I need help.. front drive shaft will not fit after lift

[dirtboydel]

like the title

I tryed to put my front drive shaft back on today and it is about 2-3 inches too short is there any way I can get it to fit without moving the transfer case? or will I have to get one custom made?

the rear shaft looks like it will fit just fine... I have no clue why the front will not go back on... my old 72 went on no prob...

any help suggestions questions or feedback will be appreciated... thanks

[blazerboy72]

I dont know how big your lift is, but I had to have both made on mine (8")

[69gmctowrig]

a place that works on big trucks should be able to lengthen your driveshaft and re-balance it.

[xshadow]

I had to have one made.

[dirtboydel]

damn it... its a 4 inch lift... but if I have to get a drive shaft made I might as well go a few more inches... hmmm.... any ballpark figures on how much you paid to have your shaft lengthened??

[dirtboydel]

O yeah and thanks for the responses... glad its not a rare thing to have the drive shaft not fit....

[vtblazer]

I paid around $60.00 in labor plus parts to have mine lengthened/balanced.

[dirtboydel]

guess I am looking at $200 - $350 this is a kick in the balls...

[Richard]

There is definitly something wrong here. There is no way you would have to lengthen the shaft 2 to 3 inches for a 4 inch lift. If I remember right The front shaft on my 72 longbed with an 8" lift was just over an inch longer and the one in my 85 with a 10" lift was 1.5" Do your springs have an off center pin? What truck is this in?

[Southedisto]

Originally Posted by Richard

There is definitly something wrong here. There is no way you would have to lengthen the shaft 2 to 3 inches for a 4 inch lift. If I remember right The front shaft on my 72 longbed with an 8" lift was just over an inch longer and the one in my 85 with a 10" lift was 1.5" Do your springs have an off center pin? What truck is this in?

X2, are you sure everything is hooked up correctly? Also, it could be a blazer shaft. I had one and it was about 2" shorter than my truck shaft. If you have a good welding shop, and dont plan on operating your truck over 10mph in 4wd, I would suggest that route. I lengthened my own when I had the problem.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by Richard

Do your springs have an off center pin?

If you got the springs reversed, that would make the difference.
Have you checked them?

As mentioned above, installing a 4" lift shouldn't "mandate" lengthening the front shaft but it's certainly a good idea in most cases.

Do a measurement on the wheelbase, axle to axle and see what it comes out at.

[special-K]

Does a 6" lift on a`72 require a longer shaft?

[dirtboydel]

the shaft needed to be 29 1\2inches long... mine was 26 1\2 to 29 1\2 from all the way in too full extension... anyways I am pretty positive I have the springs on the correct way... I don't think that is the issue... I know my other 72 GMC with 4 inch lift my front drive shaft had no issues... this one however... 71 chevy K10 short bed...just won't fit...

[Richard]

When you say the shaft "needed to be 29 1/2 inches long" how did you come up with that number? Putting the slip-joint mid position is not necessarily recommended or desired with a lift and a short slip yoke. IMO the best way to determine if the stock shaft needs to be lengthed is to support the truck by the frame and let the axle hang at full droop. Make sure you have at least 1" spline engagment. Having the shaft to long and not lowering your bump stops will at some time damage the shafts, yokes, transmission or t-case if you go off road.

[RANDY COX]

HHmm.

[dirtboydel]

Originally Posted by Richard

When you say the shaft "needed to be 29 1/2 inches long" how did you come up with that number? Putting the slip-joint mid position is not necessarily recommended or desired with a lift and a short slip yoke. IMO the best way to determine if the stock shaft needs to be lengthed is to support the truck by the frame and let the axle hang at full droop. Make sure you have at least 1" spline engagment. Having the shaft to long and not lowering your bump stops will at some time damage the shafts, yokes, transmission or t-case if you go off road.

I came up with that number because thats how long it needs to be to actually fit on the truck... so it needs to be at least 31 inches long for bumps and other things... (on the road... this truck is not going off road)

but I determined it needed to be lengthend when I tryed to bolt it up and evan fully extended it would not fit on the truck... the machine shop wants $280 to lengthen my shaft 2 inches... and I need a lot more then a front driveshaft before I can drive the thing... so I am going to put it on the back burner for now I guess...

my new head ace is I put in a Z gate B&M shifter today and I can't seem to use if for anything... from park to neutral does not evan move in the whole range of the thing... I was-am a little pissed about it...

on a good not... I replaced the started today and apparently that was my short and the truck no longer wants to melt the battery cable... and it starts like a champ...

gotta love old trucks...

[tedbick]

look in some 4 wheeler magazines there or on the web for people that make drive shafts that price sounds like alot just to lengthen it 2 ".you could probably get a new one for close to that.just drive it without a driveshaft since your not going offroad.and if you get a new one you always have your old one to put in if you go back to stock.

[msgross]

someone had one for sale recently... I will look...