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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: roseville
Posts: 823
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Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
Gang, it's driveshaft time.... and I would love to re-use an old one and just have it cut down. Better for the planet, and better for the wallet.
I'm going from a 4L60e to a Corvette Spicer 1310 rear. 2.5" diameter preferred for clearance... If 3" is the only option, I may need to trim a crossmember but I can manage that if I must. I need to get something longer than say 54" to have it cut down by a local shop. Has anyone found a good match in a used driveshaft for an application like this? The driveline also said to avoid swaged (tapered) if possible...or to make sure its so long that I can cut that off, but trucks with super long driveshafts are usually 4" or more.
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My Current Trucks: 1958 Apache BBW 4.8LS/4l60 "Lucky" Built By Me 1958 GMC BBW LS1/4l60 "The Kraken" Built By Delmo |
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#2 |
Post Whore
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Location: Alabama
Posts: 14,639
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
ive had driveshafts shortened, and built from scratch...
things to consider are tube thickness, diameter, and material are based on hp and rpm .. i would talk to a driveshaft shop and let them recommend ..
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Mongo...aka Greg RIP Dad RIP Jesse 1981 C30 LQ9 NV4500..http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=753598 Mongos AD- LS3 TR6060...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...34#post8522334 Columbus..the 1957 IH 4x4...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...63#post8082563 2023 Chevy Z71..daily driver |
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#3 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: roseville
Posts: 823
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
Quote:
An OEM driveshaft comes out of a car/truck that already has that information accounted for by GM, right? And shorter is stronger due to physics, so shortening is in my favor. Just looking for a good used OEM donor recommendation if anyone has one!
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My Current Trucks: 1958 Apache BBW 4.8LS/4l60 "Lucky" Built By Me 1958 GMC BBW LS1/4l60 "The Kraken" Built By Delmo Last edited by daveshilling; 05-04-2022 at 12:12 AM. |
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,506
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
This should be a reasonably easy to find driveshaft that you can cut down and I'd think that Joedoe can confirm the measurement reasonably easily.
For show and tell and what to look under only not a suggestion to buy. https://fortwayneclutch.com/product/...-sku-15088443/ Here, this is a link that you will like. That burb unit he mentions might be pretty close. Good info worth saving. https://www.s10forum.com/threads/dri...stions.531690/
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Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Spokane, Wa
Posts: 263
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
Kinda what I'm looking at... also for the least expense, and built to handle the power. What my local shops can offer is if you give them the measurements, the original driveline or spline count to the trans, ( shortening a C4 driveline to fit the original trans going to original rear end), giving them the original yoke and they can shorten, balance and have it ready to bolt in.
If they can re-use any part of a project, that is considered recycling....right?
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Chip '51 Chevy 3600 5 window C4 Vette front/rear suspension & drive train full Rusto-Mod ![]() '92 GMC Sonoma GT VIN #0015 '91 GMC Sonoma GT extended cab 1 of 1 |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Motown
Posts: 7,680
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
stock driveshaft should go into the trans, just have the shop weld on the c4 end
i had the stock shaft shortened to fit the 700r4 our trucks are so light that you can't get enough traction to twist one in half unless you try to light em up with 1000lbs in the bed ![]()
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: DeKalb, IL
Posts: 155
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
its not only whether or not you can twist it off, but also there is a little part of physics lurking out there called critical speed and 1/2 critical speed. that is when the driveshaft diameter is too small for the length and it causes terrible vibration that will shake the car to death. the drive shaft starts to swing like a jump rope. and it doesnt have to be high horsepower either. this occured in my friends 61 Buick special with a 180hp v6 in it, the car was great up to 60mph, but when he put a tremic 5 speed in the car ang got it up to 75 in overdrive the car started this vibrating that would shake your teeth out. Greg Frisch at inland empire driveline helped him fix it. their website has a ton of great info about driveline dimensions and setup.
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,506
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
An 80 Malabu drive shaft is 57.875. They are three inch though.
There may be a battle with the rear U joint not matching though. This shows everything that is the same length. That would give you and easy to find driveshaft that had a few inches to cut off. https://www.ebay.com/itm/325063476507
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Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. Last edited by mr48chev; 05-05-2022 at 06:50 PM. |
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#9 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Suwanee GA
Posts: 243
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
got mine with matching yoke from recycler to have cut down.
Saved a ton the yoke. new was triple the cost of the used shaft with yoke. |
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#10 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: roseville
Posts: 823
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
Quote:
I will say that the original is a cold-rolled and welded shaft meant for under 200HP...so I'd have to behave myself probably. And that is unlikely to happen. It does fit though! I tested it out. The amount of time I'd have into cleaning this thing... may be prohibitive as well. But good call out.
