Driveline clearance

No, this is not another thread on pinion angle

The question deals with driveshaft clearance. I have a 312 Y block hooked up to a C4 positioned in my 26 RPU.

I have an 8" Maverick rear mounted with an 8" kickup in the frame and a triangulated 4 bar style setup.

I'm using all American coil overs on the rear.

I'm wondering how much room I need under the body for driveshaft clearance. I'd rather not have to cut into the seating area of my bucket and build a tunnel if I don't have to.

Some pictures on my build thread, but not really any of the area in question.

Thanks.

 

To me, that is a impossible question. You will not know until you have it fully ***embled at ride height on the ground.

 

Kind of thought that, I have my car at the ride height I will be using when done, I'll adjust the strength (poundage rating) of the rear coils till it is where it needs to be (the finished ride height I have decided I want).

I was hoping someone with a similar style car (26-27 T RPU or modified) could give me an idea of how much running room they have for their driveshafts.

Tough question to be sure.

 

Not a real tough question to answer. Figure out where frame would set in relation to the rear axle if the suspension were fully bottomed out and give yourself just enough clearance so that the driveshaft doesn't hit the floor/tunnel. It looks like you plan to run coil overs so where it sat with the coil overs bottomed out would be what you would need to clear to be fully safe. That means if a couple of heavy duty guys ride across the fair grounds in your car with you it won't bottom out the driveshaft in the process.

 

I re-read it. To me, it sounded like you did not have the car completed. Mr48 suggested one way to set clearance. If your car isn't too low you could also set up bump stops to prevent the driveshaft from bottoming out. You do not want your shocks to bottom out first. Pictures of the rear end, frame and clearance you have now would be very helpful.

 

Right, I don't have the car completed. I do however have the ride height dialed in and have mock up bars bolted in the rear at the compressed ride height that the TCI coil overs will be at when the car is finished.

Bump stops sound ok, I think at this point I can remove my mock up bars which are set for 13 1/2" (TCI recommended ride length of coil overs) and drill a couple more holes to lower the rear down and simulate the rear suspension fully compressed.

I can use the coil over specs for that.
Once I do that I should see the room I have for the driveshaft.

Thanks for the suggestions, anyone else with ideas or hard data join in.

 

the drive shaft movement is greatest at the pinion and nill at the trans. My steel roadster only moves about 2" at pinion, 1" at mid point on drive shaft.