Forum:
Hi,
I have an elderly hybrid which has Daihatsu front halfshafts. I've broken the short halfshaft (been clicking for a couple of years) so trying to find a replacement. But due to its age I'm having problems, so looking for information to check possible alternative replacements.
I understand the axle came from a 1975 - 1980 Daihatsu which I think is the F50.
My questions...
1. Can anyone tell me the total length of the short halfshaft and the long one complete with the swivel joint(Barfield joint)/stub axle that the free wheeling hub locates on please?
2. Can anyone tell me how many splines there are on the diff end and the overall diameter of the splined area?
3. Perhaps its not an F50, but I understand the age to have been about 1975 - 1980, so does any other models fit this age?
4. Does anyone know what other models would have interchangeable front halfshafts (the short one being the priority in this case)?
I've lost contact with my mates who knew about Daihatsu axles etc. So I hope someone here can help please?
Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give 
Sorry to have asked so many questions.
Steve
shaft
hello there, if you have f50 axles or something dont worry a fourtrak from the eighties of a scrapper will fit the short halfshaft the same so no panic, these machines are all pretty much interchangeble until about the early nineties when you start to get independents etc as far as i know. Now when you say its clicking WHAT DO YOU MEAN? cos if its clickin then its the CV joint worn out at a guess,but if it was broken you would not be going anywhere unless the diff is locked/welded, so if it just clicks when on steering full lock dont worry keep it full of grease and it will probably keep going unless seriously abused, hope this helps.
Full of ideas but no time to do them!!
www.bloodredoffroad.com
www.milneroffroad.com
eval(unescape('%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%6d%75%64%6e%75%74%72%75%63%6b%40%67%6f%6f%67%6c%65%6d%61%69%6c%2e%63%6f%6d%22%3e%6d%75%64%6e%75%74%72%75%63%6b%40%67%6f%6f%67%6c%65%6d%61%69%6c%2e%63%6f%6d%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b'))
youtube: Redfourtrack
bang
"Now when you say its clicking WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
- When on full lock, the barfield joint in the hub clicks.
"unless seriously abused"
- Yep full lock full power, bang! Taken the shaft out and the barfield has exploded. Have done many over the past twenty plus years of serious heavy offroading!
Back to equivalent shafts. I was offered a Sportrac (no age given) drivers side, will that be suitable?
Not sure
Unknown about sporty shaft, someone else will have to answer this as to wether it will fit or not,unless you get it and just measure with the old one, but it sounds like you could do with a few xtra spares kickin about anyway.
Full of ideas but no time to do them!!
www.bloodredoffroad.com
www.milneroffroad.com
eval(unescape('%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%6d%75%64%6e%75%74%72%75%63%6b%40%67%6f%6f%67%6c%65%6d%61%69%6c%2e%63%6f%6d%22%3e%6d%75%64%6e%75%74%72%75%63%6b%40%67%6f%6f%67%6c%65%6d%61%69%6c%2e%63%6f%6d%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b'))
youtube: Redfourtrack
I've now had time to pull
I've now had time to pull the broken halfshaft and found the barfield joint (aka UJ) had exploded.
I bought a new halfshaft off a breakers which looked identical, however found it wouldn't fit. Found the splines on the diff end had a slightly larger outside diameter (1.0mm!), so put it in the lathe to turn a bit off. Still wouldn't fit, grrrr. Anyway counted the number of splines and found my original shaft had 29 splines, where as the 'new' replacement had 30. The splines on the hub ends were both the same.
So I'm now searching for an older halfshaft with 29 splines. As a stop gap, I may cut the two shafts and reweld them to get the right combination, though its not I route I wish to take as they're never as strong as a normal shaft.
If any one has any spares, please get in touch
Thanks
The short shaft from the
The short shaft from the later fourtrak (Not realy late indipendent) will go straight in. If at some time you had a problem with the long shaft (not normaly the case as there is more 'spring' in the longer shaft) then the UJ can be replaced seperatly. Or the hub shaft and UJ from a later fourtrak could be put onto the exsisting diff to swivel shaft. Depending on what's brocken.
If your problem is the UJ rather than the shaft its self (it is the weaker link) then a new fourtrak UJ from Millner's or such would go straight in.
Also F20 shafts are the same. Not sure about F25 / F55 though. The rear shafts on these were deffinatly bigger around then the SWB versions. Don't know if the same was true of the fronts. Dead easy to tell which you have on the back (SWB spring mounted under the axle originally, LWB spring mounted over the axle). The fronts looked identical.
Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.