31-05-2024, 05:18 AM
I have now had the bearings in the universal joint at the rear end of the prop shaft replaced by a drive shaft reconditioning business. Their technicians queried the alignment of the yokes at each end of the prop shaft being out of alignment by 90 degrees. They said most car makers have the yokes aligned. They said that is because universal joints are not constant velocity joints and therefore can impart irregular motion to the shaft. They think that having the yokes aligned overcomes this irregular motion whereas misalignment of the yokes will result in vibration and wear. They recommended that I pull the uj at engine end off the spline and replace it rotated 90 degrees. Before I do that, I would like to hear whether alignment of the yokes is the standard arrangement for Austin Sevens, or was my shaft with 90 degrees misalignment correct.