Angle Drive Diagnostics

[content22207]

Autopsy a dead angle drive and you will likely find:
1) Vertical play in the axle gear
2) Convex wear in the output gear (put a straight edge across it)
The combined effect is gear teeth that do not intermesh anymore, rendering the unit useless.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[David T]

I agree the angle drives that fail are worn out to the point the parts do not line up anymore and properly mesh. My theory of excessive strain because of the jammed up speedometer head will cause the angle drive to work harder and wear out faster. Why do some angle drives seem to work forever and some do not last at all? They were all originally made the same. Something on ta particular car is causing them to wear prematurely. I do not believe it is a problem with the angle drive, it is just failing because of something else that is wrong. Over-engineering the angle drive is just putting a stronger Band-Aid on the problem. Autopsy the speedometer head the next time you wear out an angle drive.
David Teitelbaum

[outatym2001]

The parts came in today. (Sorry Steve, didn't buy the Hervey ones to measure.) I do note that if you don't tighten the rear mounting nut all the way the flex shaft will be shorter though.

Turning off the rear nut was a little awkward, but getting that darned little c-clip out was a pain in the butt - impossible to see. I finally had to give up and let the wife do it - took her 15 minutes.

Without the c-clip hiccup the whole job can be easily done in 30 minutes.

Here are pictures of the c-clip that TTait mentions above. I posted these pictures to the old dmctalk.com forum.
The C-Clip is actually a Retainer Wire as shown in the pictures. It’s a thin wire bent into a perfect circle.

[outatym2001]

Resurrecting an old thread about the Angle Drive, Dust Shield and the Lower Cable.
My speedometer and odometer quit working again (for like the third time in 22 years) and I bought online the replacement kit K106130 $89.99.
Some day you too are going to have your Angle Drive fail.
This five year old video on YouTube is a helpful step by step reminder on the procedure to replace the Angle Drive that I will perform again.
YouTube channel AutoFun with the video title below.
DeLorean Angle Drive Install & Lower Speedo Cable replacement (DMC-12 1981-1983)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb2NxCrK7Vg&t=5s