F134 to 225 V6 Driveshaft Length

I am getting different opinions on this one so I thought I better post the question. I'm swapping out an F-Head for a Buick 225 V6.

Here are the specs:
1959 Jeep CJ6
T-90 Transmission
Dana 18 Trasfercase
2.5" Suspension lift

1) Will I need to shorten and\or lengthen the driveshafts after doing this swap?

2) What type of place modifies and\or builds custom driveshafts?

3) Will the front driveshaft have the potential to interfere with the transfercase or any other component after the swap?

Thanks for the help!!!

 

1) most likely, won't be determined till drivetrain is installed.

2) any machine shop can weld in a new tube

3) potential clearance problem around starter and bellhousing area

If your careful while positioning the V6/T90/D18 assembly, won't be any issues; that's why you measure twice and weld once...

 

Let me add to Jims statement slightly. Any good machine shop can cut down or lengthen the driveshafts but you will need an automotive shop most of the time to balance them as a general machine shop will not have the equipment to do it unless you find an old timer that used to do it alot and knows a few secrets.

 

since I have locking hubs on the front, I never had my front shaft balanced; only used off road.
but...the rear should be balanced, good point, Mike.

 

But you should be able to use same driveshaft right? From 4 cy to 6 cy?

 

Also the T-90 input shaft is different length from F-head bell to 225V6 bell.

 

What Jim said..............Most likely you might be able to re-use length wise one or the other ..........that again it's just a matter of engine placement.......the V6 motor has to be offset to the drivers side for clearance.....most times the firewall just above the brake pedal will also need an adjustment ( a large dent ) in order to have room for the Left Side cylinder head on the V6 to clear the firewall............worrying about drive shafts right now is the least of your concerns.............engine mounts, rear mounts, exhaust, Steering , radiator placement , fan clearance and battery relocation.........plus a few more all have to be addressed.
All of these changes have to be meshed together into the engine placement location.......if you get lucky perhaps one drive shaft will be the correct length.

 

Don't worry about your driveshafts until everything else is in place.
There are places like Tom Woods that will build any kind of shaft you need.
Not usually any clearance issues with a T90 as it is very short and the shaft angle will drop especially with lift springs.

 

The propeller shaft will be the same so long as the rear engine support (transmission) crossmember is not moved.
I just noted the 2-1/2" lift.
That alone could mandate changing the length of the propeller shafts.

The Willys 134 engine is always positioned exactly 1-1/2" LEFT of frame centerline.
The Dauntless engine always requires you to reposition the crankshaft centerline to 3/4' LEFT of frame CL.
So whenever you move the Dauntless 3/4" over you must also move the transmission exactly 3/4".
Otherwise the drive train alignment is cattywompus.

If you plan to retain the T90 you will encounter problems with fore/aft drivetrain positioning.
Specifically the Dauntless left engine valve cover will be against the firewall.
I suggest you go to a T15 or T18 and thereby eliminate the need to to move the drivetran fore or aft.
The Dauntless / T18 installation using standard rear engine support crossmember position will require some changes at the radiator.
The Dauntless /T15 installation using standard rear engine support crossmember position will clear the firewall and create no additiional issues at the radiator.

 

Ignore driveshafts until you are done swapping engines. They can be made relatively cheaply and working your swap around the driveshaft is not a good idea.

 

This is an old thread.

That being said: The front drive shaft on the v-6 CJ5's are narrower than the ones used in the F-134 Jeeps. The front shaft has to clear the starter on the v-6.

 

No difference at all between them for clearence. They are just different. v6 shafts are really cheap throwaway pieces and the u joints are twice the cost. The first thing I do on every v6 cj5 that I get is swap out the front driveline and yokes.

 

I fully agree with Daryl but please realize that Kaiser Jeep had a reason for going to small V-6 universal joints.
Basically the Dauntless V6 must be located exactly 3/4" further right than the Willys 134 engines.
That specific R/L engine placement was done for several reasons.

The Dauntless engine must move 3/4" to clear the:
1) Brake lever
2) Ross Steering box and drag link
3) Left exhaust manifold
4) Split bore brake fittings (1967 -1971)

If Dauntless is placed further to right it creates fitment problems with:
1) Battery tray
2) Foreward-most universal joint clearance

Yes that right...
The foremost universal joint located at the differential gets close to the oil pan with right front axle at full stuff.
I believe Kaiser was a tad over concerned with the 1310 universal proximity in relation to the oil pan.
So they decided on a smaller joint for additional clearance.
I have fully observed all related Dauntless engine clearances issues.
With Dauntless engine precisely positioned right to left I personally do not see the need for the smaller front universal joints.
But yes the Dauntless requires a precise fit and can be a problem if engine placement is off.

 

Daryl, Isn't there something about the placement of the motor mounts also?

 

The driver's side motor mount is shorter to move the motor over. My biggest problem with the v6 prop shafts is the very low quality of splines on the slip yoke.

 

Hi. I just read thus post and in the middle of putting a dauntless into a 65 CJ6. The the motor, t86, & t18 came out of a 66 cj5. This is the stuff I've ran into so far !! The motor mount frame brackets were cut off of the cj5 so with a little medal fab I was able to reuse them the motor sits offset to the drivers side about 3/4" .
The Ross steering out of the L4 will not work with the v6 , it hit the bell housing. I used a Ross from a v6 model.
Fire wall needs to be cut on the driver side for the valve cover.
Even with the motor back as far as I could get it my front driveshaft needs to be shortens and rear one lengthens bu 2"
The rad outlet on the bottom is on the wrong side for the v6 and the 65 l4 grill is deeper so the fan does not clear the rad. So I think I will be going electric fan
I hade to bend the brake peddle arm about a 1/2" to clear the bell housing.
Had to modify the upper trans cover inside the clear the new firewall and install the v6 throttle linkage.

That all so far but I'm still in the middle of putting it all together

 

If you start with the fan shroud cut out of the grill and mount the motor farther forward, every single issue you stated goes away.

 

Well the gill is a 65 , which does not have a shroud like the 73ish grill. If I move the motor forward the only thing it helps is the firewall cut out . It doesn't help the steering or the drive shaft length it make them worse because the front one needs to be shortened and the rear one made longer. I could cut the grill down where the rad mount to get the fan to fit but not sure i want to cut up a nice grill