How to remove MC-5C driveshaft?

[bevans6]

I have the flange bolts all undone, the driveshaft is basically loose.  There is a hook designed to capture the driveshaft if a U-joint fails that means I cannot remove the driveshaft in one piece.  I can't get the driveshaft to separate into two pieces at the slip joint.  I have applied all the force I can to get it to slip apart, and it won't.  I don't see any limit bolt that might keep it together, but I could have missed one.  Ideas?

Brian

[luvrbus]

They won't come apart if the seal nut is place have you backed it off

[bevans6]

There was a press on dust cap over the seal between the two halves, I took that off.  There was no "nut" per se.  Unless I am looking for the wrong thing, can you describe the seal nut?

Brian

[luvrbus]

Dust cap or seal nut remove those and pull the o-ring they should come apart,most all I remove have a screw on cap on the slip joint,maybe a snap ring inside the slip joint ?

[Utahclaimjumper]

Mark the shaft with a straight edge before pulling it apart to correctly reinsert the two halves for timeing purposes .>>>Dan

[brmax]

Brian, In good humor!
That only happens in shop scenarios on Fridays

Floyd

[eagle19952]

it should slip like butter...does it slip at all ??

do you suppose those splines are rung ??

has it been greased religiously

are you going to build a new drive-line ??

got a blue wrench ??

[chessie4905]

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbestdealsprings.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F04%2Fdrivelines_offhighway_mxl.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbestdealsprings.com%2Fdriveline-repair%2F&docid=gpVePCYib4GUCM&tbnid=mgnni-BxSO3UHM%3A&w=600&h=300&client=tablet-android-verizon&bih=601&biw=962&ved=0ahUKEwjN2bbfp8vPAhVGPj4KHd1ABQ04yAEQMwgOKAwwDA&iact=mrc&uact=8

The black item is the coller

[bevans6]

Well. I got it out by removing the hook driveshaft constrainer, two giant nuts on a big U-bolt around the axle held it on but even rusted as they were they yielded to a 4 foot bar and 1 1/8" socket...  

The driveshaft definitely has an internal lock that won't let it separate.  There is a big dust cap with a vent hole in it under the yoke of the U joint on the female half, and I would bet that if I remove the U-joint and take that dust cap off a bolt of some sort will be revealed.  I'm not going to actually do that, I will either have this driveshaft rebuilt or get a new one of appropriate length.  

I measured the length of the spicer, it looks like 29 - 30 inches flange to flange.  Based on what I've read the MT 647 will be 30.5" long, but I don't know where to where.  I am planning to have a yoke output on the MT 647, which will save me around 2", but apparently there is a spacer needed at the bellhousing end which will take up an inch.  We will see what we will see, I guess.  I did find that a friend of mine has known the shop where I am buying the transmission for many years, he says they are top notch and highly respected, they did all the heavy driveline work for the Army base he worked at.

If I get the energy I will go and start to pull the engine today.  I'm old, I like to work for five minutes and then take a rest...  

Brian

[Stormcloud]

Hi, Brian:

I am following this thread with interest. I swapped in an MT654 a few years ago into my '7'. I had the driveshaft shortened based on the dimensions of the auto transmission, but (oops) forgot the 1" spacer, so the machinist got to do it again!

Otherwise, all went perfectly.

[luvrbus]

The actual length is measured from the bell housing flange to the flange on the tail shaft when installing one   

[Oonrahnjay]

Hi, Brian:

I am following this thread with interest. I swapped in an MT654 a few years ago into my '7'. I had the driveshaft shortened based on the dimensions of the auto transmission, but (oops) forgot the 1" spacer, so the machinist got to do it again!

Otherwise, all went perfectly. 

      The good news is that driveshaft shortening and lengthening is a reasonably simple operation for an experience and careful machinist and it's easy to find a specialist in or near most good-sized cities.  It's usually not cheap, but in the scheme of things, it's fairly priced.  Of course, it's essential that the finished driveshaft is straight and balanced but that should be part of the job by a competent machinist/welder.
      The drive shaft from the Gillig donor bus that's going in my bus is 13" with the slip joint fully compressed; that's measured from the center of front U-joint to the center of the rear U-joint.  Since it doesn't appear practical to go much shorter than that and going longer would just move the engine further to the rear (which I'm trying to avoid), it appears that I'll just work around the existing U-joint I have but it's good to know that mods are available if I need them. 

[Tom Y]

Brian, My 5c shaft came apart. I had posted pictures of it on here but it was 8-10 years ago. Look at your shaft are the u-joints lined up or are they at an odd position? Mine has one larger spline so it will only go one way, not the normal way.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

The driveshaft on my 5A would only go back together one way too.   

[luvrbus]

The driveshaft on my 5A would only go back together one way too.   

MCI did that because they were timed out of phase on a 5 with the drop box