Drive Shafts & Universal Joints - Cars: Description

Drive shaft assemblies may have 1, 2 or 3 shafts, depending on application. Locations of slip joints vary with model application. Solid tube type drive shafts have slip joints on outside of "U" joint flange/yoke. This slip joint slides in and out on transmission's splined main shaft.

Drive shafts are balanced, tubular shafts. All models except Lincoln LS, have "U" joints attached at each end. On LS drive shaft, a single center "U" joint and slip yoke connect the front shaft assembly. New design flex couplings take the place of traditional "U" joints at front and rear of shaft. The drive shaft has alignment bushings at each end of the shaft. These bushings align drive shaft with pilot stems on transmission and axle pinion flange. On all models, flanges or yokes are used to connect drive shaft "U" joints (or flex couplings) to rear differential pinion flange or to transmission output shaft. "U" joint bearing caps are bolted to shaft flanges, or are pressed into shaft yokes. Drive shafts can be steel or aluminum.