER. Anyway, he threw in his driveshaft on the deal. It looks great except it is only about 18 1/2" from center to center of u-joints. Accord to JTR it should be 20 1/2. I guess he had an early 240 with the diff moved forward. Anyway, I manage a machine shop and could easily make a billet spacer to put between the diff and the driveshaft....Will this work? Are there any drivetrain laws of physics that I would be breaking? Any other ideas would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

Jeff

(getting really close to install now!)

[DavyZ]

Jeff, I would think that a driveshaft shop could fix that. If they can't, you are screwed. Call one up and ask them if they can lengthen one; it can't hurt.

 

Davy

[HICKL]

I'm sure they could, but they would probably want money! I'm looking for a free solution . I guess I could lengthen it, cut it, sleeve it and weld it up. I do work in a machine shop and have a brand new wire feed welder. Anybody done this themselves before??? Is my first idea no good???

[blueovalz]

A two inch spacer is a big spacer. There is quite an angle between the tranny and the side-stepped differential in the first place. Shortening the driveshaft will increase this angle (but only by a very small amount, so what I'm saying may be "fly poop in pepper" in the scope of the real world). With the torque involved, and without any imperical evidence to base my opinion on, I'd opt for a longer driveshaft.