I spoke with Spohn, explained everything to them, and got an RMA #. They want me to measure their d/s though and see if it's 41" center-to-center. It should be longer than factory to make up for the difference in slip-yoke. We'll find out when I get home.

Probably get something from Denny's. They seem to have good policies.

 

Jeez.
If I need to pay a 20% restocking fee + shipping ($75 + $17) to return it, I'll just keep the damn thing and buy a different yoke. I'm going to go out shortly and measure the length.

Can anyone confirm that I have a factory yoke on my driveshaft? Who is right/wrong here? I have no reason to believe I have anything other than the factory driveshaft. Either way, it's 3/4" too short. Even with the short yoke.

 

The yoke you have shown as "factory" is correct; looks identical to what came off my car when I replaced it with a Denny's Nitrous Ready shaft a few years ago.

Denny doesn't build his shafts off the "factory" dimensions, he requires that you measure your individual car; and then builds off that. He actually had me measure my car 3 times because he does so many F-body driveshafts and mine was outside the "normal" for length; it was long by ~1" compared to typical. He also uses the shorter Yoke like you have, but the shaft length is longer to compensate.

I will say this, Denny KNOWS his stuff.

 

Denny's seems like the place to go. I dig the 'free lifetime labor' clause with their stuff. If I can get Spohn to take this back without charging me a 20% restocking fee, I will probably get something from Denny's and be done with it. Tired of getting jerked around by these people at Spohn. Telling me there's "no way" that this is my factory drive shaft? Saying that the Spohn yoke is longer than factory? That it's just an 'optical illusion' that mine is shorter? I don't buy any of that.

This experience pretty much made up my mind on the 'Spohn vs. UMI' debate that was going on in my head for my whole rear suspension setup. Not to fond of being told basically that I'm wrong and don't know what I'm talking about, when I have an issue with a product. I'm not saying 'the customer is always right', but in this instance, I'm certainly not wrong here. At least I don't think.

 

Just a bit of added info for you guys going with an aftermarket shaft with the stock 10 bolt. Some Astro/Safari vans have a 10 bolt with an HD driveshaft that uses 1350 u-joints. You can get the yoke from one of those and a new crush sleeve. Then you have 1350s on both ends and don't have to change anything when you upgrade to a Strange 12 bolt.
This is not speculation, this is what I did with my car.

 

I agree, if you can return that shaft to Spohn go for it.

Also, I know Denny's Nitrous Ready shaft is lifetime guaranteed (Not the yokes or u-joints, but the shaft itself). He used to be local to me (Used to live in Buffalo, still have friends/family there).

 

Good info right there. I was wondering if I should get a 1350 yoke for the pinion so that I wouldn't need to convert later. How difficult is it to change the rear yoke? How many ft/lbs does that nut need to be retorqued to? IIRC working on an 8.8 it was quite a bit.

 

Yeah I am looking at them; but I have a bunch of friends telling me to just get a Dynotech. I'll probably talk to both of them.