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Triumph TR6 - TR6 drive shaft off center

I am in the process of rebuilding my 75 TR6 on a refurbished frame. After connecting the drive shaft with the trans and differential I have observed that the differential flange and rear of drive shaft are off center by about 1 inch to the right. The differential mounting pins appear to be properly centered. If you may recall the front mounting plate attaching to the differential is actually offset with the left side being longer.(??)
Question-is this offset of the drive shaft proper?
Should the rear of the transmission be offset to the right as well so as to keep the drive shaft straight?

Any reasoning why Brit Leyland would have designed the car with the offset; if indeed this offset is correct?

Thank you for your response and assistance
Bob
Bob

Hi Bob
Your car's OK, the diff is offset to the right and the gearbox should be central, the UJs in the propshaft compensate, only thing I don't know why they built them like that ??
Ron
R. Algie

I am glad to hear this. I just completed a rebuild of the rear suspension of my 76 TR6 with new trailer arm bushings, springs, rebuilt hubs, ujoings, boxed the diff mounts and new rubbers etc. While I was finishing the reassembly yesterday I noticed that the driveshaft was not central in the tunnel. It was centered at the transmission, but was off to the right about that inch coming out of the tunnel to the diff. I have been racking my brain to figure what I did wrong. Thanks for the info, mine is like that too!
S Burstyn

All points of drivetrain are rubber mounted when you get torque windup things move around? Keeps things from bumping in the small tunnel.
Bill
Bill Brayford

Yeah but the offset actually puts the driveshaft nearer the RH side of the tunnel at the rear??
Ron
R. Algie

Bob
Maybe you have already addressed the problem with the dif mounts but just in-case not....put in the "box plates" for extra strength and a plate on top of the cross member where the bolt heads are. Easier to do now than later. Now that I think about it, I think this problem was addressed from "74 on??
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Hi All

Ron

Tried to find a graphic from hotrodders sights with no luck so will have to describe windup. Try it with a rubber band thinking of where the force is going.

What happens is when you dump the clutch. The drive shaft turns clockwise. When it gets resistance at the diff due to drive wheels it windsup. So the back of the engine/tranny goes right but the front of diff goes left due to the axle and wheel resistance. To compensate they moved it over a bit in the narrow part. Rear chassis design was not strong from new.

Sorry guys I can see this in my brain but a poor describer.

Bill Brayford

Hi Bill
I can understand your description OK, it justs seems a bit devious for BL to do something sensible like that!! would it not have been easier just to have a slightly larger tunnel?
Ron
R. Algie

This thread was discussed between 08/03/2004 and 10/03/2004

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