2 piece to 1 piece driveshaft crossmember clearance - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

1972 · 12-15-2004, 02:14 PM

I have a 1972 C10 long bed with a TH350 and a 2 piece driveshaft. The carrier bearing area of the shaft is junk. Instead of repairing the 2 piece shaft I want to switch to a 1 piece shaft. The truck is stock height now, but I plan to have air bags someday. Will the 1 piece shaft clear the crossmember as the suspension cycles up and down? Will the 1 piece shaft work at stock height and lowered?

98L150 · 12-15-2004, 02:44 PM

on my 72 sub I had to trim the upper part of the crossmember to clear the drive shaft when I let al the air out. My sub has a 1-1/2" lower block at the rear end and trailing arm as well as a c-notch in the frame, which is why I had to notch my crossmember.

flip66 · 12-15-2004, 03:33 PM

I have LWB with a one peice that is stock Hight and I did not have to cut. So it should work untill you lower it.

1972 · 12-15-2004, 05:20 PM

Off to the junk yard I go! Thanks guys.

dubie · 12-15-2004, 06:01 PM

Is there a direct donor for this upgrade? And can you do this on a coil truck or just a leaf rear? I have heard that you cannot use a 1 piece on a rear coil truck unles you do some bridge work on the cross member

LUV2XCLR8 · 12-15-2004, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubie

Is there a direct donor for this upgrade? And can you do this on a coil truck or just a leaf rear? I have heard that you cannot use a 1 piece on a rear coil truck unles you do some bridge work on the cross member

DID IT 2 MY 67 SWB, COILS, LOWERED, USED A F@RD DRIVESHAFT, WAS
EXACT FIT, HOWEVER I HAD 2 USE BASTARD U-JOINTS, NO ISSUES WITH
CLEARANCE, BUT I DID HAVE A HELL OF A TIME GETTING THE CARRIER OUT.

dubie · 12-15-2004, 06:13 PM

Hmmm I could see it on a swb but how bout a lwb? any donors for it?

LUV2XCLR8 · 12-15-2004, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubie

Hmmm I could see it on a swb but how bout a lwb? any donors for it?

LIMO

low burb · 12-15-2004, 08:17 PM

98L150, does your 'burb have a one-piece? When I asked the shop, they said it would be too long. Did you have one built? Thanks

see ten · 12-15-2004, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUV2XCLR8

DID IT 2 MY 67 SWB, COILS, LOWERED, USED A F@RD DRIVESHAFT, WAS
EXACT FIT, HOWEVER I HAD 2 USE BASTARD U-JOINTS, NO ISSUES WITH
CLEARANCE, BUT I DID HAVE A HELL OF A TIME GETTING THE CARRIER OUT.

Do you recall what make model ford the shaft came out of?

kbs71 · 12-16-2004, 07:26 AM

I've been told that some later model GM 1 piece truck drive shafts will fit in the 70-72 LWB. Some are exact fits and some have to be cut down a few inches. Can anyone verify this, and which front yokes will fit in the TH350. As i junked my two piece this week end when my third POS carrier bearing decided to desinegrate.

**gregfull** · 12-16-2004, 09:06 AM

1972,

Check out this link, they offer a bolt in crossmember that I'm going to buy for my burb. http://www.earlyclassic.com/home.aspx

lowburb,

I had a one-piece made at a local shop, it works just fine.

Alex Hayley · 12-16-2004, 11:00 AM

gregfull,

Looking at that site, I only found one crossmember for that purpose. It is the Extreme Drop Center Crossmember. However, the catalog states that crossmember is for swb. Is there a crossmember I am missing?

kbs71 · 12-25-2004, 04:07 AM

OK I went the the "recycler" this past weekend and found a 1 piece 4" Aluminum driveshaft out of a 95 1500 and 1 piece carbonfiber out of a 03 Yukon. Both were 5/8" shorter than the 2 piece I had. I got the aluminum one in case I had to do some modifications to it. All I had to do is to get special u-joints as the yoke on the rearend and the tranny is 3 1/4" outside diameter and the driveshaft is a 3 3/4". The 5/8" didn't make a diffrence at the tranny. before I had 3/4" between the end of the tranny and the yoke, now I have @1 1/2". I also had to trim out the center of the crossmember. I took@ 1" off the right side and 1/2" off the left side and I went ahead and took the bottom down to where it was flay and welded a doubler strap on it to increase the strength of the center crossmember. So far everything is working great. I'm going to have a custom made tubular yoke installed on the crossmember. Just whack off the center of the crossmember and have the tube yoke welded on. Will probably get that done the first weekend in January.

