I am using an XR4x4i donor with a 'w7de' de dion rear axle from GTS.

I checked with Darren before I bought it and he said he thought it would be okay for this donor.

However, when I fitted the hubs, driveshafts and diff, the drive shafts were solid when all in line - ie. there was no sideways movement at the CV joints at all which I gather there should be to allow movement incurred during driving.

The GTS 'w7de' de dion tube is designed for a standard sierra which has a rear track (according to Messrs Haynes) of 1466mm. The XR4x4 has a rear track of 1485mm - 19mm wider. Therefore, if I had each drive shaft shortened by 9.5mm all should be hunky dory!

Does that make sense or am I being too simplistic in my calculations?

Thanx in advance,

Martin.

are the xr4x4 driveshafts beefier than normal ones? Your choice is either swap, shorten yourself or get someone to do it for you. But it should work

Save yourself the hastle.

Sell the 4x4 shafts and buy a set of normal ones.

Think 4x4 are stronger, but I doubt you'll stress normal ones anywhere near as much in a light sports car as they are on the lardy backsided sierra.

If you do want them machined NS Dev keeps mentioning someone who does shafts. Search for his posts on it.

jono

Geoff Beresford

Rather than shortening then, it would be much easier/safer just to get a pair of standard 2.0L Sierra driveshafts...

yep get the 2.0 shafts, cheaper than any alternative and you don't really want to be shortening them. If you needed non-standard shafts then I would recommend GB Engineering (Geoff Berrisford) but you don't. std 2.0 will be fine.

I have two sets of 4x4 driveshafts -removed by my own fair hands. Quite by accident, I had reason to compare the two 'longs' and the two 'shorts' together. The two pairs of shafts differ in length by approx 5mm for each shaft compared...

Cheers for all replies. A standard set of 2.0L drive shafts it is!

Martin.