Drive shaft swap - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

mailman · 11-22-2009, 02:50 PM

My 69 has a very small looking 2 piece drive shaft.i"m thinking maybe for a 6 banger.will a 73/87 drive shaft be a direct swap for a turbo 350 tranny?

Longhorn Man · 11-23-2009, 01:30 AM

your driveshaft should be fine.
I highlu doubt a shaft from a square body would work, but you may get lucky.

unclewatts · 11-23-2009, 01:38 AM

The 2 piece driveshaft was used for longbeds both fleet and stepside. I don't believe that GM used different diameter driveshafts depending on engine size. If I'm wrong, I'm sure somebody will correct me.

71meangreenc10 · 11-23-2009, 10:06 PM

Short beds also got the 2 pieces, the short beds I have come across had the skinny 2 piece shafts, and long beds and burbs had a thicker drive shaft.

Smitty

brad_man_72 · 11-24-2009, 09:31 PM

short 6 cylnders got the 1 piece all others got 2 piece from my understanding.
tube diameter is directly porportional to driveshaft lenth and maximum rpm. we use 2.5"x.083" for the dirt track guys, ive never seen one come back because it couldnt handel the power. they usually are running 1310 sieries ujoints thats generally what these trucks have from the factory.

Andy4639 · 11-25-2009, 01:42 AM

These are factory drive shafts. Both are out of chevy trucks long beds one is a 67 shaft and the other is a factory 71 Both have been used in my 71 long bed truck for years.
I keep one so I don't have the truck down when it does go out. The first one last almost 10 years before I needed to replace the bearings.

truknut · 11-26-2009, 12:58 PM

I recently changed my truck over to a swb frame that had a 2 piece driveshaft, I wanted a 1 piece so a buddy had one out of a 73-87 so I bought it and went to autozone and bought the U-joint that would mate the driveshaft to the the rear end. The part # if anyone wants to change they're truck over is 217414 or 3-3130DL it was $8.99.

71meangreenc10 · 11-26-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brad_man_72

short 6 cylnders got the 1 piece all others got 2 piece from my understanding.
tube diameter is directly porportional to driveshaft lenth and maximum rpm. we use 2.5"x.083" for the dirt track guys, ive never seen one come back because it couldnt handel the power. they usually are running 1310 sieries ujoints thats generally what these trucks have from the factory.

Thats not the case at least for 71's, short 6's with manual 3 speeds came with the skinny 2 piece.

I ve had my share of these trucks, 2 burbs 68-72, no 67's yet and NONE of them came with a factory 1 piece shaft.

Smitty

11-22-2009, 02:50 PM	#1
mailman Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: GRAND PRAIRIE TX Posts: 112	Drive shaft swap My 69 has a very small looking 2 piece drive shaft.i"m thinking maybe for a 6 banger.will a 73/87 drive shaft be a direct swap for a turbo 350 tranny?

11-23-2009, 01:30 AM	#2
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: Drive shaft swap your driveshaft should be fine. I highlu doubt a shaft from a square body would work, but you may get lucky.

11-23-2009, 01:38 AM	#3
unclewatts 70 Chevrolet=Obsession Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: nice ca Posts: 1,067	Re: Drive shaft swap The 2 piece driveshaft was used for longbeds both fleet and stepside. I don't believe that GM used different diameter driveshafts depending on engine size. If I'm wrong, I'm sure somebody will correct me. __________________ I'm Just like my truck. Old, Ugly and Grouchy. Except my truck starts easily in the morning and doesn't smoke! IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN! -Kermit the frog 1970 Chevrolet C-10 Longbed Stepside : 350, Muncie M20, 3.08 GM corp. positraction Forest green exterior/light green interior(Where all my money goes) 1996 Toyota Corolla (Parts runner)

11-23-2009, 10:06 PM	#4
71meangreenc10 Its a Truck Thing...... Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona Posts: 3,159	Re: Drive shaft swap Short beds also got the 2 pieces, the short beds I have come across had the skinny 2 piece shafts, and long beds and burbs had a thicker drive shaft. Smitty __________________ 71 C10 283/3SPD Full Resto 71 GMC 1500 Sierra Grande http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=518599 70 C10 Suburban Former military GSA truck. 72 Chevy Blazer 4X4, Sloppy Jo, Mountain Climber. Wife says no more trucks. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=707378 72 GMC 1 Ton Motor Home, wife said no more trucks until she saw this one. Gen 3 6.0/4L80E 4.10 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=761110 68 GMC Suburban was 3/4 ton, now 1/2.Wife shook her head 71 C30 Wrecker 71 C20 Scott-Bilt As weird as it gets..BB Cheyenne AC Truck 68 GMC Long Stepside. They keep following me home 71 C20 Longhorn/Ole Yellor 69 C30 Former Motor Home, Flat Bed time

11-24-2009, 09:31 PM	#5
brad_man_72 the boat guy Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: springfield mo Posts: 2,339	Re: Drive shaft swap short 6 cylnders got the 1 piece all others got 2 piece from my understanding. tube diameter is directly porportional to driveshaft lenth and maximum rpm. we use 2.5"x.083" for the dirt track guys, ive never seen one come back because it couldnt handel the power. they usually are running 1310 sieries ujoints thats generally what these trucks have from the factory. __________________ 67, swb, fleet, tach, throttle, 5.3, 4l60e, 3.73's, fuel cell, 5 lug, p.d.b., 4-6 drop. great little truck 66, stevens drag/ski 18' silouette, 350, 2.02 doublehump heads. comp extreme marine 278 cam, vette 7 fin valve covers, old polished edelbrock intake, velvetdrive, casale v-drive, adj cavitation plate. 28, model a rpu project,

11-25-2009, 01:42 AM	#6
Andy4639 Old member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Liberty, & Garden City S.C. , U.S. Posts: 19,936	Re: Drive shaft swap These are factory drive shafts. Both are out of chevy trucks long beds one is a 67 shaft and the other is a factory 71 Both have been used in my 71 long bed truck for years. I keep one so I don't have the truck down when it does go out. The first one last almost 10 years before I needed to replace the bearings. __________________ 1971 LWB Custom, 6.0LS & 4L80E, Speedhut.com GPS speedometer & gauges with A/C. 20" Boss 338's Grey wheels 4 wheel disc brakes. My Driver Seeing the USA in a 71 Upstate SC GM Truck Club 2013,14 and 2016 Hot Rod Pour Tour http://upstategmtrucks.com/ Get out and drive the truck this summer and have some fun! It sucks not being able to hear! LWB trucks rule, if you don't think so measure your SWB! After talking to tech support at Air Lift I have found out that the kit I need is 60811. Per the measurements I gave them. Ride height of truck inside spring and inside diameter of springs. Last edited by Andy4639; 11-27-2009 at 02:40 AM.

11-26-2009, 12:58 PM	#7
truknut Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Florence, AL (NW Alabama) Posts: 309	Re: Drive shaft swap I recently changed my truck over to a swb frame that had a 2 piece driveshaft, I wanted a 1 piece so a buddy had one out of a 73-87 so I bought it and went to autozone and bought the U-joint that would mate the driveshaft to the the rear end. The part # if anyone wants to change they're truck over is 217414 or 3-3130DL it was $8.99. __________________ 1990 Chevy Silverado (My DD) 1978 Chevy Bonanza LWB (My LWB to SWB 1 day project) 2015 Hyundai Sonata (Wife's DD)



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