Join and Clutch: Horrible
 

It takes a lot to piss me off, but this place.

I take them my 4inch Aluminum DS (Built by DriveShaftShop) to be cut shorter to be used with my new 4l80E transmission.

I write down my lengths, 62 3/8's tail housing to rear (center of half moon)
Output shaft protrudes 1 1/2 inch

He says No Problem. I ask about High speed balancing, he says he has nothing but the best out there.

OK. Pick it up today, first it's easy to figure out which side was cut, welds were grinded down and all over. Next I notice a very large weight that was welded on. Already feeling pretty bad about deciding to go here.

Get home, nice doesn't fit.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...d91/tolong.jpg

Welds:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...91/welds-1.jpg




I messure it, it's 65" tip to tip.Not sure how a 65inch shaft fits in a 62inch length, and then a 1 1/2inch output shaft to make the gap smaller. Well, it doesn't.

Take it back, he says " how much more do you want me to take off". And I quote " I don't know, I don't build these things. I gave you my lengths. I then show him the pictures your looking at and my huge mistake say "An inch, maybe 1 1/2, 1 3/4, I just need it to slip in the rear and not bottom out.

He take an 1 3/4 off. Again, my mistake for not saying "if you cant build it base on my measurements, I shouldnt be here"

Instead, I go with that. I go back to work and come get it afterwords. Get it home, it's to short.

Now WTF. Pretty sure I have about $575 in this thing now and it's nothing but a fucked over paper weight. Should have went back with guys that know what the hell they are doing, but trusted a local shop.


http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...91/image-1.jpg

they must have someone new working up there, ive delt with them personally on 5-6 driveshafts and never had one issue. and a lot of other people on here have delt with them wothout an issue

Have you went back since you realized it was too short? I had my shaft made and didn't have any trouble. The way he told me to measure it was have the slip yoke in where I wanted it and measure from the center of it to the center of the yoke on the rear.

thats the way i have always measured. and never had an issue

When I went there it was an older dude with long hair. I stayed and watched him do it make it. It was pretty simple.

Same guy, long hair. Their balancer goes to 3k rpms. After more research thats a truck DSS balancer, basic setup. Same machine that balance my stock one that came ripping apart at about 110 MPH. DSS who built this one balances with a 9.8k rpm machine. When I got it back the second time there wasnt even a damn weight on it. I'm sure those welds must have made it Dead on balanced.

I'm just pissed, I haven't talk to him yet since they are closes. But to be honest, I really don't want a shaft built by him. My fear is my truck will be down another week and i'm looking at another $450 to get a nice shaft that FITS again.

Even if he offers to make a brand new one, I've triple checked my meassurements. He's proven he can't build it already.

Damn! on what cars?

Dont feel bad man. I know exactly where youre coming from, but just had my troubles with Fleetpride. Ive heard nothing bad about joint and clutch, and they balanced my ds after Fleetpride fucked it up. This is not to say that everyone will always have a good run-in with every company.

Hope they fix it for you, or reimburse you the way you want it to be done.

I have always given driveshaft measurements from center of one u-joint bore to the center of the opposing u-joint bore. To be able to do this, the yoke you are going to use needs to be in the trans where you need it and the vehicle weight needs to be on the rearend.

It is odd that Joint and Clutch was so difficult to deal with. I do know from talking with Larry in the past that they don't particularly recommend aluminum shafts for high horsepower work over 550-600 horsepower. I don't trust aluminum above that level myself. But, that doesn't excuse them for any crappy work they may let out the door, either.

that shit sucks! but, another 450,, just a quick trip to iraq and back. does this guy thinks this is a jeep or something?

oh and p.s. those welds look like shit, and id send it out to rebalanced at 9.8k

When I was in SC and had my shop I had Joint and Clutch do all my drive shafts with no problems. They had excellent customer service and were very easy to deal with. Almost everyone I know in SC that races had there drive shaft made there. My drive shaft that I have in my racecar ended up not needing any weights, and it has no vibration. It seems like you took them some measurements and said make me a drive shaft, its always best to find out how that shop wants the measurements done, each is a little differnt. Something doesnt seem right though, but it seems odd you gave them two measurements and get two drive shafts that dont fit.

I brought Larry measurements based off what my last shaft was built from. My first question when I got there was do you need anything else. Trust me, I had no problem answering any other questions they may have before cutting into my $450 driveshaft. Larry said no.

