can someone measure their 2wd driveshaft for me?

[benoit454]

2wd, short bed, auto or stick, even long beds, can ya'll tell me what length driveshaft is and where you measured from, and what trans it was or is behind?

[scotts62]

Originally Posted by benoit454

2wd, short bed, auto or stick, even long beds, can ya'll tell me what length driveshaft is and where you measured from, and what trans it was or is behind?

What are you trying to accomplish? There are a couple different measurements that you will get from what you have written. Short bed vs long bed and whatever type of trans they have, just depends on the application.

[benoit454]

That's what I'm trying to accomplish find the lengths. I gotta find a 3 inch long driveshaft for an 84 that has a short tail th350, and DID have a long tail, so it's now 3 inches too short. NOBODY has the right 73-87 shaft so I'm thinking maybe I can find one that'd be right length from an 88-98 maybe even 4x4 and long bed to take up the slack of it being long bed, and being 4x4 making it shorter. I know how long my 99 k1500 is and I know it's way too short being a short bed 4x4 and me looking for one for a short bed 2wd, maybe a 4x4 long bed would be right, not sure on the yoke though.

[scotts62]

I know someone with a 80's model short bed truck with a T350 in it, ill have him measure the one in there and see what he gets if you like, that sounds like what you are after but let me know.

[benoit454]

Dad's 84 has a long tail th350 in it and I measured it and need one 3 inches longer, you can check his if you want but I know what length we need pretty much, just seeing if I can find another year(newer) that has the right length for me to call around and try to find.

[ChevLoRay]

To measure the length of the space, you should start at the center of the yoke on the rear axle. If you have a spare slip yoke, or just take yours off of the driveshaft that won't work, and just slide it into the tailshaft housing into the position that is normal (not all the way into the housing....it's gotta slip, right?), then measure between the centers of both yokes.

[benoit454]

guys, you're not understanding me. I KNOW what my measures are and what length I NEED!!!

I appreciate the info, but mines out laying in the bed and I measured all kinda things on it and I know the long tail 9 inch th350 and short tail th350 6 inch tail the difference is 3 inches, I need a 3 inch longer shaft, and ONLY ones I found to be right stock truck are the 3 on the tree 2wd short bed 73-87 or one somebody put a short tail th350 in or a car 4 speed, nobody has one, so I'm wondering the length of the newer body style driveshafts if maybe they'd be the right length.

I want to know some body who has an obs 88-98 truck what measures they have, so I can compare them with what I need to see if it will work. I can't just drive out to the junkyard and check them I need some measures to see if they fit, then call em and say look I need a driveshaft from 19xx truck, blazer, suburban, ...... transmission, reg. cab, ext. cab, long bed, short bed, etc.

[ChevLoRay]

Okay, I understood what you wrote and I just wrote what I did....in case someone else wondered how. It isn't the first time someone asked.

It may be that your only option is to have one modified, or made. I had to have one made with a slip yoke when I had a combination of parts. Granted, finding one that is the right length would be perfect.

But, you haven't told us how long the driveshaft you need.....is. That would be helpful.....just in case someone has a stack of 'em in their yard.

[benoit454]

Not a problem man, I figured you guys were thinking I needed to know how to measure mine or it was missing.

I appreciate the help, here we go then on mine...

first I'll list my specs, then what I need.

61 inches long from end of back u joint to end of the yoke, total overall length.

57 inches outside of each u joint, NO YOKE,

55-1/2 from center of u joint to center of the other.

yoke itself 4 inches to go in trans. 5-3/8 from center u joint to outer end of yoke.


NOW what I NEED>>>>>>

63-64 inch overall from back end of u joint to end tip of yoke.

59-60 end of u joint to end of u joint NO YOKE

57-1/2 to 58-1/2 center to center on u joints.

OR....

use my driveshaft and longer yoke...

7-3/8 to 8-3/8 or so center of yoke u joint to end of yoke.

or 6-7 inches of yoke barrel to go into trans.

I did find this on ebay, but it was $60 or so for it, and would require a 3r to 1310 style u joint which is another 10 bucks or so.

[piecesparts]

I measured mine and YEP it is the right length. It fits under my truck real well. It goes from the tranny to the rear end housing. LOL

What you should do, is get a slip yoke for the tranny and slide it in to where it shou8ld ride, then measure from that cross piece to the cross piece on the rear end. That is what you will need for the driveline.

Believe me if you miss it by a 1/2", the driveline can vibrate at higher speeds. Been ther, done that.

[benoit454]

I don't see a need for it. I know I need a 3 inch longer one, but I put 2-3 inches longer measures up top, I'd be happy to get one 2 inches longer so it'd work. 3 inch is exactly what we need though.

