Street Build 1g build - The Real Life Trials and Tribulations of building a DSM

[Anfurnyy]

Ordered some GMB Non greasable U joints from rock auto that @jdxnc mentioned here:

U-joints (DSM vs. Evo3 vs. Aftermarket)

I was emailing with another OG DSM owner tonight, who is rebuilding a 1G AWD for his son.He contacts me when they're working though another segment of the car (MUCH appreciated, and I'm honored), and today, we've been working on rebuilding the driveshaft on said car.He's already purchased...

www.dsmtuners.com

Gmb part number:
(220-0107)

They aren't listed under our cars but I compared the measurements online to the factory one and they are the same. So hopefully they fit. I'm gonna swap the broken one out and have a spare for another time.

Took one of the needle bearing caps off one of the crosses on the UJoint and pushed it back on and it actually pushed the other side off... This leads me to believe that these are also cross drilled / slightly hollow. Hopefully not.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Stupid question, could we not take a hollow u-joint and fill it with JB Weld or some kind of really solid epoxy to strengthen it?


For that matter has anyone destroyed a greaseable u-joint?

 

[Anfurnyy]

Stupid question, could we not take a hollow u-joint and fill it with JB Weld or some kind of really solid epoxy to strengthen it?


For that matter has anyone destroyed a greaseable u-joint?

Maybe. But I feel like usually the U-Joints aren't the weak point from the rigging I've done, it's usually the Yoke or the Tcase output shaft.

That could be a neat test though

 

[jdxnc]

Stupid question, could we not take a hollow u-joint and fill it with JB Weld or some kind of really solid epoxy to strengthen it?


For that matter has anyone destroyed a greaseable u-joint?

I've seen the parts store greasable ones shredded in one launch.

With the current cost of the oem U-joints it's almost more cost effective to have the driveshaft upgraded to 1310 series joints. I had my rear section done last spring, it's been rock solid and brand new Spicer joints are like $20 and available anywhere.

 

[Anfurnyy]

I've seen the parts store greasable ones shredded in one launch.

With the current cost of the oem U-joints it's almost more cost effective to have the driveshaft upgraded to 1310 series joints. I had my rear section done last spring, it's been rock solid and brand new Spicer joints are like $20 and available anywhere.

How does one go about doing that? Machine shop thing?

*Edit*
NVM found your post.

 

[Anfurnyy]

Got the new UJoint put in. I was able to get the old yoke side off without damaging it since it's a newer ish OEM and reused it.

The new UJoint fits. It's a little snug but I think pretty much all of them are.
I did stick a oring pick through it and did verify that it IS hollow which is unfortunate. I hope it holds up. The OEM ones as far as I can tell have a small divot in them maybe to hold some grease and then are solid. I could be wrong and they could be hollow but it doesn't seem like it.

Now the fun part of getting my current driveshaft out so I can pull the old caps out of the Broken ujoint side without fighting with it under the car and then throw it back in. Hoping to have it done this week but we'll see what life throws my way.

 

[Anfurnyy]

So I was comparing UJoints yesterday and noticed that the one that broke is different than the 2 I pulled from my driveshaft..

As it turns out the one that broke is NOT OEM.. it's cross drilled.

2 OEM laying on the towel and the broken one in the old Driveshaft. It's cross drilled both ways, so even the non broken sides are hollow.. so that's interesting. Hopefully this one I'm putting in doesn't meet the same fate.

 

[CrackedDSM]

If it does break, fill one with JB Weld and see what happens. I’m super curious.

 

[Anfurnyy]

If it does break, fill one with JB Weld and see what happens. I’m super curious.

I'm actually contemplating it. There's nothing about it online. The only thing my ol brain can think of would happen is a small part might come off and go into the cap but even then it might not make it into the needle bearings if the cap is fully seated. Hmmm

 

[Anfurnyy]

Got around to swapping out the rest of the driveshaft sometime last week and there's some decent damage on the underside of the car. Luckily the rest of the driveshaft was undamaged and I replaced the u-joint without any issues.


If you don't have one already get yourself an air hammer. I've used it to replace wheel studs and these U-Joints and it's just absolutely game hanging. Knocked the wheel studs out in about 1 seconds and pushed the U-Joints out just about that quick too. Super handy!


Since swapping the front 1/3rd from my spare onto this one I'm sure the driveshaft would need to be balanced but I'm hoping it doesn't.

Keep also having issues with the jxb carrier bushings getting pulled out of the actual carrier somehow. I don't think the studs are bent or anything that I can tell.


I've got to order up some redline heavyweight for the Tcase and then put the exhaust back on and it should be ready to go again. I'm not sure how I'll winterize this thing with the E85 in there. I'd like to get it running on some 91 to clean out the fuel system for the winter.

 

[Anfurnyy]

Boys i will tell you what. Breaking this driveshaft.. is absolutely testing me. Nearly to my limits.
I have completely pulled and reinstalled the ENTIRE driveshaft 4 times in the last couple of weeks with a 5th likely this week to try and get stuff to work.

Basically i cannot get this thing to stop vibrating / Balanced.

