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  •  » FYI Ford, Classic Mustang Tech Discussion
  •  » Vibration solution

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    10/15/2025 5:07 AM  #26

    TKOPerformance
    Hyper FYIFORD ADDICT

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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,869

    Re: Vibration solution

    Nos681 wrote:

    Does the mentioned Mercedes have IRS as well?

    Every Mercedes I've ever seen the underside of had IRS.  However, the point remains.  If my choice in designing a smooth quiet car was Ford or Mercedes that's not really a choice.  What's telling is that on 4WDs where the front axle does move they use DC joints, and its because given how short the shaft is, and the fact that the front angles are never right because the rear angles are prioritized (because most 4WD vehicles spend most of their time in 2WD) the choice of every OEM I've ever seen has been a DC joint.  
     

     

    10/15/2025 10:32 AM  #27

    Michael H.
    I FYI 24-7

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    From: Laurel, MS
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 914

    Re: Vibration solution

    I'm ignorant when it comes to "double Cardan" joints.  Do you just press them in with a vise like u-joints?  Can you press them into the same yoke that a u-joint came out of or would you have to have a driveline shop change the yoke on your driveshaft?

    I don't need it anymore, since my vibration is finally sovled, but I'm still curious.

    Last edited by Michael H. (10/15/2025 10:33 AM)

       •Thread Starter
     

    10/15/2025 1:14 PM  #28

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,869

    Re: Vibration solution

    You would need to change the end of the driveshaft, so a driveshaft shop would probably be the best choice to do that.  Since the shaft would end up shorter due to the length of the DC joint you could probably just have your existing shaft cut down.

    The u-joints in them change just like a regular u-joint.  I've replaced u-joints in a couple over the years.  Not that big of a deal.  

     

    10/15/2025 4:41 PM  #29

    rpm
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    From: Bakersfield, Ca
    Registered: 9/17/2013
    Posts: 3,876

    Re: Vibration solution

    I had not heard of Signor Cardano, Cardan joint, nor a double Cardan joint until I read this thread. Who changed calling a Cardan joint to a U-joint? Rhetorical question, I looked it up. If both the Cardan joint and double Cardan joint were invented in the 17th century, why is one now called a U-joint and the other one is called a double Cardan joint? Okay serious question, if a double Cardan joint pretty much solves the speed variation, limited angle use, and resulting vibration, why do we still use a single U-joint and not the double Cardan joint? Seems like a no brainer.

    Bob. 69 Mach 1, 393W, SMOD Toploader, Armstrong  steering, factory AC.
     

    10/16/2025 5:53 AM  #30

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
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    Re: Vibration solution

    rpm wrote:

    I had not heard of Signor Cardano, Cardan joint, nor a double Cardan joint until I read this thread. Who changed calling a Cardan joint to a U-joint? Rhetorical question, I looked it up. If both the Cardan joint and double Cardan joint were invented in the 17th century, why is one now called a U-joint and the other one is called a double Cardan joint? Okay serious question, if a double Cardan joint pretty much solves the speed variation, limited angle use, and resulting vibration, why do we still use a single U-joint and not the double Cardan joint? Seems like a no brainer.

    I'll go with "because that's the way Ford did it".  Obviously this ignores that Ford cared far more about cost than anything else, AND it doesn't seem to have been an issue with a stock drivetrain.  Most people when they need a new shaft assume it should just be the same configuration as the old one with a different length or different ends.  Then if there is a vibration they think that the only way to correct it is to make sure the angles work, and sometimes they simply can't be made to work, so they assume that they have it as close as possible and there's nothing else to be done.  My guess is that if they called one of the driveshaft places  (Denny's, etc.) they would be told about the DC joint when they explained the problem and the fact that they couldn't get the angles right.  
     

     

    10/17/2025 6:44 AM  #31

    kardad
    I FYI 24-7

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    From: Lexington Ky
    Registered: 12/03/2019
    Posts: 313

    Re: Vibration solution

    My 55 F100 sets LOW and the pinion ends up higher that the trans tail like many of our Mustangs as MS mentioned based on ride height. My 55 has a DC joint and is silky smooth.

    In a side note, this was built by the previous owner and the DC joint is at the pinion end of the DS and work great as stated but I have typically seen the DC joint at the trans end of the shaft.

     

    10/17/2025 11:00 AM  #32

    rpm
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    From: Bakersfield, Ca
    Registered: 9/17/2013
    Posts: 3,876

    Re: Vibration solution

    Thanks kardad, good info.

    Bob. 69 Mach 1, 393W, SMOD Toploader, Armstrong  steering, factory AC.
     

    10/18/2025 5:25 AM  #33

    TKOPerformance
    Hyper FYIFORD ADDICT

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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,869

    Re: Vibration solution

    kardad wrote:

    My 55 F100 sets LOW and the pinion ends up higher that the trans tail like many of our Mustangs as MS mentioned based on ride height. My 55 has a DC joint and is silky smooth.

    In a side note, this was built by the previous owner and the DC joint is at the pinion end of the DS and work great as stated but I have typically seen the DC joint at the trans end of the shaft.

    On a 4WD front shaft the DC joint is always at the transfer case end as well.  I'm not sure if it makes a difference one way of the other though, or if they do that because front rears tend to have yokes, not flanges.  Most manufacturers don't build their own front axles (3/4 and 1 ton trucks have all used Dana 60s for over 20 years at this point regardless of manufacturer), so it may just be easier to configure the drivetrain that way.  
     

     

     

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