one pc drive shaft from donor truck

[junk4cash]

A mechanic once told me that i could grab a one piece drive shaft out of a newer full size chevy. I was wondering if anyone has done this. He told me i could get one somewhere near the same length and then I'll need then have it shortened. Was curious if this has been attempted. I have a stock 66 long bed with a 292 and 3 on the tree. Thanks.

[Captainfab]

Is your truck a short bed or long bed?

[ERASER5]

Why would you want a one piece driveshaft in a long bed truck? The factory engineers knew what they were doing. A long drive shaft has a lot more vibration and "jump rope" wobble.

Are you having issues with the carrier bearing? If so, those problems can be solved without having to buy the $200 billet aluminum show car carrier. A two piece driveshaft is just better for a long bed.

[junk4cash]

Not true. Plenty of long beds today run a one pc. drive shaft. Plenty of right ups here about a conversion to delete the carrier bearing thus getting rid of the chance for failure. I have a vibration now and almost guarantee its caused by the 2 pc shaft.

[Captainfab]

There are 2 different carrier bearings for a 2 piece driveshaft in the '63-'72's. There is the light duty that hangs from above the TA crossmember and the heavy duty that sits on a bracket on the bottom of the TA crossmember. I would say that 90% of the carrier bearing failures and constant problems with a carrier bearing, are with the light duty carrier bearing and driveshafts. I don't know whose idea the light duty shafts and carrier bearing were, but I suspect an engineer that came over from Ford.

The HD carrier bearing and driveshafts will cure most problems with driveshafts and carrier bearing failure. The same shaft size and carrier bearing is used in trucks up thru the C60's. It is just plain physics that a 2 piece driveshaft in a long bed is stronger than a 1 piece.

[ERASER5]

I have 3 different carrier bearings. A 1971 light duty "teardrop" carrier; flimsy. A 1970 heavy duty "clam shell"; if this puppy tears out, that wreck will have been catastrophic! And a industrial pillar bearing block on a spare drive shaft. The pillar bearing is mounted to a piece of angle iron that is drilled to mount in the factory location. Either heavy duty bearing will last as long long time.

There are extensive threads explaining drive shaft engineering. Simple mistakes of no clocking the U-joints correctly cause all kinds of problems. Too much constant load on a light duty truck also hinders U-joint life and drive line angles. Often there are several things going on to cause drive line issues.

[Captainfab]

I forgot about the third style of carrier bearing used on some of the '67-'72's. I have only seen 2 of those and that has been on this forum.