I have tried (each one of these the driveshaft had to be fully removed, modified, put back in and tested)
1) Replacing the broken U-Joint and Swapping the slip yoke and front 1/3 on my spare driveshaft to the original driveshaft, vibrated badly at 35mph. Bad enough it's undriveable
2) Swapping the New U-joint onto the Original slip yoke, and front 1/3 and that still caused the same bad vibration.
- Spare Driveshaft from here on out -
3) Put the New U Joints, Old Slip yoke and Spare front 1/3 back onto the Spare back 2/3 and still got a vibration. Considerably lighter and only at like 65+mph but still present.

Here was my biggest mistake. I called a drive shaft shop locally and they said that they could * Probably * balance it but they only could balance one hanger at a time. Which meant i had to pull the driveshaft apart so that each part being balanced would have one carrier. The only way to do this is to pull it apart at the CV joint. I have no experience with them. I Pulled it apart Anyways and brought it to the shop. They said they couldn't do it. They don't have a spline small enough for the slip yoke, or for the Weld yoke where the U Joints sit. FML, Pulled it apart for nothing.

Now comes the Frustrating part.. putting the cv back together. Now this is my own thought, my own experience so take that as you will but it was single handedly the most annoying thing i have ever experienced. DONT TAKE YOUR CV APART UNLESS YOU HAVE A GOOD REASON, UNDERSTANDING / CAN PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. How could something so simple, be that hard. It took me over TWO HOURS to put 6 balls back in and get it all back together. I watched Jafro's video in the middle of it and he was just able to pop them in there. Granted, his CV Joint was completely apart but damn he made it look so easy. Just after the 1 hours mark I was getting so pissed that it was almost comical. I felt like I was going mad

4) Now i got the CV back together. With the driveshaft still vibrating, although not as bad as before the shop suggested maybe rotating the front 1/3 180* from where i had marked it, so i did, Threw it back in and wouldn't you know it. ITS WORSE.
5) My plan now for the 5th time pulling the damn thing is: Rotated it back 180* where it was where it didn't vibrate so bad AND flip the whole shaft end over end to see if that solves it. When I Originally pulled this front 1/3 to put on the back half of the original, i didn't mark this one because i figured it would work. Stupid of me to assume..

If this doesn't work, my only option is to source another driveshaft, or spend the money on a DSS shaft but i doubt it would fit with the full 3.5" exhaust i have, A whole other problem. My other DSM buddy says he has a few spare driveshafts he would sell me so if this doesn't work i think thats the next plan.

Once again, the Keeping the title of the build alive and true to its name.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Boys i will tell you what. Breaking this driveshaft.. is absolutely testing me. Nearly to my limits.
I have completely pulled and reinstalled the ENTIRE driveshaft 4 times in the last couple of weeks with a 5th likely this week to try and get stuff to work.

Basically i cannot get this thing to stop vibrating / Balanced.

I have tried (each one of these the driveshaft had to be fully removed, modified, put back in and tested)
1) Replacing the broken U-Joint and Swapping the slip yoke and front 1/3 on my spare driveshaft to the original driveshaft, vibrated badly at 35mph. Bad enough it's undriveable
2) Swapping the New U-joint onto the Original slip yoke, and front 1/3 and that still caused the same bad vibration.
- Spare Driveshaft from here on out -
3) Put the New U Joints, Old Slip yoke and Spare front 1/3 back onto the Spare back 2/3 and still got a vibration. Considerably lighter and only at like 65+mph but still present.

Here was my biggest mistake. I called a drive shaft shop locally and they said that they could * Probably * balance it but they only could balance one hanger at a time. Which meant i had to pull the driveshaft apart so that each part being balanced would have one carrier. The only way to do this is to pull it apart at the CV joint. I have no experience with them. I Pulled it apart Anyways and brought it to the shop. They said they couldn't do it. They don't have a spline small enough for the slip yoke, or for the Weld yoke where the U Joints sit. FML, Pulled it apart for nothing.

Now comes the Frustrating part.. putting the cv back together. Now this is my own thought, my own experience so take that as you will but it was single handedly the most annoying thing i have ever experienced. DONT TAKE YOUR CV APART UNLESS YOU HAVE A GOOD REASON, UNDERSTANDING / CAN PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. How could something so simple, be that hard. It took me over TWO HOURS to put 6 balls back in and get it all back together. I watched Jafro's video in the middle of it and he was just able to pop them in there. Granted, his CV Joint was completely apart but damn he made it look so easy. Just after the 1 hours mark I was getting so pissed that it was almost comical. I felt like I was going mad

4) Now i got the CV back together. With the driveshaft still vibrating, although not as bad as before the shop suggested maybe rotating the front 1/3 180* from where i had marked it, so i did, Threw it back in and wouldn't you know it. ITS WORSE.
5) My plan now for the 5th time pulling the damn thing is: Rotated it back 180* where it was where it didn't vibrate so bad AND flip the whole shaft end over end to see if that solves it. When I Originally pulled this front 1/3 to put on the back half of the original, i didn't mark this one because i figured it would work. Stupid of me to assume..

