Is this a new GoWesty drive shaft?

[nelsonhogg]

The saga continues. Dylan at Insyncro had me order a new GoWesty drive shaft when he was installing a Bostig conversion. This was 2 years ago but it was only installed last summer and the van has been driven less than 50 miles since as I try to track down issues and reinstall the camper bits.

In any case, one issue is a vibration starting at 50mph. I removed the drive shaft and the vibration went away. Then the question is where do I go from here?

Looking at the drive shaft and the photos on the GW site I see that there is no GW decal and I also see scuffs and surface rust. Also the balancing weight are rectangular whereas they appear to be round on the GW photo. For various reasons I think Dylan could have pulled another fast one on me and installed an older one from one of his vans. Any opinion?

[Rocky Mountain Westy]

Does it have a slip yoke in the driveshaft? Balancing driveshafts is pretty common. Shouldn't bee too hard to find some one to balance it in your area. I don't know the answer to your original question.

Good luck on the hunt for the vibration gremlins. Checking the balance is one of the cheaper and easier things to do in trying to diagnose this issue.

Mike
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The Splitzgauer build (when I have time to work on it and update the thread)

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=497133

[MarkWard]

It is unlikely GW is making their own driveshafts. They probably also have a local company making them and the shape of the weights have no bearing on who did the work in my opinion.

The problem with the solid shaft is that the length needs to be exactly correct without the quibo or a slip joint. That is difficult to do I would think with so many R and R's. Plus if this has a different engine, transmission flange angle could be slightly off from the stock WBX.

Somewhere here is a good thread about driveshaft angles. There is also a very good U Tube video on drive shaft angles. When you watch it and begin to understand what is being discussed, the syncro driveshaft should not work.

If the driveshaft is out of round from manufacturing, a local driveshaft company can check it for you. A dial indicator on both ends could also tell you if it is out of round. Back yard way to balance a driveshaft is with a hose clamp or 2. Mount the clamp and drive it. Then rotate the clamp slightly and drive again. If vibration is better or worse, keep moving the clamp. Often the worm gear mechanism weight is enough to compensate. Good luck.
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[MsTaboo]

The problem with those cheap GW donut-less driveshafts is that everything else in the drivetrain needs to be perfect. Including the distance between the two flanges.
As mentioned, with a engine conversion and a different cradle the stock settings are gone.
You can still use that driveshaft, but you'll need to get the rest of the alignment as near perfect as possible. If you think the shaft has been damaged (the paint is thin so a little rust might not be any problem) have it checked.

Again, take the time to read through the threads on Syncro vibration, driveshaft angles, etc. The front diff and transaxle need to be inline to each other and then the angles on the output flanges and the driveshaft need to be correct.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=580920
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/search.php?searc...=titleonly
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[Mellow Yellow 74]

From the Gowesty web site: http://www.gowesty.com/product/manual/23934/syncro-driveshaft-drive-flange-

So, if you you have a mysterious vibration even after installing a brand new driveshaft, look carefully at the flanges. You might have a flange that has a goofed up mating surface (which is actually quite common from letting the driveshaft drop inadvertently during removal). No worries, GoWesty has brand spankin' new ones!
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[Wellington]

Why don't you request Dylan to fix the vibration, should be part of the job.
I think that should be the first attempt before posting the issue.

[nelsonhogg]

Well, I wish I could ask Dylan to fix it. But, I've had to give up on that route. I've had a number of problems and discoveries that I've asked him about. In every case, he gives the response that it is my problem, not his. The last time he claimed that he was giving up working on vans and turning his shop into a writing studio!

[Wellington]

How very sad.
I'm sure there are things we don't know, but one should stand behind the work they do. I'm sure it was not inexpensive.

[Steve Arndt]

Burley advised me that this is the shaft he recommends.

https://www.wholesaleimportparts.com/VW_Vanagon_Syncro_Driveshaft_1987.php

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Steve's 87 Syncro project

[IdahoDoug]

Your pictured driveshaft joint does not look at all like the current one on the GoWesty site, thought that's not proof of any kind as GW may have either made their own or similar back then. Others may know.

But if the GW picture is an OEM rebuilt, and yours is supposed to be an OEM rebuilt, then something's fishy. Take a close look at the ears on the joints on yours vs what GW shows as an OEM shaft. The OEM shaft also appears to have a thick flange at the end of the shaft tube, which is then welded to the joint. Your picture has a tube that appears welded directly to the joint.

Both may be perfectly serviceable of course. And the lack of a GW sticker on yours is not proof either as labels fall off things.

Sucks, but what can you do? I'd take it to a professional in your area. If you have none and have to ship, send it to these guys near me:

Driveline Repair Parts & Sales
5050 E Seltice Way
Post Falls, ID 83854
(208) 773-3301

They did a fantastic job with my syncro shaft.

Doug
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[MsTaboo]

Doug- the PO has one of the cheap truck style shafts without the rubber donut:
http://www.gowesty.com/product/transaxle-drivetrain/23382/syncro-drive-shaft-new-?v=
(or a used one from a Doka, although a used one would look more beat-up)

Even GW admits these have vibration problems.
"Here is our all new GoWesty driveshaft without the rubber "donut." VW offered a simpler design that was nothing more than a precision drive shaft with a U-joint at each end. The VW trucks were commonly fitted with these.
While theoretically not as smooth as the one with the rubber donut design, in practice most people can’t tell them apart. Many of us at GoWesty are now running these in our Syncros, and they are working beautifully. The whole rubber donut thing was probably Germans just splitting the proverbial drive shaft hair."

GW's staff may be getting these to work ok, someone new to Syncro's may have problems. The design is not very forgiving.

And again, there may be nothing wrong with that shaft and it's just a matter of getting the whole drivetrain aligned.
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[davevickery]

[Mellow Yellow 74]

[flomulgator]

Dave are there multiple manufacturers of that slip joint driveshaft? Or if mine looks like that, it is that?

As for the NVH, GoWesty has a point. If an individual signal cannot be heard above the "signal noise", you will not really notice that individual rattle or vibration.
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[davevickery]

[MsTaboo]

I've been using a slip-yoke driveline for 9 years with zero problems.
Got it from Van-Cafe, but it looks identical to the one Burley recommends.(including the stickers)
I have no idea if it's indeed the same as the Wholesale company, that one could be a copy of the one VC sells.
http://www.vancafe.com/251521101D_p/251521101d.htm
I do try to support our venders.
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Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
Help the fight against Truth Decay.
Defend democracy, support Ukraine.

[flomulgator]

Thanks for clarifying the issue Dave!
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