Is It Difficult To Replace The Driveshaft Carrier Bearing?

[mike16]

I have replaced dozens of carrier bearings and have never used a vice or a hydraulic press. no drive shaft ever went out of balance as a result of a carrier bearing being replaced. others may experience other results. its important to know what your doing.

I recommend using a press to remove u joints but so what, isn't it about a carrier bearing?

u joint replacement is irrelavent and incidental.

grease up your u joints while the drive shaft is out. they look like they need it.

go watch a u tube video on carrier bearing replacement and there is one specifically on a 72 chevy truck. and try not to tear up that dust shield.

[697498chevy]

Just pulled the maint book out of my 1969 C 10 . June 22 1989 I replaced my driveshaft center support . Prolly bought it at NAPA . Cost $40 . Mileage was 154,214 Truck has 258,000 miles on it now . I'd already replaced the u joints on April 29 1989 . Been OK all these years . Maybe I just got lucky ?

[randy500]

I hate changing u joints and carrier bearings but I also wouldn't pay 300 in labor for someone else to do it.

Do this, try to disassemble it yourself, if you get it apart you can put it back together, the hard part is disassembly. Don't buy the parts until you get it apart, that way if you have to take it in your not out anything but your time.
You might have to grind down a wrench to get the bolt out, take the bolt out with the shaft in he trans and trans in park, wire the back half out of your way.

[71cheyennesuperlongb]

If Iam not mistaken I think according to Chilton and the service manuals you should rotate the front shaft four teeth to the drivers side upon reassembly. I do not know why this is but it is written in several different refrences to do this. In others words your u-joints would not be in line but be staggerd instead of inline.

[71cheyennesuperlongb]

Unless I am wrong Chilton and the service manual says to rotate the front shaft 4 teeth to the drivers side instead of being inline.

[71cheyennesuperlongb]

Sorry for double post. Please edit

[ShortCST]

The way that the guy at Inland Empire Driveline explained it, it almost seemed as though a truck that's lowered 3" at the rear NEEDS the telescoping thingamajig. Maybe I just misunderstood. He definitely stated the lowering springs as being the cause of the carrier bearing destruction.

At what point do I need to go with the upgraded carrier bearing/telescoping rear section? I've got maybe 325-350hp now with T350 and 4:11 rearend. The maximum I could see myself running in the near-distant future is 400hp.

Will I be ok just replacing the old-style rubber carrier bearing and replacing the u-joints? Even with the 3" rear lowering springs?

[mikecaddy500]

Tried doing it myself. Bearing stuck on front shaft. 120 bucks for new center support, u joints and balancing. Yours probably needs to be shortened a bit and should be balanced.

[AussieinNC]

When I look at the pic of the yolk going into the rear of the trans, I see the yolk almost hard up against the end of the trans...even with a 3 " rear drop, the driveshaft should not be so far forward that the yolk bottoms out like it is...

You mentioned 3" rear drop...did you also add the 2" lowering blocks under the rear axle mount points...essentially making this a 5" drop?

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by ShortCST

The way that the guy at Inland Empire Driveline explained it, it almost seemed as though a truck that's lowered 3" at the rear NEEDS the telescoping thingamajig. Maybe I just misunderstood. He definitely stated the lowering springs as being the cause of the carrier bearing destruction.

At what point do I need to go with the upgraded carrier bearing/telescoping rear section? I've got maybe 325-350hp now with T350 and 4:11 rearend. The maximum I could see myself running in the near-distant future is 400hp.

Will I be ok just replacing the old-style rubber carrier bearing and replacing the u-joints? Even with the 3" rear lowering springs?

You already have a slip yoke on your driveshaft. It is feasible when you lowered the truck, that the yoke is close enough that on suspension movement, that it bottomed out. Also, lowering it pushes the driveshaft into the center carrier. If you install a new one, make sure that the wheels in the back are fully loaded, or you will push the bearing out of the support pedestal part.

[ShortCST]

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

When I look at the pic of the yolk going into the rear of the trans, I see the yolk almost hard up against the end of the trans...even with a 3 " rear drop, the driveshaft should not be so far forward that the yolk bottoms out like it is...

You mentioned 3" rear drop...did you also add the 2" lowering blocks under the rear axle mount points...essentially making this a 5" drop?

No, it's just the 3" springs. Very mild drop. Just 2" in the front (1.875").

[ShortCST]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

You already have a slip yoke on your driveshaft. It is feasible when you lowered the truck, that the yoke is close enough that on suspension movement, that it bottomed out. Also, lowering it pushes the driveshaft into the center carrier. If you install a new one, make sure that the wheels in the back are fully loaded, or you will push the bearing out of the support pedestal part.

Steve, so I don't need to do any modifications, in your opinion? Just center the bearing correctly when I reinstall it? Should I have enough play with that OEM slip yoke for my 3" drop?

Do most people with a 3" or 4" drop not modify their driveshafts?

[ShortCST]

FWIW, the guy at Inland Empire didn't look under the pickup before he declared that the drop killed the carrier.

[Steeveedee]

You will be able to tell if the center support bolt holes line up with the slots in the frame, with the weight on the wheels. Maybe you can look at the spline and see if there is a minimum of 3/4" for the slip to move forward. If not, you may need to shorten the rear half of the drive shaft.

I've never lowered a vehicle, so I'm not going to weigh in on anything that has to be done, though I'd bet a fair amount of money that some have had to be shortened, or the person got lucky and it fit OK, anyway. You could check this by raising the truck by the frame to stock riding height and observing how much more (or less) of the male section of the spline is showing.