I'm really surprised that a 2.8k balance machine, same maching used for Peter Built trucks and what have you keeps your high MPH cars together. However, I doubt any of those cars ran a 60" plus single drive shaft where critical shaft speed and balance become big players.

do you want me to come get your vehicle and tow it up there to them, and let them make it off their measurements?

Zac & I have little winches to pull it up on a trailer.

or you can borrow my winch if you have a trailer.

they did some work for me, and i think they will WANT to make it right, because there is SO MUCH word of mouth in town, the high performance circle of guys all know each other, and all talk. so i think they will fix it if you just take the car to them and say "measure it your self...."

I don,t know a whole lot about balancing but once you equalize the offset weight . Shouldn't it stay balanced no matter what the rpm.

They are great people and do good work. Anybody can make a mistake. I would be more interested to see if they make it right. Especially if it is there fault.

I didn't have a problem with them either on the modified DS for the Blazer. I just asked what measurement he wanted. I supplied the dimension and it fit perfect. I will still have him build a steel one once I can no longer use the aluminum one.

Do keep us posted though. I'm curious as to the customer service "Make it right" too.

Larry made mine from scratch with the measurements from gerald, and no problems. Mines not 60" long either..

When I worked with Lorenz. Dumbass

OUCH! :eek:

Last update on this is I went back yesterday and this time gave him measurement from yoke center to rear center as per his request, with yoke in desired position. He said no problem, will get you taken care of with a new steel 3.5' shaft. I told him I have a 4500 pound truck and over 600TQ with a transbrake, 3rd gear dyno will spin up to around 145MPH , will it hold. Said "Ow yeah, no problem". We'll see, you can bet I'm putting loops around this damn thing.

Go to pick up and he wants $160 for it. NEVER told me that when he said he'd "take care of me" Looks at me like i'm a thief for thinking other wise.

I told him no way, my measurements never changed, I never told him to cut it to any sizes, only make me a shaft that fits. Well Larry got pissed and walked out, I ended up talking to another guy who asked me what I wanted. I said I wanted my DS to fit, first try would have been nice. But thats not an option now. Or maybe ask me what I wanted to PAY for before building another shaft that hell I don't even know if it will fit or hold up. However, Bottom line is my measurements never changed, had he needed more info he should have told me that day one. He decided to let me have it at no charge.

To sum it up, I came in with a 4" $450 DS from Driveshaftshop. Paid 100 for it to be cut/balanced, 3 driveshafts later I leave the shop with a 3.5" steel piece valued at $160 and my shaft is scrap metal.

What a deal.

My car is holding first.e with the 3.5 dom shaft

Does the new one fit?

Should have put that in there, 3rd one dead on.

I hate that you had a bad experience with them, But atleast they took car of it. If they said it will hold up, then it will. Despite your issues with them. Mine is holding up just fine also.

Unfortunately, this sounds like a classic case of miscommunication on BOTH sides. One party thinks they couldn't possibly have been any clearer, but the other party is hearing it and, at the very least, understanding it entirely different. The same goes for the other party involved. It's marraige counseling 101 and sadly both parties end feeling like they have been screwed. I've been on both sides in situations like this and it is very frustrating.

Just my opinion, of course.

Just because it's bigger and more expensive, doesn't neccessarily make it better, but it does suck to be "out" a viable DS. Could still reuse the yokes and have a new one made to b sold. Can't you?

mine is holding up also. lol

I agree 100%.

If you makes you feel any better I broke 3 driveshafts all of which where NOT from joint and clutch, I started getting mine made there and never broke another one. 600tq isnt that much compared to alot of the race cars they built driveshafts for.

I know those drive shafts have held up to some serious beatings. I know there are some very low short times on them

They do work for my company, their under new corprate management now.

We get all our driveshafts balenced and shortened by them.

I've been over there several times about quality control problems, I'm not gonna speak in depth of the problems and it had to do with welding but they almost got dropped as a supplier.

I helped them correct their problem's and some things got better, time will tell.

Some of our trucks make over 1500 ftlbs of tq, and weigh 70+ tons

Gotta love those Lightnings. :poke:

I wasn't speaking of Lightnings, their lucky to make 400 ft lbs lol.

I was talking about Buffalo MRAP's.

weight is a big issue with lightning guys. they exaggerate

Yeah, but very few race car's weigh 4500+ and still tow boats, or haul lumber.

mine only pulls ass.

stfu

fixed

Gotta love the Buffs. You work for FP?

:hysterical:

That shaft is worth more than $160, he was giving you a break. I paid that for them to put on a new slip yoke and balance my denny's ds.

Ya, I paid more than that for mine also.