The 'E' Type Forum

Hi everybody.

I'm rebuilding my E-type S1 diff.
The original flange on the input shaft is 52mm long.
I'm going to use a 66mm flange (to go with the 26 splines gears)

Does anyone know if these 14mm difference will cause troubles with the propshaft?
Or should I get it shortened :(

Thanks in advance
James

Where you may run into problems is putting the engine and gearbox into the car. There is only about 1/2" clearance between the gearbox and tail shaft flanges and it is awkward access to compress the tail shaft further against its rubber boot.

My gut feeling is that you'll probably be OK but shortening the tail shaft now might just save a lot of swearing later.

EDIT. Sorry I assumed you were doing a ground up resto and had the engine out. If all you have done is dropped the IRS then just take some measurements from under the car and see how much further you can push the tail shaft flange forward. I reckon it'll be OK.

On a slight tangent, I managed to destroy Series 1 SWB prop-shaft a while ago by fracturing the yoke, using a large press to remove the UJ. The UJ must of got caught on a burr or something as 80 tonnes pushed down on it.

I started to look for a replacement, they are readily available from the usuals.

We have a local prop-shaft repairer, I was passing, so I took it in.

Without even asking what the prop-shaft was from. They took me into a room with thousands of boxes full of brand new prop shafts. An engineer in overalls took one out. It had the same flanges as the Jag unit. It also contained a long sliding joint which I like.

It was also quite a bit beefier in the UJ department, but the same diameter shaft. Good for 400 bhp apparently.

They cut it to length, a couple of inches either side of the original length with the sliding joint, welded it, balanced it, painted in satin black and charged me around £200 +VAT. It was all done the same day.

Very good I thought. C F Parkinson, Boston. Problem solved.