Volvo RWD 120-130 Forum

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Propshaft length and guessing at gearbox condition 120-130

Hi,

I may have the chance to get an M41 gearbox and propshaft from a P1800 for my '67 130. Can anyone tell me if the P1800 propshaft is anywhere near the length of the Amazon propshaft? Maybe even a straight swap??

Also, is there any problem in fitting an earlier propshaft to a later car (the Amazon is a '67 and has a type 3 propshaft - I'm not sure what year the P1800 is but it may be an early one

Also, if all goes well and I get to have a look at this box, are there any tell tale signs of hard use/abuse that I can watch out for to avoid being ripped off?

Any advice much appreciated,

Aidan
--
1967 131, 1969 131, 1973 Triumph GT6








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    Propshaft length and guessing at gearbox condition 120-130

    My guess is that if you get the front shaft and crossmember from the
    donor car you will be in good shape. That is what I did and although I
    had to do a bit of finagling with the center bearing mount (the last of the
    old style) it went together OK and I am still using it.

    So in your case I would get it and go for it unless there are condition
    problems.








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    Propshaft length and guessing at gearbox condition 120-130

    I'll let someone else tell you about the prop shaft - I've alway had to shorten mine. Re condition: Aside from making sure everything turns smoothly, there isn't a whole lot you can do beside checking for leaky seals, sloppy shafts, opening the gearbox to check for obvious wear and bits of metal sunk to the bottom. On the OD unit, unless you want to dismantle the whole thing, look for junk on the filter and magnetic strip, both of which you reach by removing the bottom plate. Remove the solenoid and test it by touching 12 V to one contact and grounding the other, you should hear a distinct click and the piston should move with conviction. Then shake the thing vigorously and listen for it to rattle - no rattle, no good, lots of $ to replace. Some better men/women than I have managed to open them up and fix them. I've never been able to even get the casing off. If all seems well, and you decide to buy the thing, at least, replace the gasket on the bottom cover plate, the output shaft seal, and all the O rings.
    Good luck,
    Bob S








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      Propshaft length and guessing at gearbox condition 120-130

      The front section of the driveshaft will be shorter on the 1800 due to the OD box, which is good. Unfortunately, the rear section (from the suport bearing on back) will also be shorter - that's where the 1800 is 'missing' wheelbase as compared to a 120. You might be able to mate the short front section (which should be the correct length for an 1800 or a 120 or a 140 or a PV) to the longer rear section you already have (which would work for a PV, 120, or 140 - they all have the same wheelbase) if the splines all match. Theoretically (OK, not so theoretically but actually) the front and rear sections are balanced as a unit and should be rebalanced if not remaining in a set.

      Toss in several sizes of flanges on the trans and diff for more fun. I somehow got exceedingly lucky and got an M41 with the proper size flange for my PV - I got the PV shaft cut down by 11 1/4 inches at a driveline shop for a very reasonable price ($35). They wouldn't rebalance mine as the splines had a tiny bit of slop so I used it as is and haven't notced any vibration.
      --
      I'm JohnMc, and I approved this message.







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