Series One half-shafts options.........

[70z4fun]

Howdy,

Going to do my rear struts and thought I should think about my half-shafts.  Currently running the original half shafts that I have replaced the u-joints awhile ago. I have a spare set of half shafts, so wonder if I should find someone to rebuild my spare set or should I switch over to CV joint driveling?
I guess two questions, which is a better option? 
IF I was to send out my half shafts to be rebuilt, where is a good place to duo that?

Any advice is greatly appreciated

Enjoy

Bob

[heyitsrama]

Bob, 

I would inquire with a local driveline shop that does half shaft swaps, they have access to high quality joints and the different shim thickness that are needed to ensure that the shafts stay balanced. I only recommend this because I ruined the balance on my last set (there is a thread about that somewhere), however there are many people here that have replaced the joints themselves and never had an issue.

I assume your half shafts have 4 bolts that connect to the back of the rear hub and 4 that connect to a companion shaft that goes into the differential.

There are well documented CV swaps that you can do it's probably better to seek out those threads and see the experience of others, searching this website, zhome, and HybridZ would be a good place to start.

http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/rearend.html

https://forums.hybridz.org/topic/103344-280zxt-stub-axle-cv-swap/

Or search with your wallet https://www.zcarblog.com/2018/06/08/performance/parts-z-car-garage-cv-axles.html $1600

What kind of Z do you have? CVs be smoother if you have a early setup with the diffs that are close to the front of the car.

Edited November 28, 2021 by heyitsrama

[Mark Maras]

I prefer u-joints in the half shafts. They're not that difficult to swap and the half shafts (because they spin about 3 1/2 times slower than the prop shaft)  aren't as prone to vibration if they're not perfectly balanced. 

[Zed Head]

10 hours ago, 70z4fun said:

I have a spare set of half shafts, so wonder if I should find someone to rebuild my spare set

Examine the seals and feel how the joints move.  If the seals are good and they move freely, replace the screws with Zerk fittings, grease them up and use them.  You only need one Zerk, you'll only insert it for the greasing, then put the screw back in. 

They'll be tighter than brand new aftermarket u-joints.