'70 K10 front driveshaft issue

[zac]

When I was putting a throwout bearing in my '70 burb I noticed the front driveshaft didn't look right. I've owned the truck since March and put quite a few miles on it, but this is the first time I've done serious work on it. The driveshaft looked more "compressed"-for lack of a better word-than it should be. The slip yoke look almost bottomed. When I put it back on yesterday I had to jack the front of the truck up to get the u-joint into the pinion yoke. It only has 1/2" max travel before it bottoms. Obviously this isn't right.

The truck has a 10 bolt front axle from an "80 something" truck I was told. The PO said he did it to get front discs, which sounded logical. My plan was to eventually refurbish the D44 from my '72 parts truck and use it, just to make it "right". I don't have any real problems with 10 bolts in general. I don't know what year this 10 bolt is from. I can tell you it has a huge rib sticking out horizontally on the center section on the passenger side. It comes out 3 inches or so.

I can run this thing with no front driveshaft for now. I am not an off-roader and this truck will never run again on salted roads if I can help it. The driveshaft on it now is exactly the same as the one on my '72 parts truck. Same length, has "SPICER" cast into the yoke on the t-case side, etc. Can I maybe find a later model one that will bolt in but is shorter? Do I get one of the shafts I have shortened? If so, how much? (Kind of hate to do that. Would like to have a spare). The D44 I have is the right ratio but needs a complete go-through. It will be a long time happening. 2wd until I figure this out. Thanks.

[Longhorn Man]

moved to the 4x4 page

[powerdriver 1958]

You can run it with out the drive line with no trouble.
Wonder if the tie bolt is sheared off or not indexed ??

[raycow]

Not that this answers your question, but you could measure the pinion stickout (from the axle centerline) on the D44 and the 10 bolt. If the 10 bolt is longer, then either look for a shorter shaft or shorten the one you have. If they are both the same, then you know you have a problem somewhere.

Ray

[zac]

My guess is the 10 bolt pinion comes back farther, making the driveshaft too short. I should have measured this already. I know alot of 10 bolt stuff interchanges, except when it doesn't. I'm wondering if I will be able to find a "bolt in" solution. I kind of doubt it. I assume a later model driveshaft would have that flange on the t-case end, which won't work with my set up. I was just taking a flyer here hoping someone had run into this at some point or had some extremely obscure knowledge. The right answer is probably just to do the D44 and run without the shaft until then.

[msgross]

corp 10 bolts came out on the late 70's or early 90's. I installed one in my 68 to gain disc brakes too. I suspect that the pinion sits further back as someone stated, never measured mine that way though and I haven't installed my drive shaft either. If you plan to run the dana44 then i'd just measure it from center tube to pinion and see if the corp 10 bolt is different.

You can use a lot of parts off the 10bolt though (brakes, spindles, outer axles, knuckles etc..) Most of the inner parts don't mix though (inner axles, gears etc..).