Will I need a custom made driveshaft for my SM465 behind my 283?

[samtheman97]

Hi all, I recently pulled a tired 250 and 3 speed out of my 66 c10 fleetside. I replaced that with a rebuilt 283 and a SM465 4 on the floor behind it. So here's my question, will I need a different shaft? When I bought the truck my sophmore year of high school, it just came with a motor and trans, the 250 didn't have diddly squat for compression and just blew white smoke. So now being a senior in high school, I realized if I don't get to it now, I won't get to it a long while after college. I'm on a high school budget and I don't want to buy a stock driveshaft if it doesn't work. Would a shaft from a 70's 4wd Silverado work? It also has the 465 in it but then again, it has the transfer case. So I imagine that it would hinder the length. So onto the next question. Would I have to have one custom made or could I pull one out of a different truck? Could it be a one piece or does it have to be a two peice like the stock one?

Thanks!!!
Cheers- Sam

[Captainfab]

If your truck is a longbed, I would stick with a 2 pc driveshaft with the HD carrier bearing. The light duty driveshafts and light duty carrier bearing won't hold up to much abuse. I would try and find a driveshaft from a '63-'66 C20 or C20 with a V8 or I6 and a 4 speed. That should be a bolt in or close to it. If you find one from a ''67-'72 with a I6 and a 4 speed, that should be close as well. A '67-'72 with a V8 and a 4 speed will be too long and need to be shortened. It is not expensive to have a driveshaft shortened. If you want to go with a single piece driveshaft on a longbed, you will have to have one made. That will cost some money. A shortbed could have come factory with a single piece driveshaft

[MikeN]

If I am not mistaken, an SM465 takes a bolt-on driveshaft yoke, NOT a slip yoke. This being the case, you must use a two-piece driveshaft as far as I know, with the slip-joint where the two pieces mate. If you have a short bed truck (which never came with a two-piece shaft as far as I know) I'm not sure what your options are for driveshaft with an SM465. I'm thinking you need a slip joint at one of the shaft or the other (or in the center of a two-piece) to allow for the rear end moving up and down in relation to the frame.

Hopefully someone who has done this will chime in.

[Captainfab]

I already did, right above your post.

Originally Posted by MikeN

Hopefully someone who has done this will chime in.

[MikeN]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I already did, right above your post.

Yes, I saw that

But my question is, a one piece shaft won't work with an SM465, because you have to have a slip joint somewhere in the drive line, to allow for rear suspension travel, correct? And SM465's only accept a bolt-on rear yoke, not a slip yoke, unless I am mistaken.

[Captainfab]

In the case where a trans is used with a bolt on yoke, ie: SM420, SM465, TH400, the slip joint is a part of the driveshaft. That is exactly what I have in my '66 Suburban with a TH400 that uses a bolt on yoke. In fact the driveshaft that I used came from a '70's longbed K series truck with a NP205 and I just had it shortened to fit.

Originally Posted by MikeN

Yes, I saw that

But my question is, a one piece shaft won't work with an SM465, because you have to have a slip joint somewhere in the drive line, to allow for rear suspension travel, correct? And SM465's only accept a bolt-on rear yoke, not a slip yoke, unless I am mistaken.