If this doesn't work, my only option is to source another driveshaft, or spend the money on a DSS shaft but i doubt it would fit with the full 3.5" exhaust i have, A whole other problem. My other DSM buddy says he has a few spare driveshafts he would sell me so if this doesn't work i think thats the next plan.

Once again, the Keeping the title of the build alive and true to its name.

Damn buddy, that’s insane. Could something else have gotten hit or taken a smack and is causing the vibration like driveshaft mounts, engine mounts, trans mounts, etc.

 

[Anfurnyy]

Damn buddy, that’s insane. Could something else have gotten hit or taken a smack and is causing the vibration like driveshaft mounts, engine mounts, trans mounts, etc.

All of that looks fine. I'm pretty sure that the weld yoke on the 2nd shaft is bent. It took a pretty good hit by the looks of it but seemed fine when I looked at it. Apparently not

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Did you MARK and put the shaft back together the exact way/sides mating back the in the exact same position? Sometimes that does make a difference in balance.
STEP 2: Find a local driveshaft shop and have them use your front and back ends and do a 1 piece shaft (I need to do this myself).
Pops

 

[Anfurnyy]

Did you MARK and put the shaft back together the exact way/sides mating back the in the exact same position? Sometimes that does make a difference in balance.

Unfortunately when i took the front section off my spare i didnt mark it because i felt confident that swapping that onto my original was going to work. Hindsight 20/20

STEP 2: Find a local driveshaft shop and have them use your front and back ends and do a 1 piece shaft (I need to do this myself).
Pops

from what i've heard since the tcase and rear diff aren't even, 1 piece isn't a smart option for our cars. Same reason DSS quit making a one piece for our cars because the angles were out of whack causing bad vibration. Even if i did go this route, the local driveshaft shop doesn't have the correct tooling to use the front yoke on their machines.

 

[CrackedDSM]

I know this doesn't help really, but maybe at your power level just do what Jason Drews did and go with the upgraded DSS shaft and modify the remaining OEM shaft for the upgraded 1310 joints. Might as well upgrade since you're having to do it, and that way you don't need to fight with 30 year old obsolete technology anymore. It's honestly what I'd do/what I usually do on my car when stupid shit happens.

 

[Anfurnyy]

I know this doesn't help really, but maybe at your power level just do what Jason Drews did and go with the upgraded DSS shaft and modify the remaining OEM shaft for the upgraded 1310 joints. Might as well upgrade since you're having to do it, and that way you don't need to fight with 30 year old obsolete technology anymore. It's honestly what I'd do/what I usually do on my car when stupid shit happens.

I'd like to but I don't have $1000 for a DSS shaft, and then another $1000 for labor and parts

 

[CrackedDSM]

I'd like to but I don't have $1000 for a DSS shaft, and then another $1000 for labor and parts

Eeesh. Well when you put it that way…

 

[Anfurnyy]

Eeesh. Well when you put it that way…

Maybe it's cheaper other places but here.. everything especially custom shit is crazy expensive.

 

[Anfurnyy]

Round 5. Pray for me boys.

 

[Anfurnyy]

Alrighty so it SEEMS like it's fixed. At the very least for the most part.

At around 90ish on decel it feels like there might be a very slight vibration but it's hardly noticeable. You really have to be aware of it. During acceleration there's nothing.

We should be in the clear boys! Hallelujah..

 

[1cleangsx]

Congrats! Hope to see some 50psi pulls again

 

[mecha]

*EDIT*
As I'm updating this build, it seems that this is turning more into a story than just a build. I've updated the title to reflect this, I suppose. This build is really going to showcase the real life issues behind building / working on a DSM and the problems, solutions that other might run into as well. Hopefully this will help people someday. Enjoy



Oh man where to start.

i Bought this car off a buddy of mine that had it for almost a decade. With 155k miles, He parked it due to it jumping timing and bending valves. It sat covered in a garage for the last 7 years or so, with the head off and tons of bolts and odds and ends missing.

i started off by rebuilding the head. I did some research and found a few things that were highly recommended. So i ended up with some Ferrea Oem size valves, Kiggly HLA, Stock cams and gears, GSC Zero tick lifters. I bought some evo 8 rockers from a facebook group but they were trashed when i got them, so i moved back to some dsm rockers. to summarize i got the car running but it the transfercase was bone dry due to some leaky transfer seals, so i parked it again and while i was doing that i decided to make the switch to Speed Denisity and change the turbo setup a bunch of times, and finally Landing on a GTX3584RS.

i have a TON of pictures so ill be updating this post in the near future with the process of the rebuild and the current upgrades going on!
Here's a couple pictures of what the car used to look like and how it was when I received it

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Those seats needs washing

Congrats! Hope to see some 50psi pulls again

i think 40 is fine

 

[Anfurnyy]

Those seats needs washing

They're actually pretty clean surprisingly. They'll get washed sometime or another but priorities.

 

[mecha]

They're actually pretty clean surprisingly. They'll get washed sometime or another but priorities.

they are neat seats i know

was only trying to point out my ick about the car