Okay, the drive shaft on my 70' camaro failed about 3 years ago and so I had the DS rebuilt and then I promptly re-installed it. I was un aware that the torque specs for the U bolts holding the DS to the rear end was supposed to be between 14 and 17 ft lbs. I must have over tightened them because roughly a year later (a few weeks ago) it happened again! I had the DS rebuilt once more and just reinstalled it tonight. My question is....... One of the U bolts was a huge pain in the *** to reinstall and once I got it in, the threaded portion wasn't sticking out as far as the other one. I installed the lock washers and then the nuts. The threaded portion cleared the one nut but not the other. I obviously didn't/don't want to over tighted the nuts just to get the threaded portion to come out the other side of the nut, so.........I just torqued them all down to the required specs but I am now worried that the U bolt just isn't "right" should I be worried? or will it hold? I am afraid to get on it now! please help....anyone. Thanks in advance.

 

If you're worried about your u-bolts, why not just purchase a new pair? As far as one side being longer than the other, it almost sounds as if you tightened one end before tightening the other end. When you put your u-bolts in, make sure they are even from the get go, and tighten them down evenly by going a couple of turns on this side, and then a couple turns on the other side.

I'm curious as to what happened to your drive shaft. Did you just wear out a set of U-Joints or did you rip the yoke off your drive shaft?