TH400 conversion... driveshaft pics...

[yullose]

Stock OEM 200R4 shaft next to new HD shaft for TH400.
For those that may be curious...

This new shaft cost me exactly $318.47 with tax.
It came complete and ready to install.

It has a solid 1350 U-joint up front, and a 1350/3R conversion joint at the rear. (The stock diff yoke takes a "3R" U-joint.)

I ordered it last Thursday and just picked it up today. Would have been done sooner, but the guy was off Friday and Monday for the holiday...

 

[JDSfastGN]

looks good man... Was that a Dennys driveshaft? Just curious if they build stock replacement units that are a bit stronger than the stocker. I plan on sticking with the 200 but would love a better driveshaft under there.

 

[yullose]

Done by a local shop...

Associated Truck Parts in Gilbertsville, PA.

 

[charliep]

Looking good! I'm planning on having the car running Saturday with the 400 in it if everything goes as planned?

I need to use the stock shaft if it fit for now.

 

[yullose]

Looking good! I'm planning on having the car running Saturday with the 400 in it if everything goes as planned?

I need to use the stock shaft if it fit for now.

I think with a 400 yoke it may be a tad long... but anything is possible and certainly worth a try.

 

[daniel]

Looking good! I'm planning on having the car running Saturday with the 400 in it if everything goes as planned?

I need to use the stock shaft if it fit for now.

i just got my shaft done.you have to get 1 inch cut off.it only cost me $60 to have it cut,welded and balanced.good luck.

 

[charliep]

Damn I was hoping I wouldn't have ot shorten the shaft. I wanted to be done with the car on Saturday. We have a local shop so it's no problem. Just want the car done.

 

[PaCemkr86]

RIGHT THERE with ya buddy.. installed mine and lovin it

 

[yullose]

Well...
Got mine all back together tonight after work...

All I can say is... DAMN !

Probably the single best thing I've done to the car.

The 10" converter will footbrake to 3000 and gives me 10psi boost before the tires start to slip... Didn't have the transbrake wired-up yet to try that, but I'm sure I can get 3400-3500 on the brake.
I'm not even going to attempt it though until I have good axles and a spool in the car.

The shifts are quick, firm and clean. No bone shattering banging into gear. Just quick crisp shifts.
If I start rolling into the throttle making boost as I shift 1-2 it will break the tires loose and spin as long as I stay in the throttle. At the top of 2nd it will haze the tires if I lay into it hard, then chirp them again going into 3rd.

I really like this combination with the new PT67.
I'm still only running low boost and 94 octane.
Looks like it will soon be time for a set of drag radials and some alky.

 

[PaCemkr86]

looks like we have very similar combos .. same trans and turbos.. etc..
I took mine to the track on some 28x9's and launched on 15 psi .. first pass was a 1.50 60 ft

http://www.ccstreetscene.com/multimedia/phil/PHILS TTYPE BUICK MAIDEN RUN.wmv

 

[PaCemkr86]

PS i had to wire my transbrake up just to get mine out of the garage.. I have to hold the tbrake button down to engauge reverse.. Are you using a Hughes setup or something?

 

[yullose]

PS i had to wire my transbrake up just to get mine out of the garage.. I have to hold the tbrake button down to engauge reverse.. Are you using a Hughes setup or something?

I'm not sure who's brake the guy uses... I think it's from Trans Specialties...
My trans works normally (P-R-N-1-2-3) without the brake, but will go into reverse if it's activated in neutral.

 

[charliep]

yullose,

You were correct. We got the TH400 this morning. The install went pretty good so far. I tried the torque converter up against the flexplate just to check things out and the flexplate bolts hit the back of the converter. We have the stock bolts and the heads are thick enough that they hit. This is with a ATI SFI flat flexplate. Installed a set of aftermarket bolts with loctite and no lock washers to keep the profile low. Trans went in no problem. We already have a aftermarket double hump crossmember so I sloted the single mounting hole in the bridgeport before we mounted. Ended up falling right in the middle of the slot anyway. Dipstick was a pain. We used the stock 200-4r and the trans guy gave us a hex spacer that you put in the bellhousing hole to make up the distance. Took a little bending and the spacer to get it right. The trans cooler lines weren't even close. Has to make new adapter out of 5/16 brake line. B&M pro stick worked out great just had to change the shift pattern plate to a reverse pattern. Speedometer cable plugged right in. Last item is the driveshaft. The trans guy was nice enough to give us a 400 slip yoke. Problem is that it was for a long tailshaft. This thing sticks out of the trans about 3 inches. So we stopped there for the day. Since I need the yoke and shaft modified we are just going to have a new one made. Similar to what you did. I'm going to try and get a smaller tube than you used. We have a driveshaft to exhaust system clearance problem in the rear and I would like to stay with the same diameter tube as stock. Thanks for all of your pointers so far. We aren't going to be able to flog this thing out for a couple more days.

 

[gndemon]

I had this one made for $400 and its aluminum

 

[PaCemkr86]

very nice !!

 

[MIB]

How much slip did you allow for your driveshaft? I am hearing .75-1.0". Is this correct? I have a transbrake 400.

 

[yullose]

The driveshaft guy told me approx 3/4".

I somehow mismeasured mine and now it's too long. It still fit in the car, but doesn't have much room to slide on the output shaft. I need to pull it out and have it shortened another 1/2-3/4"

I could have sworn it was 53-1/2" seal to yoke, but after stopping by the driveshaft shop, we layed under the car and remeasured it at 53".

Sucks getting old... Can't even read a dang tape measure anymore...

 

[49-blues]

Yullose- what are you running in those camaros- always liked that style camaro?

 

[yullose]

Yullose- what are you running in those camaros- always liked that style camaro?

Those cars are long gone... Sold the blue one in '01, and the red one in '04.
The blue one had a 511BBC and went 9.50's @ 141 on the motor / 8.40's @ 159 on a plate system. The red car had a 632BBC and went 8.30's @ 165 with no nitrous. Never got to put any spray to it. I understand the new owner put it in the 7.70's on a small fogger.

The gray T-type was bought in '05 and sold Spring of '06.

The GN was just bought in August.

 

[charliep]

Just put our new shaft in last night. Perfect fit. We are running a Cutlass but the difference between the 200-4r and th400 are the same. We measure 54 1/2 from the seal to the center of the rear bearing. Also make sure you do the measurement with the rear loaded up in the car just like you were on the ground. Everything went well with the swap and the kid was driving around last night.