Other years with compatible rear driveshaft?

[Jerblazer72]

Everyone,
I am hoping for some more traffic here than in the Tech section, maybe one of the Moderators wants to move this post.
The dilemma I have is that I have a 72 GMC LWB with 4wd. I put a 6 inch lift on the truck and the rear driveshaft needs to be lengthened. I took it to the local shop here in Utah and they said they could no longer get the tube in the correct diameter to lengthen the shaft (4 inch I think they said). Anyway, they wanted over 400 bucks to build one from scratch and I just cant stomach that sort of cash for a driveshaft. I am thinking I can go to the boneyard and find a shft that is 3.5 diameter tube (they said that was the most common size) and make sure it has the correct yoke ends and u-joint sizes and have them lengthen that one. They said even cheaper if I could find one that is too long and they can shorten it for less than if they have to lengthen it. Anyway, I doubt if I am the first one to experience this issue and am wondering if anyone knows where to start with makes or models of trucks to start lookng at to find a suitable donor truck with a rear driveshaft that may work. Thanks in advance for replys.

[Rod]

I'd search out truck scrap yards for a 2wd drive shaft and have them cut it down. I once owned a 1987 GMC truck with V6 engines and a turbo 400 tranny that had a healthy size drive shaft and was aluminum also. Those drives shafts have been discussed on here before for similar purpose and as a 2wd one piece modification. There should be others also that would work but a 2 wd drive shaft should have plenty of lenght to cut down to your requirements for a much shorter 4x4 lenght even with a lift.