Drive shaft help

[ChevyCruizer]

I have never owned anything with a 2 piece drive shaft and need to know if this one will work for me.

I recently bought a 68 C20 longbed with no drive train (engine, tranny, drive shaft). I have an "extra" small block that is ready to go and a TH350 tranny that needs a rebuild. But...I was at pick-a-part the other day and they just got in a 71 C20 that was complete. It had a TH400 tranny (that looked recently rebuilt) and the driveshaft and tranny crossmember. I figured I could easily throw the tranny and drive shaft on the truck and not worry about having to do to a drive line shop. So I grabbed all of that stuff to include the kickdown harness, etc.

I might have jumped the gun a little because the crossmember appears to be out of a 73+ and now looking at the drive shaft I dont know if it will work either. I dont see anywhere for the driveshaft to compress as the suspension moves.

Any ideas?

Thanks, John

[geezer#99]

THe slack or depression is in the yoke that goes in the tranny. Push the yoke in all the way and pull it out 3/4 inch and you're good to go.

[ChevyCruizer]

Yes the yoke will move in and out of the tranny but doesnt the center support bearing stop this movement? Most of the other 2 piece drive shafts I have seen pictures of look like the slack is taken up in the telescoping section of the rear section.

Thanks, John

Originally Posted by geezer#99

THe slack or depression is in the yoke that goes in the tranny. Push the yoke in all the way and pull it out 3/4 inch and you're good to go.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

The rubber in the carier brg. takes up the movement. The 400 has a different yoke then the 350.

[brad_man_72]

The 2 piece shaft without a slip and stub in the center is for control arm trucks, leaf trucks the rear end moves around a lot more compared to the driveshaft.
Measure 2.5" from the front ujoint (tailshaft) to the center of carrier bearing (crossmember) then to center of ujoint (face of pinion flange)
If everything is the same it will bolt right in and work (assuming its a good shaft to begin with) it may need to be ballanced (everything looks newer) except those factory style weights......
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[ChevyCruizer]

OK guys thanks for the replies. I spend a good amount of time this weekend crawling under any old C10 longbed trucks I could find. Some were at the junk yards but 3 were just randomly parked around town as I was driving so I looked under. Lucky for me none of the owners came out as I was looking/taking pictures under their trucks. LOL

You are absolutely right that the coil spring rear end (driveshaft) is different than the leaf spring. The 1/2 ton leaf spring truck that I had previously looked at (before the purchase) had the other style carrier bearing and driveshaft, that is what had me messed up.

One of the trucks I found this weekend was exactly the same as mine and it uses the same driveshaft/carrier bearing as I purchased and is pictured above. So I should be good to go. I will inspect all of the u-joints, but you are right most of the parts look like they were recently replaced/rebuilt as well as the TH400 tranny (was super clean), that is why I purchased all of the stuff at one time without researching the different driveshaft options.

Thanks again,

John

[ChevyCruizer]

I wanted to post a quick pict of the truck this is going into. My first longbed and my first 3/4 ton. Everything else I have is lowered so I figure all the HD stuff will make me keep this one stock (or close to it)

Anybody know how to post pictures directly from an iPhone. I have been taking them with the phone then emailing them to myself and opening them on a computer to resize and then upload. Pain in the butt.

[brad_man_72]

Really sharp truck!
I changed all of the suspension stuff on my 1/2 ton, swaps out as easy as the hd stuff.....
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