Amphicar Drive Shaft Type

[Akamphi]

I have a 66 Amphicar. I bought a set of U-joints off ebay, the 30 MM style for early shafts, that fit but have about 30 thou of play under the clips. I'm not sure if my yokes are bent or if there is another type of joint size avalable. My machine shop says they can make shims to install under the caps but it's going to take some time to custom fit.

Are there three types of shafts? I see two avalable from Gordons and mine do accept the 30 MM size sold on ebay so maybe they are the early style. The don't have a greese zerk for the slip joint. Just debating weather to buy new shafts or try and put shims on mine over the caps or find out if I've just got the wrong joints and there is a type that will fit...

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Yes there are 3 drive shafts used in Amphicar,, all 3 will work in any car.
24mm size...These were installed with a very weird star type holding clip which is very hard to remove.
Many of the shafts I have got over the years, people have changed u joints in and arc welding the caps in place, there by destorying the unit.
I do have a replacement u joint for these, the clip will now be in the inside of the U. no other mod is needed.
28mm types, (there are two of these, one has a greese fitting for spline(you can add this to any)These are the best type to have, U joint is a basic std, clip in but hard to find, Allan Woodcock in Cal. ,has them! and I hasve found a perfect bright Red bellows to fit these.
30mm.size..It is imposible to get the old u joint apart without destroying them.I have a replacement for these that needs no shim but dose not have a greese zert and is hardened steel so can not add one.
I have in the past taken ones a bit bigger in dia and had macined down to fit(with zert) but is time consumeing and costly!
For a bellows for these I go to Home Depot and buy the 2ft lengths of Central vac hose...grey in colour,att. is a 30 mm shaft,note the ends have no seal groove marks..
Remember when rebuilding drive axles, that there must be no grooves or wear in area where seals ride(expecially in trany end.)
the keyway must be in perfect condition and the splines must not be worn or damaged from sand ;grit or lack of greese!

 

[Akamphi]

Thanks... That photo looks like my shaft. Is it common for the 30mm joints to need a shim? I'm concerned my yokes might be bent slightly. I've completely rebuilt them and will probubly try to reuse them with the shims.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Since there is no store bought U joint that is exact, I have had to add thin washers to some of the U joints to make up the difference.
The only 30mm That I have found(no zerk) I actually have to machine some metal off, there a fraction too wide!

 

[jfriese]

Gord,

The u-joints I found are the exact size for the late style shafts. These are the thinner looking shafts that I call style 3 and 4 (style 4 having the right angle zerk). They are German made and have a zerk on an end cap. I include the extended right angle zerk pieces with them to make them right for style 4 shafts. You can get them from Allan Woodcock or me. They won't work with the early style shafts though.

John Friese
67 White
67 Red

jfriese@mindspring.com
805-570-4778 (late afternoons or evenings)

 

[Akamphi]

What shafts do I have? 30mm caps, metal sleeve over slip joint and a boot that fits from yoke to yoke. I don't have a slender section in the shaft like I see on both pictures of shafts Gordon sells.
They look just like the photo Gord posted. It's my distance from one cap to the other that is giving me a problem. Appears my shafts need about 15 mil in shim on top of each cap to fit tight. Is that common?

 

[SNOWBIRD]

John F..
you will see in my first replay that I say the 28MM are aval.. from Allan Woodcock,, and that is what you call syle 3 and 4
its the 30 mm that Craig is having the touble with. most 30 mm need a spacer added..

 

[jfriese]

Hi Craig,

It sounds like you have early shafts and I don't know about the u-joint issues with those. Realize though that any of the shaft types will work equally well in your Amphicar. It's just the issues of repair parts serviceability that separate the various versions. One of my cars had early shafts when I bought it but I replaced them with late style units when I restored it.

John Friese
67 White
67 Red

 

[Akamphi]

Thanks for all the support guys! You guys have always been so much help. Love this forum!