Propshaft Alignment

Vibration

Yoke orientation, or 'phasing'. It's vital that both yokes on the propshaft are in the same orientation as each other, as shown below. This is set by how the sliding joint is assembled, and affects overall balance as well as noise and wear.

Fletcher's first photo enhanced as best I can. I can just make out an arrow 'shaft' and one half of the 'flight' but no head - a typical mis-stamping.

Fletcher's 'best' markings, together with some examples of the poorly stamped markings you are likely to find in practice.

My old V8 shaft, two lines on the yoke, which could be the shaft and half of a detached head, but nothing on the tube. These are also sort of but not exactly in-line with one of the arms of the yoke which doesn't have a grease nipple, and not between them and in-line with a grease nipple as on Fletcher's drawing so could be nothing at all, but are similar to one of his drawn examples:

Another of Fletcher's photos this time showing what appears to be a part number stamped into the end of the tube of a banjo axle non-OD shaft. However AHH 7458 is the part number of the little plastic clip that holds the straight end of the sun-visor rod, the correct number for the banjo non-OD shaft from the Parts catalogue is AHH 7488.

Bee's old shaft, alignment marks in line with the sliding joint grease nipple, better than some:

Replacement propshaft from Brown & Gammons. £132 + P&P, but I wasn't going to buy from BHive at £70, nor from anyone else at the same price. Leacy and Rimmer's were showing them at around £100 which I'd have gone for, but no stocks. Very clear alignment markings also in line with the sliding joint grease nipple: