More prop shaft questions from my earlier post

[sujitroy]

This is a follow up email to my prop shaft rebalancing question posted a week or so back.
I went to my shed and grabbed two prop shafts. Both appear to be the approximately the same length. One is solid while the other has a rubber membrane between the inner tube and outer tube. (similar to what my BW35 auto prop has)
Did Stag come with both types or is one an aftermarket offering? If an aftermarket offering, I'm assuming the solid one is an after market
On one, the sliding part of the shaft is stuck. There seems to be a cap on the end. Can I undo this cap with a pair of pliers without crushing it? If I get the cap off, I'm assuming I can pour some type of WD40 fluid down it to free it? Is this right?

With my BW35 prop shaft I had it rebalanced at a shop and the shop said it rubber part was OK.

I plan to take both shafts to a shop to get them sorted. If the shop determines both shafts to be serviceable, which one should I use?

Sujit

[richardthestag]

the auto prop certainly for the BW35 is the item you describe with inner and outer tubes connected by rubber. I found these to be a nightmare to balance, gave up and bought a new unit which was great for a year but then the rubber started to degrade.

The spline type you describe I think was standard fit for all manual gearbox Stags. Mine has one but it was built with a BW35 by the factory hence my knowledge of the rubber prop. My stag now has a Manual o/d box

I guess there is no reason why the splined yoke on an auto prop could not be attached to a manual prop. I do not have the two items side by side to compare lengths.

For me personally I would do anything I possibly could to avoid the prop joined by the rubber stuff

Hope that helps

[DJT]

New prop-shafts from LD Parts are all solid - no rubber:

http://www.ldparts.co.uk/shop/shop.p....x=0&image.y=0

[mike@thenook]

I would do anything I possibly could to avoid the prop joined by the rubber stuff

I'd agree with you on that Richard having had the same problem with both new specially made and old rubber jointed props - solid is the way to go.

[davidf]

On manuals, the rubber insert was for Overdrives (presumably to absorb a bit of shock on engaging or dis-engaging)