Tail shaft options

[Errol62]

Gearbox conversions would be the second most common modification to early holdens back in the day at least, after wheels, generally leading to the need for a shorter tail shaft. There are a couple of bolt in options. Many these days will get their existing shaft shortened and balanced, the later boxes generally being longer and beefier. This is a good idea and it’s what I did the first time I performed this mod on a HX van.

When I started modifying an EK sedan I lucked on to a driveline from a guy who was wrecking his defected EK wagon with 202, m20 and Hydramatic tail shaft. That tailshaft has since done 100000 miles plus behind various engine and gearbox combinations. But I always wondered if the yoke was a little too far in to the g/b output, causing premature failure of the seal and the possibility of the output shaft receiving a shunt when bottoming the suspension. Coupled with this is my intention to move the engine mounts back another 10mm on the trusty HR disc front going in my van project.

Long story short, I was looking for a shorter shaft and heard the LC LJ unit was suitable. Hydramatic tsilshafts are no longer raining from the heavens and anything Torana may as well be gold plated these days. So when I saw an LC shaft lying around at today’s swap meet I took it off the guys hands for $20.

Anyway to get to the point, pictured below, these are your bolt in options for all synchro 3, 4 & Trimatic:The bottom two are standard crash box, centre to centre 1350mm, next Hydramatic 1270mm and top LC 1238mm.

End of dribble. You never know someone may actually read this and find it useful or at least interesting. Now to get back to what I should be doing. Working on the ute.
Cheers
Clay


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[Blacky]

[mph]

i used a lc tail shaft first with my trimatic which works ok but the hydro tail shaft is much better

[Errol62]

Another tailshaft in my collection, not that it is much use in an FB. I swapped it for an EK one I didn't need, funnily enough it was for a guy to put in his FJ ute...

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[Belly760]

Good info Clay. Im hoping to put an auto in my FB Ute so as I can drive it on the road. I’ll need a new tailshaft so this helps. Thanks


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