47-55.1 A.D. LS Swap Driveshaft . What did you guys do?

[Mains52]

Hey guys I am finally at a point where I want to put the entire drive train in my truck and leave it. Although I don't have a driveshaft. The set up is a 5.3/4l80e running back to a gm 3:08 posi. Do I need to measure and go custom or what you tell me . Thanks

[mongocanfly]

ive had several driveshafts built over the yrs.... unless you go with the big name ds builders , its not really that bad to just one built , or get one shortened or lengthened..
if it was me , id find one longer than what you need,that fits your tranny and get it shortened to fit

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

if it was me , id find one longer than what you need,that fits your tranny and get it shortened to fit

ditto.
i shortened my 1958 oem driveshaft, obviously that won't work for you
just buy a truck or long car shaft and modify it

[joedoh]

gm made a ton of driveshaft that interchange, figure out your length and I bet you can find one that fits right in. here shortening is about 125, a new driveshaft is about 250, and finding a right sized one in the salvage is 35. easy decision for me, even with two new u joints its still less than half shortening one (that will still probably need new joints by the way).

to each his own. on a shortbed with an overdrive trans and the motor about an inch off the firewall its been my experience that a 53" shaft fits with about an inch and a half of stickout. thats the exact size of a std cab 98-03 s10.

just some info

[mr48chev]

Joedoe pretty well nailed it.

The cost of Having a driveshaft shortened or built by a driveshaft shop depends a lot on too many factors, with some of the "big name" shops that do mail order you may be paying for that big name to some degree. My local go to shop isn't where it used to be and I don't know if they moved or if they went out of business. That is a case of find out who the local (that might be within 100 miles) go to driveshaft shop is and find out what they charge.

Used Driveshaft = Length is factor 1 but just as important are it having the right yoke to fit the trans and the right U joint to fit the pinion yoke. There are combination joints to fit fit a drive shaft with one size U joint to a pinion or trans yoke of another size but they cost about double of what a standard high quality U joint does. They work fine but some times can be hard to find if you have one go bad on the road where you probably don't want to wait a day for a parts house to get one.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

just as important are it having the right yoke to fit the trans and the right U joint to fit the pinion yoke. There are combination joints to fit fit a drive shaft with one size U joint to a pinion or trans yoke of another size but they cost about double of what a standard high quality U joint does. They work fine but some times can be hard to find if you have one go bad on the road where you probably don't want to wait a day for a parts house to get one.

everything i have found from about 1979 -2008 rwd gm uses the same yoke and same front and rear u joint (spicer 1310) but mr49 makes a good point

be careful of corvette and other gms with IRS, they will use a driveshaft coupler.

if you just do a google search for "GM driveshaft lengths" and add the word "forum" you will find a lot of listings, the 4x4 guys especially like having that info

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by joedoh

everything i have found from about 1979 -2008 rwd gm uses the same yoke and same front and rear u joint (spicer 1310) but mr49 makes a good point

be careful of corvette and other gms with IRS, they will use a driveshaft coupler.

if you just do a google search for "GM driveshaft lengths" and add the word "forum" you will find a lot of listings, the 4x4 guys especially like having that info

We are thinking on the same line. I'm not too familiar with post turbo 350/400 related pieces like yokes.
My buddy had an apple bin full of driveshafts that I could raid and another buddy who owned a wrecking yard stacked every driveshaft they took out behind a shed. I went through that batch more than once.

I'm a firm believer in keep it as simple as it comes when it comes to parts that might fail on the road outside of engine and transmission. I keep it to the concept of somethings call for a tow rig to get it to where it can be repaired or hauled home. Mostly the engine and trans. If most of us blow an engine we are going to figure out how to get it back home, Same with an automatic trans for the most part. Pretty much for a third member in a rear end. Those three items call for finding a trailer or calling someone to go get your trailer and come get you most of the time. Or find someone who you can stash the truck with until you can get back in a week or two to get it with your tow rig and trailer.

On the other hand Alternators, starters, distributors, carbs, flex plates, clutches, U joints and wheel bearings can usually be swapped out in a few hours if you can find them.

There are exceptions, Back in 1964 I drove past a guy from the midwest on the way to work and on the way home who rebuilt a straight 8 Buick on the side of the road with his family camped next to the car. He actually dropped the crank out the bottom with the block in the car and either had it turned or replaced it. I didn't have time on the way to work to see if he needed a ride to the machine shop or parts house and it was too late on the way home. That is the exception.

That said, I have used combination joints a number of times and they worked fine but there have been a couple of times when I couldn't get the right replacement and had to wait until the parts house had one shipped in. That might be a road trip to a cool event or vacation in the truck deal killer if you are stuck in a motel in po dunk junction for a day or two waiting for A U joint.

[dsraven]

be aware that a lot of junkyard shafts could be bent because they lift the cars with a forklift. give it a spin if it's still in the car or a roll on some fake v blocks if it's out. big power usually equates to a large shaft tube if possible

[Black93GT]

I used a 2 piece driveshaft from an S-10. More specifically, pieces from a 2wd and a 4wd S-10 to span the distance. The angles were terrible and a bit long to things we’re tight… aka sketchy. It was a temporary solution while I sorted out the bugs.

Once I swapped rear ends, I had a 1-piece made to fit correctly. I think it was 2-300 to have made at a local driveshaft shop. Money well spent IMHO