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My Current Trucks: 1958 Apache BBW 4.8LS/4l60 "Lucky" Built By Me 1958 GMC BBW LS1/4l60 "The Kraken" Built By Delmo |
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,506
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
This is the U Joint choices for an 88 C-4 Corvette.
They list the steel and aluminum driveshafts different but both use what amounts to a 1310 series U joint https://www.danaaftermarket.com/spic...-time-commerce A 74/77 Nova driveshaft is 52 inches center to center of U joints and should take the 1310 U Joint if what I am finding is right. How close does that come? I've had to use combination joints a number of time and really am not a fan. They are comparatively expensive and can be hard to find on the road if you have one go bad. Speedway sells a rather spendy 80 something bucks front yoke for a 700R4 in a Nova. I'm thinking that you are going to have to swap ends on a driveshaft if you want to use a used one and go cheap.
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Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Spokane, Wa
Posts: 263
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
I'm trying to remember my center to center measurement is. Motor/trans is out but I think 55" is what I wrote on the driveline before disassembly. But I re-configured the stock steering shaft and made custom engine mounts, so the length can be different.
And this is for the C4 350 C4 700R and re-using the C4 aluminum driveline.
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Chip '51 Chevy 3600 5 window C4 Vette front/rear suspension & drive train full Rusto-Mod ![]() '92 GMC Sonoma GT VIN #0015 '91 GMC Sonoma GT extended cab 1 of 1 |
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#13 |
Senior Member
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Location: Shasta Lake, CA.
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
One thing to remember, wreaking yards tend to use forklifts to move vehicles and usually the driveshaft is the first thing bent or damaged .
So be sure to check for straightness and dings . Glad you’re back at it .
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#14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,506
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
That is a thing you absolutely have to do.
I went out and looked in my driveshaft stash this morning and it is pretty well depleted and I didn't have anything close. I thought I might find one and remember what it came out of. The one under my 48 probably comes real close as the 48 has a Nova rear end under it.
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Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. |
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Boise, Idaho
Posts: 6,003
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
My brother recently gave me the driveshaft from my first car that I bought when I was 16 a few months after I bought my truck. It was a 64 Nova SS.
I WILL be using it in my truck......unless it's too short. Brian
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#16 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: roseville
Posts: 823
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
Quote:
Yeah the shop said starting with the 1310 rear and shortening the other side/adding the 27 spline yoke is ideal. I'd use the combo's if I absolutely had to, but I agree that just getting a spicer 1310 would be better that the 1355/1310. My measurement is 54 13/16 from tip of the spline to the center of the rear u-joint... I think the yoke removes about 1.5", and sticks out 3/4", so that would give me roughly 52 9/16 ish joint to joint, with some wiggle room cause those are approximations. If I had a proper yoke that I knew I'd be using, that would make measurements more precise. The nova is close! Of course the alternative is $500 and a fresh new shaft and no searching/waiting/figuring. And yes, that's about where prices are these days. Supply is short, everyone is waiting for parts, it seems... Trying to be patient!!
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My Current Trucks: 1958 Apache BBW 4.8LS/4l60 "Lucky" Built By Me 1958 GMC BBW LS1/4l60 "The Kraken" Built By Delmo |
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: roseville
Posts: 823
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
a 78-88 G-Body is 52.5", 27 spline yoke, but needs a 1350 U joint so it would require a pesky converter...although I don't see myself on road trips needing to swap U-joints as a primary reason I cant get down the road.
Could be a u-joint swap away from installation, though!
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My Current Trucks: 1958 Apache BBW 4.8LS/4l60 "Lucky" Built By Me 1958 GMC BBW LS1/4l60 "The Kraken" Built By Delmo |
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,506
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
If the length is right you can use a combination U joint to match driveshaft to pinion yoke or driveshaft to the transmission yoke. The only issue with that is that they are about twice as expensive as a regular U joint and aren't always stocked at parts houses. Those two things are the only issues with them though. I had one in the 48 for years and did have to hunt for one once when mine went out. It still beats spending a couple hundred bucks to have a driveshaft made.
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Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around. |
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#19 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Motown
Posts: 7,680
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
Quote:
![]() i speak enginerd, but i posted tried and true for many builds 🤦
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Spokane, Wa
Posts: 263
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Re: Best Driveshaft to cut down for LS swap and C4 Vette Rear
Still waiting for 'light speed'.
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Chip '51 Chevy 3600 5 window C4 Vette front/rear suspension & drive train full Rusto-Mod ![]() '92 GMC Sonoma GT VIN #0015 '91 GMC Sonoma GT extended cab 1 of 1 |
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