driveshaft

[4montecarlo]

i recenlty lowered my 84 long bed and i needed to change from 2 piece to one piece. I couldnt find a 1 piece in the junkyards, so i asked about getting a 1 piece off a new truck. Found a 1990 with long bed and 700 tranny, so i took it. It looks like it will fit, but it seems to be carbon fiber?
thanks
matt

[Keith Seymore]

Probably aluminum tube with a carbon fiber wrap - or - we had a composition we called "metal matrix", which was not actual carbon but was a higher tech alum alloy.

K

[4montecarlo]

Hm, it seems to be very light weight and heavier on the ends with the spicer ends. i wouldnt think they would use carbon fiber on a stock truck from the factory. Maybe its the metal matrix
Anywho, changing the ujoints while its apart. Is it just that metal clip i remove and than knock out ujoint, or does a 90 shaft have that plastic that needs to be melted?
thanks
matt

[benoit454]

I'd put my money on it being alum. and that's it. if it actually "looks" like carbon fiber then no clue paint maybe.

[Dru]

Originally Posted by 4montecarlo

Is it just that metal clip i remove and than knock out ujoint, or does a 90 shaft have that plastic that needs to be melted?

90 should have plastic. If you look on the inside of the caps in the joint area, there should be a steel C clip around it if it has the metal, and has been replaced already, the old style shafts had the clips on the outside in a groove shaped like an "@".

If it still had the plastic in it, and they haven't been replaced yet, there will be no clip, and the round hole U shaped end of the driveshaft will have a little plastic nipple sticking outside of it. Basically the part of the driveshaft that the cap presses into will have that on the outside. I dunno if I'm explaining well enough.

Since its probably aluminum, and if you don't have a press, Id go have it done. Shafts can get screwed up and eat joints over and over, without no real visual problems due to pounding the joint caps in.

[4montecarlo]

well the shaft had the clips in it. Got the ujoints replaced and noticed both ends say spicer, and he ujoints i replaced were spicer to, but they seemed difficult to move.
Now i went to put the driveshaft back in, and the yoke is 1 incher longer and it wont fit. Can i have a shop cut the yoke down or do i need a shorter yoke. The yoke on newer driveshaft is longer by 1 inch.
thanks
matt

[4montecarlo]

anyone? can i cut down the yoke by 1 inch? the total length is 4.75 inches and the stock one was only 3.75
thanks matt

[Allensracing]

assuming it can be cut, it will be hardened making it difficult to machine. you will need the end machined down so it will go in the seal without damaging it. plane to spend at least an hours machine shop rates to get it cut down
I dont think its a good idea to remove an inch from a yoke

[benoit454]

can't you just put your old yoke on the newer ds?