2 PC shaft ? K20/nv4500

[SunSoaked]

Putting together a nv4500/205 swap in my 85 longbed. Since the combo is 11 inches shorter than the 400/208 setup I am forced to use a two-piece shaft.
I pulled the shafts and X- member from a 90 burb.
I'm now thinking I will use the factory rear shaft (85) and just locate the cross member on the frame so it positions the front of the shaft in the same (current) location. Then all I would need is to shorten the front shaft to connect the T-case to the rearshaft at the carrier bearing. Doing it this way essentially just extends the T-case yoke back in a straight line.
But I have seen diagrams that show it where both shafts are angled.
Does it matter? I thought u joints required some angle, even a small amount?
I don't want to adjust my pinion angles so according to this diagram I need to use the "both shafts angled" approach?

[mongocanfly]

U joints need some angle so that they self lubricate....

[PGSigns]

depending on what the angles end up being using a constant velocity joint on the front of the rear d shaft allows for more angle.
Jimmy

[sweetk30]

i use to run a 1 piece shaft with my old th350/205 in a long bed . my buddys k30 we just stripped was a nv4500/205 combo we built and use a 1 piece shaft .

i dont know who is saying you need a 2 but not if its built correct you dont .

lots of options and not saying a 2 piece shaft is bad but someone might be feeding you wrong info .

whats the info on the truck ? lift / lot of weird parts swapped in ? what ?

pic 1 i find easy to understand for the way my truck come out the best for what i had to work with and order a wedge shim .

pic 2 is a good one to help understand .

lots of the 4x4 guys now are doing ford super duty front drive shaft from say a mid 2000 - mid 2014 rnage and get a flange for the rear of the 205 and you get a cheep spicer built 1350 shaft with c/v head and bam done . i just got one shipped from cali to me in ny for 85 bucks total to my door shaft and ship . just need to chop around 2" off and reweld and balance and it will now fit the k5 blazer 4500/205 combo with 5" lift rear and 14ff axle .

[SunSoaked]

Sweetk30-
It's a stock K20 longbed. Because the 4500 is about 10 inches shorter than the 400 it makes my 1piece shaft almost 64 inches. Nobody recommends or will make one that long unless it's the Uber expensive big diameter aluminum shaft. I'm not a fan of the shaft hanging down that low like on the new trucks. One ding and you've just ruined an $800 shaft.

[grndcont]

I have a brand new aftermarket carrier bearing sitting in my garage if you need a replacement.

[sweetk30]

stock gm used a extra flat transfer-case cross-member to bold the carrier bearing to a special bracket riveted to it . just incase you wanted to make it more stock looking . and the old 79k30 i had was around a 10-11" long stub shaft then the long shaft to the axle . this was a sm465/205 combo back then .

and all my years of playing off road i have yet to bend a rear shaft .