Capri V6 Universal Joint Cap Dia

[Aether]

Hi guys

Just need some quick help from someone with a V6 Capri. I ordered some universal joints and they arrived but they dont fit. The guy is telling me that mine must be imported or something but I think he is just trying to avoid paying for the return shipping. Can anyone confirm the cap diameter? The old ones I removed had a diameter of 28mm and the ones he sent are 25.4mm / 1inch.

Ive measured it like 15 times and for sure its 28mm

Any help appreciated. My service manual and other ebay listings dont mention the diameter. You would think they would...

[allanv6gt]

1970 V6 manual uni joint caps = 1", shaft diameter 2.75"

from Ford Australia parts manual 1970 Capri 3000
- - - 4635 - - KIT ASSY. - UNIVERSAL JOINT
69 All Manual trans. - - except "peened over" type drive shaft 2 AR3008E 4635 A
69/72 All Auto. trans. - 1600 cc. - to 6/72 3 0555926
70/ GT 3 0449352
72/ All From 6/72 3 CH 4635 A

What year is your Capri? (Note different part number from 72 inwards !!)

[Aether]

Thanks allan.

Its a 1970 model. Ive looked up lots of reference material and they all seem to point to 1 inch caps. My tailshaft is a perfect match for whats in the service manual so maybe someone has machined the couplings? Seems unlikely as it would be cheaper just to buy a new tailshaft or replace with a 1 piece....

So I have sent these new ones back, along with one of the old uni joints and a complete coupling so he can be sure the next part he sends is a perfect match. I am a bit mystified what has gone wrong but the guy has agreed to find a suitable unit for me so Ill just solve it that way and move on.

Its weird cause its the second time this week that parts havent matched my car and this hasnt happened at all until this stage of the build...

[cosworthfreak]

Between the 4cyl and V6, these cars came out with a number of different configurations of tailshaft, and when you buy a car as a group of parts like you did, you never really know if they all came from that particular shell. I'm not saying this is the case, but it could be possible the tailshaft is from another small ford.

If you look at the following reference (and cross-reference) you can see that Capri uni joint caps got as large as 25.4 mm diameter, but if you look further down on the Hardy Spicer catalogue you'll see a different uni joint for T series Cortina 6cyl (RUJ-2038R). These have a cap diameter of 27.39 mm.

http://www.hardyspicer.com.au/PDF_Fi...15lr.pdf#page6

http://www.viclube.com.au/public/upl...MAY%202011.pdf

It may not be the reason you're having issues, but I just wanted to suggest the possibility before you spend too much money trying different solutions.

Cheers
Jamie

[allanv6gt]

Jamie - Second your comments.

I have another tailshaft with 0.75" uni joint caps. I think it came off a 4cyl auto but is the same tube diameter (3.0") as the known-V6 one (3.0").

Boxes of bits, mixed lottery, and some of which may not belong to the Capri/any-Ford badge.

[Aether]

Yeah the saga continues and I think I am about to throw in the towel on this one.

Would it be a big problem if I just bought a standard 1600 tailshaft and started again? It's going to be a different length isn't it? :(

I'll have to track down a stock v6 tailshaft to go with my nice new uni joints lol.

[Fgute]

I have a one piece shaft, I'll see if I can measure the units tomorrow. I also have a two piece but it's in the car.

[cosworthfreak]

Get a one piece (either used or custom made new). Much easier and less to go wrong later.

[Aether]

Originally Posted by Fgute

I have a one piece shaft, I'll see if I can measure the units tomorrow. I also have a two piece but it's in the car.

Cool cheers

My other ideas were to try Alibaba with a diagram and get someone in China to knock up a few "samples" for me

Also looking at a Mercedes unit (RUJ-2508) which has 28mm caps but is 2mm wider than my tailshaft (its 48mm from circlip to circlip rather than 46). This would mean taking it to a machine shop I suppose and trying my luck at getting them shaved to fit inside my couplings. Its the last shot before throwing in the towel. I really dont want to chuck out my nicely restored tailshaft if I can avoid it.

[Aether]

Ok is this some sort of mirage?? Tell me I am seeing things. Appears to be a 28mm universal joint kit for Capri:

http://www.motomobil.com/cardan-shaf...5559260-5.html

[Fgute]

I've yet to drag the tailshaft out to measure the unis, but have you tried these guys

http://www.capricomponents.com.au/ford-capri

[Aether]

The guys at Hardy Spicer are looking at the problem now. I am looking very closely at a part in their catalogue RUJ-2508. The dimensions appear to be spot on (28mm cap with 48mm distance between the internal circlips groove outside edge - see diagram below).

Its listed as a "FORD UK" item and Terry from Hardy Spicer says they are very rare and would have to be ordered in from Germany. Coincidentally Ralf from MotoMobil (Germany) says the ones on his website are the right ones and he has sold 14 in the last 2 years. They are 39 euros each (ouch).

I'm going to need 3 of these suckers for a 3 piece tailshaft aren't I? Damn thats 117 euros + delivery.

Its gonna suck

[Fgute]

Now I understand why Ford Australia told me years ago that the two piece shaft was unserviceable(no parts). The two piece in my first V6 failed and at that time my only option was a one piece. You might as well do the 3 unis for piece of mind. If your engine is standard or a mild up grade, it should be ok. When mine went, I had 4 people onboard with a mildly worked motor thrashing around the streets. It didn't let go, it just started rumbling under the floor. Great car.

[Fgute]

Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. I found the two piece shaft.
I've taken some measurements and photographed them. I couldn't upload them to here. I could email you the pics.

[Aether]

Hey no stress. I'm looking at this issue together with gearbox choices.

Better to map the full path from flywheel to diff at the same time.

Will be very interesting to see what another 2 piece looks like.

[Fgute]

I took a few photos, just couldn't up load them.

[Joseph7]

I have a capri that has the staked uni joints removed and replaced with what turned out to be Mercedes uni joints. The internal dimensions must have been machined. When I was looking for uni joints I was continually told the tail shaft used six cylinder holden uni joints, which I think are the 25.4mm ones

[allanv6gt]

25.4mm = 1" Imperial.....consistent Imperial with the rest of the Mk1 Capri

[Aether]

Ok so the final result was that the German 28mm ones fit perfectly (see pic below).

Fgute sent me some pics of his and indeed they are 1 inch diameter. Although his appears to be a 2 piece shaft with the constant velocity joint whereas mine does not have this. The service manual for the V6 depicts both tailshaft designs but does not stipulate a difference between the size of the uni joints between the two models.

So my conclusion is that although all Australian capris had 1 inch unis, somewhere in the world there were some capris with 28mm joints.

My two piece version with new unis:



Fgute's shaft with CV joint and 1 inch unis: