Driveshaft Question

[Ed Nikolich]

Ok everyone. I have a really dumb question for ya"ll. It is actually about a Massey Marris, but I trust the input and opinions of those on this board.

I removed the short little driveshaft on my MH22 to replace the seal and bearings on the transmission. The shaft was off for about five days. Got parts, replaced them and went to put everything back together yesterday. Happy little camper until male end driveshaft would no longer fit into female end.

Ok, not a novice repairman by any means, but certainly not an expert. I carefully examined the splines to see if one was odd sized for realignment - it was not. In fact, took a feeler guage to each spline to measure. All identical.

Took my Dremel and carefully dressed the ends of each spline - no luck. Lubricated male and female ends to no avail. What the heck is going on??

My only theory is that the shafts had been mated up for almost sixty years and there has been some torsional distortion? I am about to check myself into mental hospital soon if I do not figure it out. Would it help to heat up one end before trying again?

Oh, one more thing. When I took it off, it slid right off. No pounding or effort required. I did need to whack a little bit on one end to reinstall the bearing housing, but end does not feel mushroomed to me.

Thanks everyone. This should be a fun discussion!

 

[gene walkowicz]

Is the seal to small so it will not slide back on?

 

[Ed Nikolich]

No. the seal is in the transmission case and far away from where the two ends of the shaft join. I plan on taking a micrometer to the male end when I get home and seeing if it did actually mushroom, despite how careful I was putting it back on. Just tapped it into place with rbber mallet. But you never know!!

 

[gene walkowicz]

Ok I no this will sound stupided but is it a pockit of air. so when you try to push it in the air has no place to go and it will not slide on. I had it happen to me on a drive shaft on a tubo 400 on a chevy. had to give a tap with a dead blow hammer. then it slid right on?

 

[Ed Nikolich]

So here is the final result. Took a micrometer and could not find any distortion or mushrooming at the end. I do believe gene was correct about an air pocket!! I got a little more aggressive with the dremel at the end to create an area for air to escape and guess what? Yup, went right on and could actually feel the air flowing out of my notched area.

Thanks gene!