1972 Front Driveshaft

[OnlyGMs4Me]

I'm trying to help out a friend who is getting ready to do a restoration on a 1972 Chevy 4x4 PU.

After he got it towed home a guy stopped by and inquired if any parts were for sale including a front driveshaft. I guess the visitor didn't like hearing no 'cause when I was over the other day and he was showing it to me we noticed the front 'shaft was now missing.

I'm trying to locate another for him, all the listings I see on line show '73 up to '87 are the same. Is a '72 also? Is the difference that the '72 doesn't have a CV joint?

I'm pretty sure the transfer case is a NP205, the front axle is a Dana44.

Any pic's or dimensions would help? Or a line or link where to find a replacement.

Thanks

[hilljob26]

my 72 has a 1980 np208 in it,so i use cv joints,but i believe the 72's had just a u-joint to connect the two,all you would have to do is take off the cv joint,you should have enough play to make it work.i had mine lengthened,but thats because i went with a 6" lift and wanted it to be the same distance lifted as it was stock

[bouncytruck]

I hate thieves!

NP205 and Dana 44 are stock. I believe that most of the vendors can get the front driveline or if you are a subscribing member, you can post a "wanted to buy" as I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find a used one.

Here's a list of board approved vendors - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/links/browselinks.php?c=2

Also, a driveline shop should be able to make a new driveshaft. If the truck is going to be lifted, it may need a longer front driveshaft anyway.

[Yukon Jack]

LMC sells a front driveshaft for $199.95 but the require a core or else you pay an additional $50.

I got a cheap front driveshaft with a CV joint from someone on this site or another site for like $25 but when I went to have new u-joints put in it I was told the CV was shot and it was about $200 to have them make me a new one.

Unless you can visually inspect one, having one built with new parts may be your best option.

I'm using a CV joint and assumed that was standard with the NP205, but sounds like I'm wrong on that point.

Assuming a CV joint isn't needed, I bet a new front driveshaft would be a fair bit cheaper than what I paid.

[Critter]

OnlyGMs4Me, I am considering the same thing. I actually have a drive shaft off of one of the newer models (I think that’s what it’s from). It has the CV joint and a flange for bolting to a different transfer case. I haven’t had a chance yet, but I am going to try to remove the bolt flange off of the CV and put on my standard NP205 yoke. Does anyone know if this is possible? I'm worried the CV will interfere with the NP205 yoke.

[CUSTOM/10]

I don't think that will work. The new shafts are a 1330 size joint and the 72's were a 1310 joint. You can change the out put yoke to a flange type if your front output shaft is 30 or 32 spline. But most likely your out put shaft is a 10 spline so it would also have to be changed. I just ordered a custom front shaft for my 72 through Tom Woods. I have the flange type set-up but found that the larger 1330 cv joint interfered with the 700R4 pan that I installed. So I'm having a custom flange type 1310 cv shaft made for clearance reasons.

Gary

[hilljob26]

i did that once before and it didnt hurt anything,not on mine anyway,but i also dont go out and tear my stuff up either

[fun in dirt]

I replaced my worn out front shaft (in '72/ 205/ dana44) last weekend with one we had laying in the shop. I think it was out of a '83 and it fit perfect with no changes needed. I'll post pic tomorrow - raining right now.

[OnlyGMs4Me]

Thanks Guys !!

I definitely appreciate all the feed back.

The suspension is going to remain stock, it was the main reason my friend bought it because it was stock with no modifications. I think he is going for a very stock looking ride w/ a sleeping BB under the hood.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by OnlyGMs4Me

w/ a sleeping BB under the hood.

Fair warning it's not the simplest swap out there when installing one in a 4x4 of these years.

Very do-able but not a weekend 'bolt in and go job' either.

[bouncytruck]

Originally Posted by OnlyGMs4Me

Thanks Guys !!

I definitely appreciate all the feed back.

The suspension is going to remain stock, it was the main reason my friend bought it because it was stock with no modifications. I think he is going for a very stock looking ride w/ a sleeping BB under the hood.

Can you get him to join the board or can you post pictures?

[fun in dirt]

As promised, here are the pics of what mine looks like:

[Critter]

Originally Posted by fun in dirt

As promised, here are the pics of what mine looks like:

Well, that is definitely different than mine. Your CV looks a lot more compact. I really wish I new exactly what model mine came off of. It was in the back of my blazer when I bought it, but I knew then it wasn’t the correct one. Hell, for all I know if might be from a Ford or Dodge!!!

[Old Chevy Mech]

Originally Posted by fun in dirt

As promised, here are the pics of what mine looks like:

Looks like the one in my 70 blazer with a Dana 20 & same one that came out of my parts truck, a 72 CST Blazer with a NP 205 trans.

Frank

[1969k10stepside]

Critter,that looks like a front driveshaft I have from a late 70s 4wd with a NP205.

[BurnoutNova]

Originally Posted by 1969k10stepside

Critter,that looks like a front driveshaft I have from a late 70s 4wd with a NP205.

that looks like the one on my 4sp/205 setup i just bought. is there any reason i cant just bolt it in my 69? why are they diffrent than the 70-72 205 shaft?

[Critter]

Originally Posted by BurnoutNova

that looks like the one on my 4sp/205 setup i just bought. is there any reason i cant just bolt it in my 69? why are they diffrent than the 70-72 205 shaft?

Well, the reason mine won't work on my 72 is because it is (most likely) off of a mid-70s with a NP203 transfer case. This means the Ujoints are different. I think that 69-72 could all use the same driveshaft though. The problem is when you get a shaft from 73+. What year model is your 4spd/205 from?

[b.sharp]

the one that I have is out of a 72 blaser and is just like the one posted by fun in dirt. I hope this helps. The one with the big circle on it to bolt on is more like one for a 203 transfer case.

Latr,

[Critter]

Well, either way, the one that I have uses 1330 Ujoints, I went out and checked. My 10-spline Tcase yoke and the front D44 uses a 1310 (like everyone knows). I doubt that I could put 1310 caps on the 1330 body and make it narrow enough to work so I guess I am out of luck. Anybody want to trade?

[OnlyGMs4Me]

Originally Posted by Critter

Well, either way, the one that I have uses 1330 Ujoints, I went out and checked. My 10-spline Tcase yoke and the front D44 uses a 1310 (like everyone knows). I doubt that I could put 1310 caps on the 1330 body and make it narrow enough to work so I guess I am out of luck. Anybody want to trade?

Critter,

That confirmed my suspicions, I had hoped they used the same U-joints and the large ring that bolted to the transfer case removed and a U-joint substituted.

Thanks for all the pics and information guys, I have never had such a quick and informative response on any other forum. You guys are great!!

[Critter]

Something else that I was thinking about…what about the pinion yoke? Even if I/we were able to get the 1330 driveshaft to bolt up to the older transfer case, what do we do about the pinion yoke? Is there a yoke from another year that will go to my 72 D44 pinion and accept a Spicer 1330? By the way, I realize it is easier to find a used 72 drive shaft or even have one made at a local shop, at this point I am just asking questions for research and learning purposes. Thanks guys!

[BurnoutNova]

i have a 69 K10, with a stock closed knuckle d44, and the trans, and t-case from a 77 K5 blazer. it is a np205 and sm465. the drivehaft is still onb the t- case, so i figured it would just bolt tight onto the pinion yolk. it looks the same length as my front shaft on my 71 k10