# 1947 buick special **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** buick\ **Created:** [March 10, 2013, 9:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908 "2013-03-10T09:54:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/21 "2013-03-14T20:32:04Z")
@Docnick - thanks, one more piece of auto info to crowd my already-limited brain… ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/22 "2013-03-14T20:35:11Z")
@mountainbike Agree, that’s what they did since the torque Tube was attached to the gear box with a giant hollow ball joint inside which was the u-joint. It put a lot of stress on the engine mounts as well. Our Roadmaster travelled well in a straight line and was very comfortable and quiet. But it did not like curves and corners. It was also, along with Caddies and Packards, a favorate gangster car with tons of room in the backseat and those long front fenders going all the way back to the rear fenders. When you see a 40s gangster movie you’ll see them often, in black, usually chauffer-driven. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/23 "2013-03-14T20:43:44Z")
Tester is still correct in regards to the driveline angle being a necessity. One of the main reasons for center carriers is to create an angle that might not otherwise be there. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/24 "2013-03-14T22:19:26Z")
Well, Tester is talking about a driveshaft with 2 U-joints. He hasn’t convinced me that he is correct. Anyway the link that he gave talked about only a 1 degree angle. And @ok4450, the Buick had NO center carrier. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/25 "2013-03-14T22:44:36Z")
What Tester said was correct for a driveshaft with 2 universal joints, but torque tube cars didn’t have a rear joint so there was no splitting the angles like you do with 2 joints. Also, ir isn’t the u-joints that permit the change in lenght so the reat axle can move up and down, it the splines between the transmission and front yoke. Furthermore, center carriers are not used to change angles but to prevent whip from a too long driveshaft. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/26 "2013-03-14T23:00:59Z")
I believe center carriers are also used to split angles in a long driveshaft (like on a truck). U-joints have limited usable articulation angles. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/27 "2013-03-14T23:14:01Z")
TSMB - how does adding a center carrier reduce any of the angles? If in line the angles stay the same, otherwise some increase, compared to a single long shaft. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/28 "2013-03-15T02:03:31Z")
It can break what would have been a 20 degree angle into two lesser angles. The rotating axes of the tranny tailshaft, the intermediate shaft, and the final driveshaft are not in line. Watch a few box trucks that you see on the road, where the driveshafts are visable. You’ll see many using a carrier bearing in that fashion. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/29 "2013-03-15T02:08:45Z")
But…connect two dots (transmission output and diff input with a straight line. There’s your beginning angle, equal at both. Now connect them with a bent line. One angle will increase, one will decrease. Right? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/30 "2013-03-15T02:16:04Z")
They tip the differential. The operating axis of the tranny shaft and the pinion shaft are not parallel. They intersect. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 2:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/31 "2013-03-15T02:26:57Z")
@the same mountainbe, I have noticed the carrier bearing on box trucks as you mentioned. But it seems to me that the angle of the niddle and back U-joints are worse than they would be without the center bearing. I understand that a center bearing is needed on a longer shaft. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/32 "2013-03-15T02:47:26Z")
Done correctly each angle will be less than one angle would have been. I’ve attached an International Harvester diagram that shows the concept. [http://firetrucksandequipment.tpub.com/TM-5-4210-230-14P-1/css/TM-5-4210-230-14P-1\_958.htm](http://firetrucksandequipment.tpub.com/TM-5-4210-230-14P-1/css/TM-5-4210-230-14P-1_958.htm) They also have to be phased properly such that each joint’s output wave offsets the other’s. I’ve attached a link that shows that as well. [http://www.bmwmotorcycletech.info/phasing.htm](http://www.bmwmotorcycletech.info/phasing.htm) ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 5:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/33 "2013-03-15T05:44:29Z")
Someone here said that the engine should tilt back in order for the oil to drain back to the oil pan. I don’t think that is true because there are 16 pushrod holes for the oil to drain down throuth and other holes as well. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/34 "2013-03-15T05:54:33Z")
@Triedaq, my dad had a cousin, who, in 1951, parked his pretty, moroon, 1937 Roadmaster in his barn and bought a new '51. Now, that was a car!! Sommething that Al Capone might have driven!! ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/35 "2013-03-15T16:42:45Z")
Besides, elly, whether that would help anything would depend on where the pickup tube comes down. And if you have an engine that has the dropped area of the pan (which is where the pickup comes down) in the front and you tilted the engine backwards…well, may the engine gods have mercy on you. Which brings up another point: pans have dropped areas for the oil to drain into anyway. Tilting the engine is, well, of no value. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/36 "2013-03-16T03:57:49Z")
Well, the OP asked if the engine was supposed to tilt down in the back. The answer is YES. All this other stuff is immaterial!! ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/37 "2013-03-16T04:04:11Z")
@EllyEllis, that other stuff is so fun to talk about. Just re-read this thread. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 6:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/38 "2013-03-16T06:07:42Z")
Yeah, it has been fun. I check it several times a day. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908/39 "2013-03-16T06:40:51Z")
It’s like driveshaft angles causing excessive vibration in the manure spreader…You need hip-boots for this one… [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1947-buick-special/77908.md?page=1)