driveshaft 1964 longbed

[chris91]

I put a 350 automatic in my truck now I need the driveshaft. When I bought the truck it did not come with one. Will a stock front section of the drive shaft fit without being modified?

[Woogeroo]

what did it have in it originally? a 3 speed manual?

-W

[LILRED66]

You need the slip yoke for the 350, so it will mate with the tranny. You will need to have a drive shaft made or an original one modified.

[Captainfab]

Just get an original 2pc driveshaft and a slip yoke and get the front shaft shortened. It really doesn't cost that much to get a driveshaft shortened. It's when you need a longer one is when it starts to get spendy.

[LILRED66]

My experience has been, they will shorten them, but they will not lengthen them. I ran into this issue recently, while doing a 3-speed Turbo Hydra Matic swap for a forum member. We went from a two piece to a one piece and went ahead and had a new one piece drive shaft made. It wasn't that much more to have a new one made, compared to, shortening the original front piece, welding on the slip yoke and balancing the assembly, so we went with a new one piece with new "U" joints.

[ruffrida2005]

Man if you lived in Tx I would sell you mine. I have a SD crossmember and need a longer driveshaft now.

[chris91]

It was a 3-speed originally. If I were to do the 1-piece the drive shaft would b3 80" long. What is the max length to be be safe? my truck is a longbed.

[chris91]

My original problem was I did not have the bracket for the carrier bearing to bolt to. After digging off the undercoating off the crossmember I found that someone has taken the bracket. Can I make a bracket?

[Captainfab]

I suppose that would depend on your metal skills. It shouldn't be much of a problem to make. Are you wanting to use the heavier duty one that bolts on the bottom, or the whimpy one that hangs from the top?

Originally Posted by chris91

My original problem was I did not have the bracket for the carrier bearing to bolt to. After digging off the undercoating off the crossmember I found that someone has taken the bracket. Can I make a bracket?

[chris91]

The Original bolted from the bottom. I would like to keep it that way.

[Captainfab]

That's good, that one is a much better carrier bearing. I happen to have one of those mounting plates that I took off of a truck a month or so ago. Let me know if you're interested.

Originally Posted by chris91

The Original bolted from the bottom. I would like to keep it that way.

[1964C10]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

That's good, that one is a much better carrier bearing. I happen to have one of those mounting plates that I took off of a truck a month or so ago. Let me know if you're interested.

Might you have two of those plates? Mine has the whimpy top mount one.

[Captainfab]

Wow you've got something crazy going on there. That is the heavier carrier bearing, that someone cobbed a mount for it to hang from the top. Plus it should be on the other side of the crossmember. You'll have to do some changing of the driveshafts to make the original setup work. I'll look and see if I have another one of those mounting plates.

Originally Posted by 1964C10

Might you have two of those plates? Mine has the whimpy top mount one.

[1964C10]

I knew I wasn't going crazy!! When I looked at that setup I was like what the heck is that! The PO also did a butcher job on the 3 speed transmission that is coming through the floor and the steering column is made for either auto or 3 speed I can't(dont know) how to tell. I also don't think there are bolt holes for the heaver carrier in the bottom of the cross member. I am not planning on doing anything to this till I get a new setup for my drivetrain with an automatic transmission but I am collecting parts for now so do you think I might be able to use the carrier bearing that I have? or are parts of it missing? Thanks John!

[Captainfab]

It's kind of hard having not seen the top side (bottom as seen in the pic), but what little I can see, looks to be all there. When you buy a replacement carrier bearing, it can be bought as an assembly which includes the rubber and the outer metal housing. I can fix you up with the base plate for it if you like.

Originally Posted by 1964C10

I knew I wasn't going crazy!! When I looked at that setup I was like what the heck is that! The PO also did a butcher job on the 3 speed transmission that is coming through the floor and the steering column is made for either auto or 3 speed I can't(dont know) how to tell. I also don't think there are bolt holes for the heaver carrier in the bottom of the cross member. I am not planning on doing anything to this till I get a new setup for my drivetrain with an automatic transmission but I am collecting parts for now so do you think I might be able to use the carrier bearing that I have? or are parts of it missing? Thanks John!

[chris91]

Yes, I am interested.

[1964C10]

Thanks John, I will take you up on that offer when the time comes to do my drivetrain. I might end up doing a wider driveshaft as this one I feel is not enough to handle the 400HP I plan to throw at it one day.

[Captainfab]

I would not hesitate to use the size of driveshaft you have for 400HP. Especially if you stay with a 2pc in your longbed. Let me know when you're ready.

Originally Posted by 1964C10

Thanks John, I will take you up on that offer when the time comes to do my drivetrain. I might end up doing a wider driveshaft as this one I feel is not enough to handle the 400HP I plan to throw at it one day.