Magnum XL installation - driveshaft trouble

[cgornowich]

After over boosting my 4.6 3V, I finally threw a rod or two. So, we're putting her back together. The new ford racing crate motor is installed, and I purchased TREMEC MAGNUM XL S197 6-speed kit from JPC. Nice kit: the dual disc clutch, bellhousing, and transmission have all gone in pretty well. But the driveshaft is giving me a hard time. It slides onto the tailshaft fine, and I loaded the six hex head bolts in the flange that bolts to the rear end and got them started by hand. The issue is I don't have enough room to get even a standard allen key into the bolt to tighten it. And these go to 75-80 ft lbs. Has anybody run into this? Or should I just go get some 12-point bolts with shoulders and call it a day?

Thanks for your help

 

[skwerl]

I had a little bit of an issue, had to find the right length Allen socket. And I believe it's a 9mm which is an oddball size. You can find one at NAPA which is just about the right length to make it work. I had to let the axle hang and tighten the one on the bottom, turn the axle a quarter turn and repeat.

Best to figure it out since you will probably have the axle off again for future mods and you'll go through this each time. Once I had the correct tool it wasn't a big deal.

 

[drive_55_not]

The rear bolts should take an 8mm allen, When I was still using those hex heads, I cut one down and welded an open end crows foot to it so I could torque them down ..

I switched to using 12pt ARP bolts. Makes it much easier to get them in and out.

,.

 

[skwerl]

Is it 8mm at the rear? I guess the other end was 9mm. I just remember having to buy a 9mm Allen socket and it took a while to find one.

 

[cgornowich]

Here's a photo of the end of the driveshaft, where the bolts fasten to the input of the rear end. Can you suggest a tool that can get in here and allow me to torque the fasteners? Mine are 8mm.

 

[JUSTA3V]

I used skwerls method as well. But I only used a regular Allen wrench and tightened them by hand gudntite.

I know I'm crazy but I check it every now and then and they are all still tight. I also used plenty of loc-tight on them.

 

[skwerl]

I used skwerls method as well. But I only used a regular Allen wrench and tightened them by hand gudntite.

I know I'm crazy but I check it every now and then and they are all still tight. I also used plenty of loc-tight on them.

The picture helped jog my memory. Yes, you can get a long Allen socket on 4 of them and the other two I used a regular Allen wrench. I used a small piece of pipe as a handle on the Allen wrench so I could lean on it a bit.

 

[JUSTA3V]

Ya. I used an big combination wrench as a snipe if I remember correctly

 

[cgornowich]

Update

Here's an update: I went looking for other fasteners at the local napa and auto zone (very pleasant and diligent, but not productive), local FORD dealer (jerk who wouldn't stop asking for my VIN, no matter what I told him), and even Ace Hardware (turned out to be a 60 something die hard mopar fanatic, no help but asked me to "bring the car by when you get her runnin'), I decided the fasteners were there to stay. I finally talked to a tech at JPC again, nice guys, told me to cut down an allen key (called a stubby) and use that and a breaker bar with lots of loctight. Broke two hacksaw blades (alloy steel allen key, duh), and finally ordered this:

Bondhus 20599 Inch/Met Stubby Balldvr L-Wrnch Dbl Pk

off Amazon for decent price (ordered two incase I break one). I'll let ya'll know what happens. Thanks for all your help.

Charlie

 

[skwerl]

If you have a bench grinder you can grind down an Allen wrench. Or an offset grinder with a cutoff disc.

 

[sportinawoody]

we had the same issue, I had the appropriate tools to complete the job. just go buy a ball head allen socket. you can go in almost sideways. problem solved
https://www.zoro.com/sk-professiona...pc&utm_campaign=PLA&utm_term=X_PB20_HandTools