12-15-2004, 02:14 PM	#1
1972 Majician Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: In the Middle Posts: 329	2 piece to 1 piece driveshaft crossmember clearance I have a 1972 C10 long bed with a TH350 and a 2 piece driveshaft. The carrier bearing area of the shaft is junk. Instead of repairing the 2 piece shaft I want to switch to a 1 piece shaft. The truck is stock height now, but I plan to have air bags someday. Will the 1 piece shaft clear the crossmember as the suspension cycles up and down? Will the 1 piece shaft work at stock height and lowered?

12-15-2004, 02:44 PM	#2
98L150 ///Relaxed Atmosphere Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Hockley, TX Posts: 657	on my 72 sub I had to trim the upper part of the crossmember to clear the drive shaft when I let al the air out. My sub has a 1-1/2" lower block at the rear end and trailing arm as well as a c-notch in the frame, which is why I had to notch my crossmember. __________________ 72 Suburban 64 Chevy short fleet 04 Chevy Colorado Sport Reg Cab 2012 Chevy Avalanche 2003 Chevy S10 Blazer Xtreme http://www.hubgarage.com/mygarage/RA_Jeff 64 Build Thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=295915

12-15-2004, 03:33 PM	#3
flip66 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Garland TX Dallas area Posts: 658	I have LWB with a one peice that is stock Hight and I did not have to cut. So it should work untill you lower it. __________________ 1998 Pontiac Grad Prix GTP 1969 C10 396 TH400 3.08 posi

12-15-2004, 06:01 PM	#5
dubie Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 8,855	Is there a direct donor for this upgrade? And can you do this on a coil truck or just a leaf rear? I have heard that you cannot use a 1 piece on a rear coil truck unles you do some bridge work on the cross member __________________ My name's Tim and I'm a truckaholic My 56 Chevy shop truck build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=562795

12-15-2004, 06:13 PM	#7
dubie Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 8,855	Hmmm I could see it on a swb but how bout a lwb? any donors for it? __________________ My name's Tim and I'm a truckaholic My 56 Chevy shop truck build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=562795

12-15-2004, 05:20 PM	#4
1972 Majician Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: In the Middle Posts: 329	Off to the junk yard I go! Thanks guys.

12-15-2004, 08:17 PM	#9
low burb Registered User Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Medicine Hat,AB, Canada Posts: 194	98L150, does your 'burb have a one-piece? When I asked the shop, they said it would be too long. Did you have one built? Thanks __________________ Michael 1971 GMC Suburban "Crusty" 2000 GMC Sierra 1500 2wd 1978 Scout II 1992 Passat Syncro

12-16-2004, 07:26 AM	#11
kbs71 71 rustless in texas Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 257	I've been told that some later model GM 1 piece truck drive shafts will fit in the 70-72 LWB. Some are exact fits and some have to be cut down a few inches. Can anyone verify this, and which front yokes will fit in the TH350. As i junked my two piece this week end when my third POS carrier bearing decided to desinegrate.

12-16-2004, 09:06 AM	#12
gregfull Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Richmond, Texas Posts: 598	1972, Check out this link, they offer a bolt in crossmember that I'm going to buy for my burb. http://www.earlyclassic.com/home.aspx lowburb, I had a one-piece made at a local shop, it works just fine. __________________ My Suburban Project 72 Suburban 68 SWB 57 Belair 55 Cameo 06 Chevy 1/2 ton crew 09 Suburban

12-16-2004, 11:00 AM	#13
Alex Hayley Registered User Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: NC Posts: 987	gregfull, Looking at that site, I only found one crossmember for that purpose. It is the Extreme Drop Center Crossmember. However, the catalog states that crossmember is for swb. Is there a crossmember I am missing?

12-25-2004, 04:07 AM	#14
kbs71 71 rustless in texas Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 257	OK I went the the "recycler" this past weekend and found a 1 piece 4" Aluminum driveshaft out of a 95 1500 and 1 piece carbonfiber out of a 03 Yukon. Both were 5/8" shorter than the 2 piece I had. I got the aluminum one in case I had to do some modifications to it. All I had to do is to get special u-joints as the yoke on the rearend and the tranny is 3 1/4" outside diameter and the driveshaft is a 3 3/4". The 5/8" didn't make a diffrence at the tranny. before I had 3/4" between the end of the tranny and the yoke, now I have @1 1/2". I also had to trim out the center of the crossmember. I took@ 1" off the right side and 1/2" off the left side and I went ahead and took the bottom down to where it was flay and welded a doubler strap on it to increase the strength of the center crossmember. So far everything is working great. I'm going to have a custom made tubular yoke installed on the crossmember. Just whack off the center of the crossmember and have the tube yoke welded on. Will probably get that done the first weekend in January.



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