How to identify an MMC P-71 driveshaft?

[chief455]

So, my shaft is bent, wobbles on the lift at low speed, and causing clunk in my rear now. Maybe unrelated, but have to fix both.
a few years with 4.10 and some high speeds, something caused it.
rear pinion is tight, tailshaft bushing on trans is good.
visibly bent shaft.
So, rather than another stock shaft, how do I identify the so called 'better' MMC material ones at a junk yard?
I have a few listed at yards near me, but won't know what I'm looking at.

I don't want a $500 shaft, just a replacement for now.
thanks

[RubberCtyRauder]

Late 1999 and early 2000 CVPI with 3.55. If readable it should say MMC POLICE on it and I forget the stripe pattern, of pink, green, and something

gDMJoe has some info here
http://mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=90639&highlight=mmc+driveshaft
and similiar here
http://www.pontiacperformance.net/TechArticles/CV_Driveshaft_Swap.html#METALM ATRIX

pic here of lettering
http://www.pontiacperformance.net/TechArticles/images/CV_MMC_Driveshaft.jpg

[chief455]

Awesome, thanks!!!

[lifespeed]

So the tales of driveshaft resonance are not just old wives tales? Good luck getting your ride fixed. I think the MMC driveshafts are hard to come by these days, hope you find one.

[Marauderjack]

How did ya bend it??:eek:

[chief455]

So the tales of driveshaft resonance are not just old wives tales? Good luck getting your ride fixed. I think the MMC driveshafts are hard to come by these days, hope you find one.
Thanks, and...

How did ya bend it??:eek:
I have no idea! I have a 3500 stall, street tires and do love to blast the stop lights, hit gears, but never over 100mph much.
I did not see, but my mechanic friend said it is visibly starting to twist and bent in the center of length.
What made us look was the light sound of posi/pinion gear clunking upon deceleration I thought I was hearing. I guess my ears were right...

[chief455]

Mark - thanks to your help identifying the correct shaft, I found one - at the nearest yard to me, on the way to work!
:beer:

Wasn't easy, every yard that has an auminum shaft tells me it's the 99-00 police unit :shake:

[lifespeed]

Mark - thanks to your help identifying the correct shaft, I found one - at the nearest yard to me, on the way to work!
:beer:

Wasn't easy, every yard that has an auminum shaft tells me it's the 99-00 police unit :shake:

Congrats! Out here all the panthers are picked over by the cab and limo companies. For a common car it is surprisingly hard to find junkyard parts, although I have to admit my only attempt at scavenging was for a MMC driveshaft.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Good deal. Go find some more and Jerry them, hoard them. I would take one but mine firs have a dyno tech shaft in it already.

[chief455]

Congrats! Out here all the panthers are picked over by the cab and limo companies. For a common car it is surprisingly hard to find junkyard parts, although I have to admit my only attempt at scavenging was for a MMC driveshaft.
I knew it would be hard, but actually I just had to go and look at the thing to confirm!

Good deal. Go find some more and Jerry them, hoard them. I would take one but mine firs have a dyno tech shaft in it already.
Already planned. Checking one tomorrow..:coolman:

[chief455]

2 holy grail MMC drive shafts at my closest junk yards :eek:

one has too many stripes of unknown color to help verify, found faint but clear MMC POLICE ALCOA and date wrapped around about 3" from the rear flange.

2nd has MMC POLICE and a July/99 date wrapped around the forward shaft, maybe 6" from the trans yoke. VERY hard to read, and the MMC letters are skrunched together, but for sure. Stripes = forget it. I was going to leave the unit, it has like 4 different faded wrapped strips around, but can't fake the almighty MMC POLICE letters I kept rotating and looking for! :D

Sorry kids, I'm replacing my bad Marauder shaft with one, and hoarding the other as my own spare.

I do have leads on 2 more yards, will sell here if that pans out.
thanks again for the post and links to data!

[chief455]

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