One Piece Drive Shafts - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

santana474 · 06-04-2008, 07:27 AM

Hey guys. Am going to be doing a trans swap soon and thought it would be a good time to do a one-piece drive shaft as well. Are there any clearance issues I need to be aware of? Will be putting in a 700r4 and right now am at stock height. Planning on doing a 2.5/3 drop in the future. Will I have to modify the trailing arm cross member? Any other fitment issues that may come up? Just trying to cover all bases here.

Thanks in advance for the help/advise!!

Joe

c10addict · 06-04-2008, 07:59 AM

You will have no problems at all... Just remove the carrier bearing mount and you are good to go..

Longhorn Man · 06-04-2008, 08:20 PM

on a SWB truck, it is a non issue.

santana474 · 06-04-2008, 09:07 PM

Thanks for the input guys!! Think I will see what it's gonna cost. The shop here told me 100 to shorten my current 2-piece shaft and balance both pieces.

Does that sound fair?

Joe

Sammy · 06-04-2008, 10:05 PM

Great price. $150 is the going price around here. Fortunately I have a friend who's done 3 for me. He has done so many D/S on trucks from 1/2 tons to huge log trucks it only takes him about 30 min with a welder.

exmonkeypunk · 06-05-2008, 01:46 AM

i suppose lwb trucks have issues doing this? A one piece would be a nice upgrade.

Longhorn Man · 06-05-2008, 10:31 AM

most drive shaft shops won't make one for a LWB. And of the ones that do... most of them shouldn't.
If your shaft is over 6 geet long, then you get 'whipping'... which is where the drive shaft starts to sag under it's own weight, an then never spins smooth.
To PROPERLY make a shaft over 6 feet long, you need to go with thinner steel, and make it in a considerably larger diameter.

In all reality, with quality parts, and installed properly, a carrier bearing would last 30+ years, and makes for a much stronger assembly.

c10addict · 06-05-2008, 11:03 AM

My experience with carrier bearings is they do not like when you take the motor to 6 grand and let you foot slide off the clutch!

06-04-2008, 07:27 AM	#1
santana474 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Petal, MS Posts: 60	One Piece Drive Shafts Hey guys. Am going to be doing a trans swap soon and thought it would be a good time to do a one-piece drive shaft as well. Are there any clearance issues I need to be aware of? Will be putting in a 700r4 and right now am at stock height. Planning on doing a 2.5/3 drop in the future. Will I have to modify the trailing arm cross member? Any other fitment issues that may come up? Just trying to cover all bases here. Thanks in advance for the help/advise!! Joe __________________ 72 S/W 350/700R4!!

06-04-2008, 07:59 AM	#2
c10addict Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: pittsburgh pa Posts: 1,970	Re: One Piece Drive Shafts You will have no problems at all... Just remove the carrier bearing mount and you are good to go.. __________________ 68 C10 Shorty TPI,Bagged, and all the good stuff. Classic trucks feature June 06, On the cover of Jegs Christmas Catalog 08 67 C10 Shorty Shop truck project Bagged and Z'd under destruction and getting nowhere fast. 64 C10 Shop Truck/Daily driver, Bagged, Dropmember, SOLD!!!! Gone but not forgotten.. 54 GMC under the knife getting a S10 chassis swap and bagged. See my build thread... 07 GMC Sierra 5/7 drop, 22's and 24's Air ride on my mind.. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=339340 See pics of my trucks in my profile

06-04-2008, 08:20 PM	#3
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: One Piece Drive Shafts on a SWB truck, it is a non issue.

06-04-2008, 09:07 PM	#4
santana474 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Petal, MS Posts: 60	Re: One Piece Drive Shafts Thanks for the input guys!! Think I will see what it's gonna cost. The shop here told me 100 to shorten my current 2-piece shaft and balance both pieces. Does that sound fair? Joe __________________ 72 S/W 350/700R4!!

06-04-2008, 10:05 PM	#5
Sammy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Bonne Terre, Mo Posts: 3,005	Re: One Piece Drive Shafts Great price. $150 is the going price around here. Fortunately I have a friend who's done 3 for me. He has done so many D/S on trucks from 1/2 tons to huge log trucks it only takes him about 30 min with a welder. __________________ '69 Chevy Long Fleet & '71 GMC Short Step & Project "ODD BALL" "You can wash a pig, soak it in most expensive perfume. In the end it is still just a pig." ODD BALL build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=478629"

06-05-2008, 01:46 AM	#6
exmonkeypunk Barrito Loco Diablo Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cherry Valley, Illinois Posts: 636	Re: One Piece Drive Shafts i suppose lwb trucks have issues doing this? A one piece would be a nice upgrade.

06-05-2008, 10:31 AM	#7
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: One Piece Drive Shafts most drive shaft shops won't make one for a LWB. And of the ones that do... most of them shouldn't. If your shaft is over 6 geet long, then you get 'whipping'... which is where the drive shaft starts to sag under it's own weight, an then never spins smooth. To PROPERLY make a shaft over 6 feet long, you need to go with thinner steel, and make it in a considerably larger diameter. In all reality, with quality parts, and installed properly, a carrier bearing would last 30+ years, and makes for a much stronger assembly.

06-05-2008, 11:03 AM	#8
c10addict Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: pittsburgh pa Posts: 1,970	Re: One Piece Drive Shafts My experience with carrier bearings is they do not like when you take the motor to 6 grand and let you foot slide off the clutch! __________________ 68 C10 Shorty TPI,Bagged, and all the good stuff. Classic trucks feature June 06, On the cover of Jegs Christmas Catalog 08 67 C10 Shorty Shop truck project Bagged and Z'd under destruction and getting nowhere fast. 64 C10 Shop Truck/Daily driver, Bagged, Dropmember, SOLD!!!! Gone but not forgotten.. 54 GMC under the knife getting a S10 chassis swap and bagged. See my build thread... 07 GMC Sierra 5/7 drop, 22's and 24's Air ride on my mind.. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=339340 See pics of my trucks in my profile

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