Changing driveshaft bearing type, replacing driveshaft

[dyrt]

Howdy people,

My 69 c10 longbed originally came equipped with an inline 6, 3 speed, and the smaller driveshaft bearing(bolts are front to back, not side to side.) This means it also came with the small diameter driveshaft. I am installing a 6.0 and 4l60e so i want to change to the larger style bearing and larger diameter driveshaft. Doesy anyone know of a good donor truck for the larger driveshaft? Also, i need a bracket for the heavier duty bearing. I have seen one that hangs from the top of the trailing arm crossmember(so the bearing hangs down from it on the back side) and one that bolts to the bottom(so the bearing is essentially inside the crossmember) while looking at pictures in threads all over the forum. Are there two different brackets for a reason or did someone just bolt a later bracket into a crossmember and use it? Can anyone with any experience in this swap chime in?


Mike

[john]

I had a 1970 BB truck with the bearing hanging from the top w/ side by side bolts.

[raycow]

The 4L60 is longer than your 3 speed. Would you consider changing to a one-piece shaft and fixing the bearing problem forever?

Ray

[dyrt]

i don't recall the length difference being that much, and as far as i know the 4l60e is the same length as a th350 which used a 2 piece in a lwb truck, so i plan on sticking with that, but i had thought about it.

Mike

[Shyguy]

I had a '67 3/4 ton with a L6 and 4 speed truck transmission. It came with the heavier duty drive shaft and the heavier duty carrier bearing mounted at the bottom.

[dyrt]

That just seems odd to me, i can't imagine a reason why they would have mounted the same bearing two different ways. i wonder which one is easier to copy out of flat stock because i am going to have to choose and fab on up.


Mike