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single piece tail shaft L series
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:15 pm
by Mitchhsj
has any one heard or seen of an factory L series wagon with a single piece tail shaft, my unis went and i spoke to the subi wreckers here and he told me i was on drugs because he has been wreaking them for 25 years and never seen em, its not custom because it doesn't have the bolt up mounts for the centre bearing and never has, i had to take it to him to show because he didn't be leave me... my thoughts are it might be an import or something. mabi someone has some answers
thanks mitch
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:27 pm
by Gannon
What year model is it?
Have you got a photo of this driveshaft?
Earlier MY models had a one piece shaft, but I'm pretty sure they had a shorter wheel base and a longer gearbox so the shafts arent interchangable.
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:38 pm
by El_Freddo
Gannon wrote:Earlier MY models had a one piece shaft, but I'm pretty sure they had a shorter wheel base and a longer gearbox so the shafts arent interchangable.
I think they had the same wheel base, and if not it's the difference in the front control arms that bend back a little bit. All MYs had a one piece tail shaft in the 4wd models.
The L series only has a two piece shaft in the 4wd models as well. From the L series subaru stuck with the two piece shaft - that's about the only "feature" of the L series subaru kept with the later models.
Cheers
Bennie
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:47 pm
by steptoe
no centre bearing mounts in floor either ??!!
wow, can you share the VIN with us , leaving out your last six numbers for privacy.
Psst, what kinda drugs you on

Nice wheels, Volvo too !!
The difference between a normal regular L series two piece and MY one piece is the L unis are staked and not an easy swap for new ones. Are yours staked or got serviceable circlips I wonder.
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:34 pm
by El_Freddo
steptoe wrote:no centre bearing mounts in floor either ??!!
wow, can you share the VIN with us , leaving out your last six numbers for privacy.
Psst, what kinda drugs you on

Nice wheels, Volvo too !!
The difference between a normal regular L series two piece and MY one piece is the L unis are staked and not an easy swap for new ones. Are yours staked or got serviceable circlips I wonder.
I don't think the wrecker is talking about an L series - I reckon he's thinking MY... Or it's not a factory shaft if it's a one piece in the L series.
I'm sure there have been members on here that have had the uni joints "converted" to replaceable units on the L series two piece shaft.
I'm keen to see a pic of your tail shaft if it is a one piece
Cheers
Bennie
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 9:27 am
by TOONGA
I would say the previous owner got rid of the two piece shaft and had a custom one piece shaft made.
TOONGA
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:34 pm
by Mitchhsj
yea i thought that too but there is no mount points on the under body tunnel like there is in every other l series, the my wagon is the same as a brumbry and that have a shorter wheel base than an l series, its the blue one in the pic, but i have the striped body at work ill lift it up with the fork lift tomorrow and take a pic of where u cant bolt a centre piece bearing from a 2 piece shaft...this car was original with a single piece, just no one has ever heard of it. personaly i prefer the single..
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:38 am
by steptoe
starting to worry about my old school teachers and their marking/grading/listening ability
First post says wrecker has never seen a one piece L Series tailshaft or to that effect, and he also says vehicle does not have centre bearing mounting points.
Wonder if it was a single range 4WD box or started life in a market as a 2WD wagon. Did 2WD sedans get centre bearing mounting points on the tunnel underneath?
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:52 pm
by Mitchhsj
yes he said they all do, even the front wheel drive sedans.. he has never seen a L with out mount points... here are some pics, i guess its just a little bit special..

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 8:14 am
by steptoe
I think a bit more than your unis have gone in the three pics ! I take it you started with the painted shell in the scrub then ended up parked next to the Volvo?
The VIN numbers first eleven of 17 digits might reveal more to those of us who can decode ...please ....

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:00 pm
by RSR 555
I have had one customer with an 1988 L.Series wagon that looked like a Touring Wagon but without the high roof. It had all the electrics and and plush trim but it was 2WD only. The owner asked me if I could convert to 4WD and he's me thinking 'hey.. it's just another L.Series, so hard can it be?' Well, I got it up on the hoist and you wouldn't believe it.. it had no centre bearing mounts for the tailshaft and no mounting holes for the rear mustache bar. I went and brought 'riv-nuts' for the rear and made a 1 piece tailshaft.
From now on I never quote conversions until I've seen the car

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 10:37 pm
by El_Freddo
RSR 555 wrote:From now on I never quote conversions until I've seen the car

Fun and games eh?
Seems that I've miss understood Mitchhsj in his original post
Cheers
Bennie
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 11:33 am
by Mitchhsj
haha no it started a light blue and because I'm a painter i had to paint it, then my chassis was so rusted from to many beach trips the lower control arm went through the floor and i took those photos the other day sitting in the scrub, bit sad to see it there now like that after all the effort building it but i have my new 91 wagon now..
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 11:36 am
by Mitchhsj
wow RSR that makes sense because touring wagons whit the high rood have those black plastic strips down both sides of the rear hatch window and also the rear side boot windows are bigger as they don't have 2inches of rubber sorounding them, this blue wagon was an 87 it may have started life as a 2wd..it too also had a lot of different stuff like a centre inside light like most l series and also twin reading lights at the rear vision mirror and two lights on the roof as you open the boot [ great for camping] along with a few things my 91 don't have [like pwr steer ]
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 9:41 pm
by RSR 555
El_Freddo wrote:Fun and games eh?
Yeah.. too many times being caught out
Mitchhsj wrote:wow RSR that makes sense because touring wagons whit the high rood have those black plastic strips down both sides of the rear hatch window and also the rear side boot windows are bigger as they don't have 2inches of rubber sorounding them, this blue wagon was an 87 it may have started life as a 2wd..it too also had a lot of different stuff like a centre inside light like most l series and also twin reading lights at the rear vision mirror and two lights on the roof as you open the boot [ great for camping] along with a few things my 91 don't have [like pwr steer ]
Yep. Looks just like a high roof just not. Can't remember what was written on the sticker on the tailgate. I'm not sure what the option code was but from the VIN, Frog (Andy) shoul be able to check?