[ChevLoRay]

I hope this doesn't go wrongly....we're talking driveshafts.

[benoit454]

guys there is no way for me to measure the driveshaft, I got the thing out, and if I add 3 inches then bam there's what I need, the driveshaft have plenty of room no problems, and the long tail is exactly 3 inches longer then the short tail 350 so I need 3 inches longer driveshaft. In order for me to measure as you guys say I have to yank the old trans. put in the new short tail and then measure, and it aint gonna happen. It's dad's truck and he said he aint touching it until he finds a driveshaft, if he can't find a driveshaft then the short tail goes bye bye and we buy a long tail.

[og350]

why not just have a shaft made. it is easy and really not to bad of a price. i have had a few made. just bring them the shaft you have now and tell them you need it 3" longer and they will just re-tube it. then it will be new and balanced and ready to run fo a long time!!

[benoit454]

None close to me and from what I heard it costs a pretty penny to do so.

[og350]

i have had two build and as long as you have both ends they were around $100 bucks with new u joints.

[benoit454]

not bad for new u joints and basically a new shaft, bad thing is theres not one close, it's like an hour away or so, and you're talking 2 trips I'd bet, drop it off, then come back and get it next day or so.

[piecesparts]

Where I live a 100 mile trip is worth it for me, I take my stuff to the shop (Also 100 miles away) and leave it early in th emorning and I pick it up at the end of the day, before I go home. I have had several drivelines built and the cost is around $125.00 each time With new U-joints.

I would also say measure twice and build it once. If you get out on the road with a dirveline that is too short, you just wasted your money.


As my avatar hints---Lebo is in the middle of NOWHERE. IT is 25 miles to the grocery store and 100 miles to a decent town with any real shops for my hobby.

[ChevLoRay]

Frank, are you sayin' "you can't get there, from here" applies to Lebo?

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by ChevLoRay

Frank, are you sayin' "you can't get there, from here" applies to Lebo?

I moved to Lebo, to be close to work, but it is definitely a small town in every right. It has a couple of high priced gas stations, a Casey's convenience store, a bank and a post office. The streets are chip/sealed and that works for me, it keeps my vehicles clean and not covered with dirt from a country road. After that you have to drive to another town to find your way to anywhere else. The last good thing is that I have a 40X40 shop behind my house in the middle of town. There are many cities that would not let that happen.

If I flush my toilet---3 people go without water for about an hour or so LOL.

Actually there is some real money people living in my town, but it is small, anyways.

I just passed through your state, on my way home from Mobile, Alabama (after the HRPT finished). Let me say that you have some lonely places down in the lower right corner of Arkansas.

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

I just passed through your state, on my way home from Mobile, Alabama (after the HRPT finished). Let me say that you have some lonely places down in the lower right corner of Arkansas.

I HATE that part of Arkansas. If you drive up from Talullah, LA, you're on US65. Stay on it and you go through at least one speed trap town (Gould) as well as some more flat lands. Stay on it and you will eventually end up at Little Rock as you continue to I-40 and towards your part of the world.

I had a friend from Tonganoxie, when I was in the USAF. I think the name of the town was bigger than the actual town.

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by ChevLoRay

I HATE that part of Arkansas. If you drive up from Talullah, LA, you're on US65. Stay on it and you go through at least one speed trap town (Gould) as well as some more flat lands. Stay on it and you will eventually end up at Little Rock as you continue to I-40 and towards your part of the world.

I had a friend from Tonganoxie, when I was in the USAF. I think the name of the town was bigger than the actual town.

We drove US 65 up LA and came across the state line into Arkansas. In that state, the Parrish cops were about every five miles and the speed limit was 55 MPH and everyone was sticking to the limit, not one mile over. It is a part of the world that I would not want to live in regularily. As soon as everyone crossed into ARK. the speeds picked up. We stopped in one Ark. town (right at the state line) and fueled up, we found it to not be a good place to spend very much time, left as soon as the tanks were full. We spent the night in Pine Bluff----It was quiet there.

[benoit454]

yea nobody has the newer style driveshaft that would be the right length, so it's either the one I found, or find a shop to lengthen this one, or maybe get a longer one cut down.

As for getting it right I'll take the one came out of the truck and tell them to add 3 inches or if I find one to have cut down, tell them to cut it down 3 inches shorter then then one in the truck now, meaning take both the short one I got and the long one to be cut.

[bwood]

98 GMC C1500 RCSB 305/4L60E 10 Bolt

Center to Center on Ujoints=56 1/4"

[benoit454]

thanks bwood, that's close to what I have no only about an inch bigger, not really that much, if it was longer that'd be what I needed.