Single piece driveshaft?

[Marko3002]

So after reading a few threads about driveshafts I was thinking about putting a single piece drive shaft in my shortbed 72. Are ther any clearance problems I should know about or is it a simple swap. Mine has a little shimmy when you take off and rather than spend any money on it should I just have a new single one built. Truck is lowered and has helper bags in the rear.
I had a new ford that did the same thing years ago and after numerous times of taking it back to the dealer the Ford engineers said any truck with a 2 piece shaft will do it. I made em take it back after 2 years of messing with it (Lemon law) and got a new truck just like the old one. It did the same thing. Sold it.Does that sound like BS that they all do it? Is that why my 72 does it also?

[brad_man_72]

That's bs. I've made hundreds on 2 piece drivelines and probably thousands of 4-6 piece driveshafts. If the yokes aren't in time or theirs an angle problem they will shudder on takeoff.
Plenty of single piece driveshafys have been swapped into out trucks. they bolt right in.

You'd be amazed how many mechanics can't properly sawp a ujoint, the odds of anybody at a dealership knowing anything about the engineering involved with a driveline is slim to none.
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[brad_man_72]

The 4-6 piece drivelines are for limos. They have to be PERFECT any vibration and we hear about it.
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[Marko3002]

So...I have read you build driveshafts so what do YOU think I should do? New 1 piece or have the 2 piece rebuilt? I dont know if it matters but its got a 454 & TH400. Thanks for the info!

[bowtiebubba]

Pinion angle too high and axle wrap causes shimmy on take off, more likely in a leaf spring suspension. The timing of the ujointsand worn ujoints will cause high speed vibration. U want a few degrees neg pinion angle so when under load it pushes up to pos angle.
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[brad_man_72]

Originally Posted by Marko3002

So...I have read you build driveshafts so what do YOU think I should do? New 1 piece or have the 2 piece rebuilt? I dont know if it matters but its got a 454 & TH400. Thanks for the info!

Yeah I've been building shafts for about 6 years, the guy who trained me has a mechanical engineering degree and 30 years experience.


Id do whatever is cheaper. Be sure to take it to a dedicated driveline shop, we make a lot of money fixing what mechanics and machinist tear up.

If your 2 piecer just needs ujoints, carrier bearing , and ballanced id go that route, if any of the yokes are worn, anything needs rewelded or tubing bent id just have a one piece made using your old trans yoke if po$$ible.
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[brad_man_72]

Originally Posted by Marko3002

So...I have read you build driveshafts so what do YOU think I should do? New 1 piece or have the 2 piece rebuilt? I dont know if it matters but its got a 454 & TH400. Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by bowtiebubba

Pinion angle too high and axle wrap causes shimmy on take off, more likely in a leaf spring suspension. The timing of the ujointsand worn ujoints will cause high speed vibration. U want a few degrees neg pinion angle so when under load it pushes up to pos angle.
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Hey fellow mo member!
The joints being out of time isn't really what causes the high speed vibration, its the moving around of parts after the shaft was ballanced. No reputable shop will ballance a shaft out of time, so that's a big clue that the shaft has been messed with by someone careless since it was last ballanced when the bolt on or slip yokes are out of time.

Some cars came with the shafts out of time. 1st gen camaros are about 23* off, nobody knows why they did it that way but shafts that are in time work just great as a replacement.
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[Marko3002]

Thanks!

[casey g]

does anyone know of a driveline that is longer then what i need for my shortbox. I need it to be 60 1/8 center to center. Its a lot cheaper to have one shortened then it is to have one built. do you guys know of a car that i can go look for at the junk yard that will have a long enough driveline? hope that makes sense

[68shortfleet]

Marko, I am running a one piece drive line in my 68 350/350 C-notched with 2500# bags bolted in place of the springs. Works great, no clearance problems at the crossmember at all.

[AustinScott]

check out my build thread. I broke my 2 pc drive-shaft & replaced it with a single.

below is a link to the part about the drive-shaft.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...4&postcount=29

Below in my SIG is the complete thread if your interested...

[Marko3002]

Will do.

[Marko3002]

Wow! Cool thread. Looks like a good way to keep your kid out of trouble and teach him something at the same time. He'll remember this build forever!

[Justin36]

I am waiting on my one piece shaft now also on a 5/7 lowered truck, it wears out the swing bearing really quick when they are lowered, they make a billet swing bearing, but I believe One piece is still the way to go!
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[Ironangel]

Originally Posted by Justin36

I am waiting on my one piece shaft now also on a 5/7 lowered truck, it wears out the swing bearing really quick when they are lowered, they make a billet swing bearing, but I believe One piece is still the way to go!
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Whats a "swing bearing" My truck has the two piece drive shaft with a carrier bearing...I recall a pillow block type carrier bearing and the the type my LWB 72 with a 350-350tb has that resembles a pedestal that hangs. Its kinda flimsy looking actually. Is that the "swing bearing" type of carrier bearing? Sorry to high jack the thread...

[brad_man_72]

Originally Posted by Justin36

I am waiting on my one piece shaft now also on a 5/7 lowered truck, it wears out the swing bearing really quick when they are lowered, they make a billet swing bearing, but I believe One piece is still the way to go!
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The billet center support bearing will last a lot longer in a shaft that isn't properly ballanced, it also transfers most of that vibration straight to the frame, so now you will notice the vibration that has been destroying carrier bearings.
Also when using the billet carrier bearing you need a slip in the rear shaft (the original style is designed to plunge quite a bit to allow for any distance changes between the rear end and the crossmember) so its cheaper to have a one piece built than to properly swap to the billet style bearing. Even cheaper to just replace the carrier bearing , ujoints, and have the 2 piecer ballanced.
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[brad_man_72]

Originally Posted by Ironangel

Whats a "swing bearing" My truck has the two piece drive shaft with a carrier bearing...I recall a pillow block type carrier bearing and the the type my LWB 72 with a 350-350tb has that resembles a pedestal that hangs. Its kinda flimsy looking actually. Is that the "swing bearing" type of carrier bearing? Sorry to high jack the thread...

I'm pretty sure that the swing bearing he is talking about is a carrier bearing or even more corect term would be center support bearing, but were not too picky around here.
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[Justin36]

Originally Posted by Ironangel

Whats a "swing bearing" My truck has the two piece drive shaft with a carrier bearing...I recall a pillow block type carrier bearing and the the type my LWB 72 with a 350-350tb has that resembles a pedestal that hangs. Its kinda flimsy looking actually. Is that the "swing bearing" type of carrier bearing? Sorry to high jack the thread...

Yep that's what I meant! Lol everyone I have talked too calls it something different!
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