Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

Hi, I have a 77, and the inboard side of my driveshafts are rubbing on the battery/storage boxes. I was thinking, maybe it is time to replace the body bushings, but wanted to check with you guys first. Have any of you had this problem? If so, what was your solution? Thanks in advance for any help.

RE: Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

Welcome to the forum. Could your trailing arm bushings be shot? Can't imagine how things could shift enuf to allow rubbing.

RE: Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

I just replaced them along with a whole front and rear suspension kit i got from vbp. The rubbing was occuring before the new suspension as well. Oh, I forgot to mention, it is the side to side shafts that are rubbing.

RE: Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

Now that's an odd one. :eek:
How does your wheel well clearance look? Are your tires rubbing too? That is a substantial drop, for the axle shafts to rub.
Is your new suspention adjustable or is it more like stock?
Sorry for so many questions, but I'd really like to help here. :)

RE: Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

Tires are not rubbing. The overall ride height looks good. I can adjust the leaf spring. Do you know what the normal measurement is between the inboard part of the driveshaft and the battery box? Also the measurement between the inboard part of the shaft and the floor of the car. If anyone has there car jacked, I would appreciate your measurements.

RE: Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

Hi tmay77 and welcome to the forum, you got me curious on that problem so I just looked under my car, I have at least 1/2 inch between the outside half shaft "U" joint and the box. I have a fiberglass box, is yours metal and rusted and leaning back? PG

RE: Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

I just so happen to have the rear of the "Starship" up in the air. So I went out and took a measurement. The clearance from the shaft, forward to the bat box, is aprox 3/4 inch.
Since the dif is mounted solid, and you have new suspension, I can't think of why the axle shafts would be rubbing. :eek:Sounds to me like thealignment of the trailing arms may be wrong, and the dif is not mounted properly, which would be hard to do. Ya really got me stumped on this one. Sorry. [&o]

RE: Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

One thing though,......
when ya put in the new suspension, did ya replace all the bushings that mount your dif? If not, this could very well be the culprit.

If it were your body mount bushings, your whole body would have shifted, and would continue to do so, side to side and front and back.
Does your body sit straight? You can look up under your car and see if any body bushings are gone. They would almost have to be, to cause the rubbing you're describing.

RE: Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

Are there supposed to be dif bushings up top?

RE: Driveshaft is hitting the battery box!
 

Only on the ends of the main support bracket, and dead center front of dif. If the one front center is bad, your dif will rotate and cause a "clunk" sound on your floorboard. Especiallyat acceleration.
The more I think about it, sure sounds like the dif mount bushings are bad. But if they were replaced, I'm at a total loss as to what is causing your rubbing prob. :eek: