Question: Drive shaft rail

[Raul_C4]

So I dropped my drive shaft and changed the ujoints in my 1986 vette.
I have the car on 4 jack stands not that high up the front and rear ends are 2 feet off the ground tops.
Anyway I assemble everything and for some strange reason the front two bolts in the rail that mount through transmission are in and they go all the way through , but when I go to the differential side the holes aren't even visible !
How is that possible !?!?!
Please help

 

[forrest]

So I dropped my drive shaft and changed the ujoints in my 1986 vette.
I have the car on 4 jack stands not that high up the front and rear ends are 2 feet off the ground tops.
Anyway I assemble everything and for some strange reason the front two bolts in the rail that mount through transmission are in and they go all the way through , but when I go to the differential side the holes aren't even visible !
How is that possible !?!?!
Please help

I have always found that I have less trouble with the beam if you let the trans hang down a bit just enough (always supported by jack) to be have the beam above the tail shaft with no bolts. put the most rear (by the Diff.) bolt in loose than raise the trans. and with a large screwdriver or pinch bar kind of ramp the beam around the rear of the trans NOT PRYING AGAINST THE TAIL SHAFT IT SELF once the beam clears the trans line up the holes with a Philips screwdriver or a pointed drift pin start the bolts and with a little bit of Bench Pressing of the trans and pushing on the bolts they should slide thru install all bolts and continue on with your Assembly.

As for why they are not visible you may have the trans raised to high or to low or just not slid over enough, odd's are the diff. twisted a bit towards the floor of car and putting that most rear bolt in first will probably correct that, I Never unless totally necessary remove that rear bolt completely just for this reason.