New driveshaft - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

GearHeadGMC71 · 11-28-2006, 02:34 PM

I am very new to the site and not sure if this has been posted before. I have a 71 GMC long bed and I am having problems with my carrier beam for my driveshaft. Is there a way to get a driveshaft made to go straight from the transmission to the rear end or would that not work.

**1970 CST Short Wide** · 11-28-2006, 03:55 PM

This has been debated on here a million times. YES you can go with a 1 piece drive shaft but with a long bed your better off getting a QALITY center support bearing.
The 1 piece shaft would need to be made by a shop that knows what there doing and even then you take a chance of it vibrating.

Hope this helps and Good Luck

Longhorn Man · 11-28-2006, 04:23 PM

not somuch vibrating, but whipping, which feels like a vibration from the drivers seat. This will damage the tranny and rear.
A quality carrier bearing would be the prefered fix, and if you already have a quality unit, then locating the real problem would work too. These things should last 30 years.

Orange · 11-28-2006, 04:30 PM

Just out of curiousity -
which is preferred on a SWB by most - Carrier bearing or a 1-piece?

Longhorn Man · 11-28-2006, 04:32 PM

a SWB is short enough to go with a one piece with no problems.

**1970 CST Short Wide** · 11-28-2006, 06:49 PM

Who has that link to the killer billet center support? It’s not cheap but quality usually isn’t. If I did another LWB truck I think it’s what I'd go for.

Come on one of you guys has the link for it I'm sure

**CMars45000** · 11-28-2006, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1970 CST Short Wide

Who has that link to the killer billet center support? It’s not cheap but quality usually isn’t. If I did another LWB truck I think it’s what I'd go for.

Come on one of you guys has the link for it I'm sure

Don't know if this is the one of which you speak but it is the only one that came to my mind. This one is form inland Empire

http://www.iedls.com/bearings.html

TP from Cntl PA · 11-28-2006, 07:30 PM

I had the same problem........Although, with the Cummins, when things let go, everything let go. Three Carrier bearings(in less than a year) later I decided to hill-billy engineer something that would atleast hold together until I upgrade the rest of the driveline from the bell housing back............Anyhow, I took a bearing out of torn up carrier, machined a housing from steel, and mounted it solid to the chassis............Yeah, its a no-no to solid mount parts like that, but its going on 8 months now and I haven't had any issues with any driveline parts.

It will be nice when everything is replaced with heavier duty parts

jacobs · 11-28-2006, 08:36 PM

I ran the original (factory) carrier bearing for 30 years and 350,000 miles before it started making noise. It was replaced by a NAPA bearing 5 years ago and it's still going GREAT! Quality costs a little more but not much more. Stay away from Chinese bearings - they're junk.

11-28-2006, 02:34 PM	#1
GearHeadGMC71 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 12	New driveshaft I am very new to the site and not sure if this has been posted before. I have a 71 GMC long bed and I am having problems with my carrier beam for my driveshaft. Is there a way to get a driveshaft made to go straight from the transmission to the rear end or would that not work.

11-28-2006, 03:55 PM	#2
1970 CST Short Wide Senior Moment Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pittsburg Ca Posts: 4,201	Re: New driveshaft This has been debated on here a million times. YES you can go with a 1 piece drive shaft but with a long bed your better off getting a QALITY center support bearing. The 1 piece shaft would need to be made by a shop that knows what there doing and even then you take a chance of it vibrating. Hope this helps and Good Luck __________________ 1970 CST LS 1 6 speed Ford 9 inch Detroit Tru Track, Dakota Didgital, Vintage Air, QA1 Coil Overs Front & Rear Lots of FUN 2013 GMC PU, Oldest Son 71 GMC LWB. QA1 Suspension, Angry SB. Youngest Son 2017 Toyota SUV Daughters car 2018 Traverse , Wife’s Ride Pittsburg Ca 94565

11-28-2006, 04:23 PM	#3
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: New driveshaft not somuch vibrating, but whipping, which feels like a vibration from the drivers seat. This will damage the tranny and rear. A quality carrier bearing would be the prefered fix, and if you already have a quality unit, then locating the real problem would work too. These things should last 30 years.

11-28-2006, 04:30 PM	#4
Orange Licensed to Thrill! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northwest, GA Posts: 1,673	Re: New driveshaft Just out of curiousity - which is preferred on a SWB by most - Carrier bearing or a 1-piece? __________________ 1971 GMC.Lowered. Overdrive. Orange. Krue's excellent FAQ Index.

11-28-2006, 04:32 PM	#5
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: New driveshaft a SWB is short enough to go with a one piece with no problems.

11-28-2006, 06:49 PM	#6
1970 CST Short Wide Senior Moment Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pittsburg Ca Posts: 4,201	Re: New driveshaft Who has that link to the killer billet center support? It’s not cheap but quality usually isn’t. If I did another LWB truck I think it’s what I'd go for. Come on one of you guys has the link for it I'm sure __________________ 1970 CST LS 1 6 speed Ford 9 inch Detroit Tru Track, Dakota Didgital, Vintage Air, QA1 Coil Overs Front & Rear Lots of FUN 2013 GMC PU, Oldest Son 71 GMC LWB. QA1 Suspension, Angry SB. Youngest Son 2017 Toyota SUV Daughters car 2018 Traverse , Wife’s Ride Pittsburg Ca 94565

11-28-2006, 07:30 PM	#8
TP from Cntl PA Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Central PA....In the Berg of Nisbet Posts: 790	Re: New driveshaft I had the same problem........Although, with the Cummins, when things let go, everything let go. Three Carrier bearings(in less than a year) later I decided to hill-billy engineer something that would atleast hold together until I upgrade the rest of the driveline from the bell housing back............Anyhow, I took a bearing out of torn up carrier, machined a housing from steel, and mounted it solid to the chassis............Yeah, its a no-no to solid mount parts like that, but its going on 8 months now and I haven't had any issues with any driveline parts. It will be nice when everything is replaced with heavier duty parts __________________ '72 K-20 EFI'ed 250 Inline/4spd stake body, Farm Truck '71 C-20 Cummins Diesel Powered, In storage thanks to $5.00 diesel! '69 3500 GMC 305V-6/4spd, Still under reconstruction.......... Inlines Rule! 6 soldiers standing is better than 8 laying down!!!!!!!!

11-28-2006, 08:36 PM	#9
jacobs Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: 9000' Mountain Man Posts: 326	Re: New driveshaft I ran the original (factory) carrier bearing for 30 years and 350,000 miles before it started making noise. It was replaced by a NAPA bearing 5 years ago and it's still going GREAT! Quality costs a little more but not much more. Stay away from Chinese bearings - they're junk.

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