How Do You Line Up Drive Shaft Splines with U-Joint

[19Fordy]

I am reinstalling the drive line and rear end back into my 40. The whole assembly unbolted and rolled out pretty easy. Spent last 8 hours tying to get the U-Joint and drive shaft splines to line up and engage. Any suggestions on how to do this? I am trying to get the drive shaft and U-Joint to line up straight. Transmission is in neutral. Rear wheels are on the car so it rolls. I don't have a helper so I can't push in on the rear and also watch the splines. I am determined to get this done in this lifetime. Any suggestions are welcome. Disregard the chain and metal gizmo bolted on top of transmission in the photo. It was one of my alignment tool ideas. Thank you.

[A bones]

You should want control of the trans. Put the trans in third. Assuming you have the rear up on a jack, adjust one wheel to lock the brake. now the other wheel can be manipulated to turn the the drive shaft.

[FlatheadTed]

support your U joint ,tie it up in line ,With the box in gear, jack up the rear at one wheel turn that wheel back n forth , the other side on the ground should drive the diff forward .you could also use a ratchet strap to put tension on it to pull it forward ,Ted

[ford38v8]

Run a heavy rope from rear of one wheel, forward under the wheel, and up to where you can get hold of it to pull. Tension on the rope while jiggling the setup will jog the driveshaft.

[richard crow]

a bones has it right

[ford38v8]

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Originally Posted by richard crow

a bones has it right

No, he doesn't have it right because he doesn't have a helper.

[Bursonaw]

This is what has worked for me in the past. With the wheels off, place the rear brake drums on wood boards. I used a couple of 2x6's. Adjust the brake shoes on the rear axle so there is some drag on the drums. When you roll the rear axle it should take a little effort to do so. Put your transmission in gear, I used 3rd gear. Position your self under the front of the torque tube so you can roll the rear axle forward and reach the u-joint. As you roll the rear end forward align the u-joint up with the drive shaft and roll the rear end up as tight to the U-joint as you can. Now tap the starter a few times, you will be able to tell when the splines on the drive shaft and u-joint engage. Now put the transmission in neutral and then roll the rear axle into final position.

Hope this helps, let us know how you make out.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[JM 35 Sedan]

Most of the time I am working alone on these types of projects, with the exception of my cat "Blue Eyes" who is usually by my side .
Last May I was doing the same exact assembly that you are doing now. I did pretty much all the things the guys here are telling you to get the splined end of the driveshaft to line up with the internal splines in the U joint and slide together.
One word of caution....DO NOT have your fingers anywhere near the area of the torque tube bell and the U joint when that assembly comes together!!
I wired the splined end of the U joint in place so that it faced straight back and could not move around side to side. This wire will be removed after the splines slide together. I used two 1" ratchet straps, one attached from each side of the rear axle tubes, with the other ends hooked into the holes in the front legs of the X member. I pulled the assemblies together by ratcheting a little on each strap while guiding the end of the driveshaft into the end of the U joint. Then with trans in gear, I turned one wheel until the splines locked and started sliding together. I then removed the wire, ratcheted the rear totally in place, and bolted the clam shell housings together and on to the back of the transmission.
In one picture below I'm showing a piece of white sheetmetal formed to fit in the tunnel area of the floor pan. I do this to keep the bell on the torque tube from catching on a lip at the front of the tunnel as the rear is moved forward and the end of the torque tube comes through the tunnel. Works well.

[Ken/Alabama]

I always have the rear end sitting on my floor Jack and the body supported on Jack stands located under the frame ahead of the rear tires then from inside the car I grab the u- joint with a pair of chanel lock pliers and can pull the torque tube to get it started in the splines then can push it home by rolling it with the floor Jack.

[19Fordy]

Thanks to all for all the helpful answers. I truly appreciate the time and effort expended on my behalf, including the photos and the "Finger Warning". I'll attack the problems again today. Will post results. JIM

[Kens 36]

John,

No fair. You have a helper.

Ken

[Jason in TX]

I was going to add having the shifter top off helps you to spin the main gear, and I have used a screwdriver to pick up the "limp" U-joint.

[klicker]

I just did it a couple weeks ago. The banjo was on a cheap HF dolly, the torque tube raised up on another. Rolls really easy. I pushed it up till it was close. I had the turtle off, so I used a big screwdriver in the opening(I know, mis-use of tool) to lever it forward. I had the trans in neutral, so the ujoint turned easily. I lined it up and turned the ujoint while putting light pressure on the lever. It took about two minutes to get the spines to engage. Then pushed it home from the rear of the car.

By the way, 19fordy, I copied your tool for removing and installing the upper shaft bearing sleeve. It helped a lot. Thanks

[19Fordy]

May 12, 2017 3:30 PM

Got it!
About 30 min ago using a combination of all the info. Fordbarners plus telephone call supplied.
Here's how it went.
1. Rolled rear under car with just old rims. Then raised each side and bolted on my 15 in wheels with 7:60 x 15 tires.
2. Rolled assembly forward so torque tube bell would slide between floor and frame.
3. Put floor jack under pumpkin with a rubber grip pad between the drain plug and the jack pad so that the filler plug would dig into the pad when jack was moved forward.
4. Then "jacked up" pumpkin until I was able to get the U-Joint splines and the drive shaft splines as level as possible and "in line" by inserting shims between bottom of torque tube and frame. This was tedious and took a while as you have to find the right combination of shims. I finally used an old door hinge and a piece of 1/4 inch plastic so that the torque tube would slide more easily.
5. Put transmission in 3rd gear moved torque tube and rear assembly forward by placing a 2x4 against the rear of the jack and hitting it with a sledge hammer until the splines touched each other. The drain plug "dug in" and the entire assembly moved forward little by little.
6. Then placed transmission in Neutral and turned the U-Joint with a pair of skinny vise grips until I felt it mesh with the drive shaft splines. I then applied the sledge hammer treatment again -just a little.
7. Placed narrow vice grips on U-joint and turn it to see if drive shaft splines were engaged meshed. They were as everything turned.
8. Then applied sledge hammer treatment to 2x4 and torque tube slid into position in the U-Joint a little at a time. The rear wheels of the car were off the ground when doing this.
HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN. I realize the sledge hammer may be extreme, but I am not Mighty Mouse. Thank you to all the Fordbarners who helped.

[willowbilly3]

I would have suggested a similar technique minus the sledge hammer and with the transmission in gear. You can rock one wheel while rolling it in (might have to secure the other wheel from turning) and feel as the splines cog in. Just like stabbing a tranny, engine don't turn, tranny in gear so you can rotate the shaft and lini up splines as it goes in.

[JSeery]

So, the message is, when all else fails use a sledge hammer!

[Steve Staysko]

Is that my imagination playing tricks on me or is that not the universal joint outer housing cap sitting on top of the transmission in your first picture? How do you suppose you will install it after the fact? Just asking!!! :-)

[Ken/Alabama]

Originally Posted by Steve Staysko

Is that my imagination playing tricks on me or is that not the universal joint outer housing cap sitting on top of the transmission in your first picture? How do you suppose you will install it after the fact? Just asking!!! :-)

I always install the outer housing after the torque tube is coupled with the u-joint.

[Steve Staysko]

Well I answered my own question its not like the 34 its a split cap now I see the bolts and nuts "Duh"

[19Fordy]

Holy Clam Shell.
My heart skipped a beat for a moment.