Think this will work?

[Terry]

Ok, I got a 4 speed (granny first, top loader looking, truck tranny) out of a 69 Chevy. Man this thing is heavy!

Anyway my question is:
The truck is a long bed and uses a carrier bearing. Starting at the tranny, the drive shaft is fastned to the tranny output shaft via U-Bolt. Then the drive shaft goes back to the carrier bearing and slips through with a Male slip joint and slides into/through to a female slip joint. Then goes to the rear end, and connects to the rear with U-Bolts.

Now I'll be putting al this into Slick which will be a short Wheelbase. So no carrier bearibng. So I'm think of re-moveing the Male slip joint from the drive shaft and fastning it to the tranny via U-Bolts. Then the front of the driveshaft will be the female slipjoint.

Will this be much wobble at the tranny. Haveing a wobble at the tailshaft of the tranny and at the front of the shaft?

If none of that makes sense, maybe this picture will help. LOL

[briggs&strattonChev]

why not just weld the driveshafts together to the correct length? To me that would be simplest. Unless im understanding something wrongly. Are they the same diameter?

And do you mean u-joint and not u-bolt? or is this u-bolt just to tack it together somehow for mock up?

Briggs

[Terry]

No,
The tranny end and the rear end have the same connection. In other words the out-put shaft on the tranny looks just like a rear end. Both connect with U-bolts.

So if I welded the to ends together I would have no slip joint at all.

[50dodge4x4]

I don't think it will work unless there is a u joint on the end of the male slip joint. I think you will find that the center bearing runs on the shaft and you won't be able to get a u joint there. Might check junk yards in your area for a rear ds from a 4x4. most of those have a slip joint in the center of the shaft. Gene

[Terry]

The Male slip joint does have a U-joint. But so would the female and the front of the drive shaft. Thats where I worry about having flop around syndrom.

[Upchuck]

3 u joints would give you lots of wobble I'd think, as suggested some 4wds come with the drive shaft you want with a U joint on each end and a slip joint right behind the end bolted to the transmission

[OldSub]

If I follow your plan, you'll have u-joints on both ends and a slip joint at the transmission end, but on the far side of the universal from the transmission.

That describes the stock setup on my '55 1st GMC. So if everything is the right length I think it should work fine. The question I have is whether you have the right lengths to make it work.

[Terry]

I think everyone understands...but here is one more doodle of what I wondering will work.

[Hanible_H20]

There is one too many U-joints in the system. I don't know if the slip joint would allow enough angle during wobble to come apart, but it would definitely vibrate, most likely badly.

[DIRTYT]

whats stoping you from welding the first section to your new drive shaft? and just make it a normal 2 ujoint system. i think it would work if the dia. is close to the same. if not im sure u can dig up a drive shaft to use for parts that is damn close.

[OldSub]

I like the second picture, its very clear. I missed the fourth universal in the first picture. I can't beleive its going to work with three.

Are you sure the parts truck has four universals? I'm pretty sure my '72 Chevy only has three and I was picturing the third being eliminated.

[57JoeFoMoPar]

Terry, i don't think that your system is gonna work with the two u joints that close to the tranny. I think your best bet at making it work would be to somehow weld the foward u joint solid, in essence making a male tailshaft on the tranny. The wrench in that plan is that it would need to spin true or else it would vibrate. If you could set it up with a dial indicator and weld it solid, that would probably be the only way to go. Or you could just save yourself the aggravation and just buy a tranny that is more suited to the application. good luck with it

[Nimrod]

I think it would be a-lot easier to find the right transmition! It won't work as you have it pictured, it might work if you use the carrier bearing. But again it would be easier to find another transmition.

[Nimrod]

Welding it won't work because there will be no slip joint.

[manyolcars]

All you gotta do is find out how chevy did it, same year, same transmission but on a shorter wheelbase without the carrier bearing, then use those parts. Only 2 u joints needed.

[Turbopackman]

Kind dumb question, but just how long does your driveshaft need to be? If it's short enough, I might know of something you can use....

Eric

[redoxide]

NO eliminate the UJ on the front of the driveshaft. but keep the one atached to the Gearbox. marry up the female spline solid with the driveshaft and you should be ok..

[Paul]

why doesn't anybody say

HELL NO THAT WON'T WORK!!

the two easiest solutions would be to either do as manyolcars says and get the complete one piece shaft setup from a donor or have a correct length shaft made. with two U joints.

every U joint must be supported, that would not even move two feet without catastrophic failure.

Paul

[Rand Man]

Thank you Paul! Eliminate the second "U" joint. You will have to have a custom drive shaft made by a shop anyway. Have them weld a female slip-joint end, into one end of your new drive shaft. Driveline specialty shops have the proper equipment to balance the assembly and do the job right.

[Bugman]

What rand man said. One of teh 2 front u-joints must me either eliminated or welded solid. The driveshaft shop should be able to weld it for you.

The other option would be to run both driveshafts and use a center support like the factory setup. One of the driveshafts would still have to be shortened, and like you said, the space you have is limited, and an extra crossmember is wasted space.

Nice drawings by the way(especially the second one), it'd be cool if I could draw like that
-Jeff

[hell_fish_65]

[ QUOTE ]
I think everyone understands...but here is one more doodle of what I wondering will work.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats kind of what the drive shaft places do to convert from a ball and trunion joint.

http://www.earlycuda.org/tech/ujoint.htm

[Zodoff]

Yup,but do those cudas have a regular U-joint at the rear axle?

[hell_fish_65]

Yup.

[Zodoff]

Ok. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Terry]

BAH HAHAHA!!!! 60's stlye I just fell off my chair laughing!

Well I took everything everyone has said and re-thought my ideas. Then I ran down to the local bone yard and looked for a 72 Chevy or GMC like Old Sub said. And sure enough I found a 3 joint set-up. I bought it and lugged the parts home.

NowI will have a wobble fe-male joint that conects to the tranny by U-bolts. Then a fixed male splinned joint at the front of the driveshaft (non-wobble) Then at the rear end will be the same ole - same ole.

Here is one more picture. THANKS to everyone!!!!!

[Rocky]

Se? Now, that's exactly what I was sayin...

[Rocky]

See? Now, that's exactly what I was sayin...