driveline ?'s

[seanrolandwood]

So I have a long bed with the two piece drive line and I'm going to go with a one piece I can imagine that this is a pretty common thing so if anyone here would like to share their experience in doing this that'd be awesome..... any problems with fittment in crossmember....is there a one piece from a later year that fits or do I have to take one of the same size and have it cut and welded together while I want to do this right I also dont want to spend money on old sh!t that doesnt work nor do I wanna buy new when there was something availbe to me and I was just to lazy to find it

[Captainfab]

Do you want to change your driveshaft to a one piece because you have the whimpy light duty 2 piece driveshaft? The HD 2 piece driveshaft will be much stronger than either one. A one piece driveshaft can be done, but by the time you increase the diameter needed fopr the length, that creates a possible cleaeance issue with the trailing arm crossmember.

[mixermike]

Just did a tranny swap and needed shorter driveline . The shop didn't like my original driveline so they built a brand new one for me. One piece 4" tube $500. Clearance is very close through the trailing arm crossmember. The book calls for a 3 1/2" tube but 4" is better right ? LOL . If I did it over I would go 3 1/2"

[rustbucket66]

The 2 piece is the better setup, less vibration, stronger, and potential clearance problems with a one piece. I don't know why you would want to change. Also with a longbox, you may be near or past the maximum length that you can build a one piece. Captainfab is giving you the best advice.

[seanrolandwood]

Hello all thanks for the input.....I guess I should let you all know that this is my first truck build of any kind so I am painfully unaware of the nuances of these trucks and as captinfab mentioned it looks like chevy used my nephews t-ball bat for my drive line...
Captinfab you mentioned a hd driveline for the trucks was this an option for our years or do I source from another years truck....
Also while I'm here and before I get a head of myself I should mention that I intend on lowering the rear of the truck as much as possible without having to change the level of the bed and would that change anyones opinion on using a 2 piece v. 1 piece driveline
All advice and any personal accounts of having either a 1 piece or hd 2 piece and what you found you liked or didn't would be really appreciated......
Thanks again for chiming in as I found most people's 2 cents cost them thousands to form so I dont take it for granted and if your info can save me some hair pulling out moments down the road all the better

[bonehead]

My long bed is running the two-piece stock setup, no issues, no reason to change it.

If it ain't broke, don't mess with it. Spend your money on something else.