Sm465 to 700r4 driveshaft

[nine76chris]

I've got a 70 C20 longbed BB402 granny 4spd(2 piece drive shaft). Want to put in a 700r4. Anyone with experience here? Swap seems easy except for the driveshaft length. Tranny..check. Crossmember...check. TV cable...check. Did a search and found nothing but TH350 to 700r4(I'm not good at that search stuff). Do any driveshafts fit or is a cut and paste job? Thx

Edit: I would need to get a 27 spline 700r4 yoke for 1350 u-joints..?? verify?
-Chris

[marvgarr68]

I belive a drive line from a bb/400 will work I think the 400 and the 700 is about the same length. It has been awhile since I messed with a auto so I maybe wrong.

[Lee H]

If go onto one of the drive shaft builders web site, like Inland Empire Driveline for instance, they have a form that is easy to use so you can find the right length drive shaft for your specific application. It's also easy to pick out the right yokes and u-joints. The reason I used Inland is they have a good tutorial on measuring for the right size shaft.

[leftybass209]

I can't speak for everyone, but rarely is it a straight swap. Honestly you won't know for your particular truck until you get the tranny in place. To get close you need to measure both transmissions end to end. The difference would be your rough estimate for accuracy. You seem to have everything except for a lockup kit. Tv made easy, B&M and others have internal or external kits depending on what you prefer. I read about others using a high stall to substitute for the lockup, though I personally have no information on how that works. Good luck, and welcome!

[allons]

Originally Posted by nine76chris

I've got a 70 C20 longbed BB402 granny 4spd(2 piece drive shaft). Want to put in a 700r4. Anyone with experience here? Swap seems easy except for the driveshaft length. Tranny..check. Crossmember...check. TV cable...check. Did a search and found nothing but TH350 to 700r4(I'm not good at that search stuff). Do any driveshafts fit or is a cut and paste job? Thx

Edit: I would need to get a 27 spline 700r4 yoke for 1350 u-joints..?? verify?
-Chris

Hey Chris, if you've still got the SM465 I could be interested in it, or maybe just some parts. PM me. Thanks, Jim

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by nine76chris

I've got a 70 C20 longbed BB402 granny 4spd(2 piece drive shaft). Want to put in a 700r4. Anyone with experience here? Swap seems easy except for the driveshaft length. Tranny..check. Crossmember...check. TV cable...check. Did a search and found nothing but TH350 to 700r4(I'm not good at that search stuff). Do any driveshafts fit or is a cut and paste job? Thx

Edit: I would need to get a 27 spline 700r4 yoke for 1350 u-joints..?? verify?
-Chris

You are correct with the yoke.

The driveshaft from a short tail shaft T-350 67-72 truck with the engine in the rear mount holes in the frame will work with the 700R4 / 4L60 when you put the engine into the forward mount holes in the frame.

A 67-72 truck with the long tail shaft T-350 will be a straight swap as the length is the same as the 700R4 / 4L60.

Another option is to find a long single piece driveshaft out of a square body or 92-99 Suburban with a 27-spline trans yoke. Have it shortened to fit your truck and fit with a conversion U-joint out back to mate up to your 1350 pinion yoke. Probably about the same money as getting a 1350 U-joint 27-spline trans yoke. I don't believe that was a factory combination so you are most likely stuck with an aftermarket only yoke in that combination. Everything with the 1350 stock that I can think of used a larger 30-spline trans yoke.

Having your front driveshaft shortened and fit with a common 1330 U-joint yoke would probably be the cheapest way out. Easy to find a stock 27-spline to 1330 U-joint trans yoke.

[original70]

i did this same swap a year ago. not too difficult, if ive read right, your almost there. i dont think anyone mentioned if you have coil or leaf springs. i have coil springs. i kept the original driveshaft and just had it shortened and a mismatch ujoint to get the yoke to fit. if you go to a 1 piece shaft, you will likely have to cut the hole in the crossmember larger. i was afraid to do that because my trailing arms connect to it, thought it would weaken my friend has same truck with same trans setup except leaf springs and he just cut the hole in the cross member larger so the driveshaft would clear
just my 0.02