aluminum driveshaft/ single piece

[zerogravity58]

this is for all of you ext cab guys who want an one piece driveshaft or for you standard cab guys who want to switch to aluminum. While i was in the process of building my truck i want to ditch the 2 piece shaft and put in a single piece steel. While i was thinking about this i found out that newer 2500 chevy pickups come with 4" aluminum driveshafts. for $50 i went and took one out of one in a junkyard. The driveshaft is about 68 1/2" long and will have to be cut down for almost everbody. I had to take 4" off mine. I just wanted to let everyone know that if you want to change to a single piece or upgrade you can pull one out of this truck and have it shortened for a few bucks. The rear U joint fits both the 8.5 and 7.5, the only thing you will have to do is have the tranny yokes changed. These shafts are strong with all welded joints (some have crimped ends)
Just wanted to let everyone know. Pm me if you have any questions.

[Jess]

yeah, thats the easy part. but if your any kind of lowered, and who isn't. the shaft is going to hit the floor.

[zerogravity58]

Im lowered 3". You do have to clearance the floor alittle. That is with all ext cabs when you switch to a single piece shaft.

[tippmann243]

Quote: Originally Posted by zerogravity58

Im lowered 3". You do have to clearance the floor alittle. That is with all ext cabs when you switch to a single piece shaft.

where does the floor have to be clearenced?

good info, now i just have to find a newer truck with an aluminum driveshaft

[Slow2.2S10]

will the front of the driveshaft fit into the transmission tailshaft of the 2.2 5-speed?

[AnnDee4444]

pics? what gen truck?

[zerogravity58]

i dont have any pics off hand but it was put in a ext cab 92 s10.

[sdimenightlight]

the reason why gm used a 2 piece drive shaft was for vibration corectness, if you switch to a one piece, you will most likely devolope a noice, there was a tsb on it for the ext cab extremes which originaly came with a 1 piece shaft.

[zerogravity58]

no you wont develop any noise as long as you shim the rearend to get the right pinion angle. Reason GM used a 2 piece is because a single hits the floor.

[Lenny95NeoN]

So how much is "a few bucks" to have it shortened, and can't shortening it throw it out of balance?

[zerogravity58]

no if they shorten it and its out they can rebalcne them. it cost me like $125 to have it shortened with new U joints.

[zerogravity58]

i probally dont have $200 in whole driveshaft. Its 5" shaft and im running it at the strip with no problems in my truck. If you have a ext cab truck you do need to clearance the floor...I cut a section out of floor in the ext cab part of the truck. Like a 5x12 piece. Im going to make something to go over it eventually. Other then that it fits fine. If you need a driveshaft loop tho you need to get one custom made. None of the ones i have found fit around the driveshaft.

[MPETESS10]

Quote: Originally Posted by sdimenightlight

the reason why gm used a 2 piece drive shaft was for vibration corectness, if you switch to a one piece, you will most likely devolope a noice, there was a tsb on it for the ext cab extremes which originaly came with a 1 piece shaft.

dunno where you got this info but I think it might be wrong
NO 2wd 2nd GEN EX CAB had a 1 pc driveshaft from the factory

the frame isnt designed to accept an xtreme because of the carrier bearing cross member
no granted a stock truck CAN run a 1pc driveshaft without it hitting the carrier bearing x-member
but if your reall think about it
GM designed the S10 as a truck 1st and foremost
and said truck is designed to haul stuff and if you haul alot of stuff in the bed it will lower the rear of the truck and cause BAD things to happen if there was a 1 pc driveshaft in there with a carrier bearing x-member in the way

all 2wd X-cabs have the same frame whether ist an xtreme, ZQ8 or regular suspension
with means that even tho the xtreme isnt rated to carry as much weight in the bed as a Z85 truck the frame itself is designed the exact same way no matter what suspension is attached to it and all 2nd gen ex cab frames have a carrier bearing x-member which is why it makes it all but impossible for any 2wd ex cab to have a 1 pc driveshaft from the factory especially just xtremes

[ordspec]

where did you buy the yoke parts from?

[zerogravity58]

i bought mine at a local shop....

[02dime]

so if was just doin this 02 as a sport truck a one piece would work cuz im not putin a load in it just a box cover,and what year of full size is it?

[zerogravity58]

its newer fullsizes that have them like 2000 and up 2500's....they might go back older then that but im not sure. You can do it with no problems but it could hit the floor in the ext cab area....i cut my floor and welded a piece of metale the extend the tranny tunnel...i will get pics of it sometime...

[AAPPS]

If you're a hard core racer, you'll break them fast. I've seen brand new 5" ones snapped in two on mildly powerful cars. If you're racing, stay with steel, or go with carbon fiber.

[zerogravity58]

ive been running this for awhile now...its went 11.2's at 122 with no problems with wheel hop and all last season...

[developed]

Quote: Originally Posted by MPETESS10

dunno where you got this info but I think it might be wrong
NO 2wd 2nd GEN EX CAB had a 1 pc driveshaft from the factory

the frame isnt designed to accept an xtreme because of the carrier bearing cross member
no granted a stock truck CAN run a 1pc driveshaft without it hitting the carrier bearing x-member
but if your reall think about it
GM designed the S10 as a truck 1st and foremost
and said truck is designed to haul stuff and if you haul alot of stuff in the bed it will lower the rear of the truck and cause BAD things to happen if there was a 1 pc driveshaft in there with a carrier bearing x-member in the way

all 2wd X-cabs have the same frame whether ist an xtreme, ZQ8 or regular suspension
with means that even tho the xtreme isnt rated to carry as much weight in the bed as a Z85 truck the frame itself is designed the exact same way no matter what suspension is attached to it and all 2nd gen ex cab frames have a carrier bearing x-member which is why it makes it all but impossible for any 2wd ex cab to have a 1 pc driveshaft from the factory especially just xtremes

This info must only be good for a 1st gen S-10. I just got done crawling out from under my '97 S-10 ext cab, 2.2, 5 sp. The first driveline comes out of the transmission "almost" straight for ~40% the distance to the diff. The crossmember would be right in the way with a one-piece. If you went over the top of the cross member, it'd definately hit it. If you went below the member, if it'd even connect, it'd hit the member - if it didn't, it would the first bump you hit!

Sounded like a good idea.

[zerogravity58]

when you put in a single piece you cut out the carrier bearing crossmember. You no longer need it with a single piece driveshaft. The reason they dont run a single piece is because it hits the floor for one and two when you load the bed up alot it would throw the pinion angle way off on a factory truck. I corrected this by adding 4 degress shim to the rear to correct the pinion angle.

[developed]

Quote: Originally Posted by zerogravity58

when you put in a single piece you cut out the carrier bearing crossmember. You no longer need it with a single piece driveshaft. The reason they dont run a single piece is because it hits the floor for one and two when you load the bed up alot it would throw the pinion angle way off on a factory truck. I corrected this by adding 4 degress shim to the rear to correct the pinion angle.

OK - now this makes sense (should have stated this in the first post buddy)

Tell me if I'm reading this correctly. If you shim/tilt up the axle 4 degrees, you don't need to cut the floor? What did you use for the 4 degree shim?

[AAPPS]

Quote: Originally Posted by zerogravity58

ive been running this for awhile now...its went 11.2's at 122 with no problems with wheel hop and all last season...

Not fast (yet) or heavy enough.

[zerogravity58]

its going to go 10' on the driveshaft this year. actually i shimmed the rearend down 4 degrees to correct for the pinion angle for when i launch.

[AAPPS]

I had two buddies in early 80's Trans Ams with custom aluminum driveshafts (4") snap them in two the first time they launched on them at Norwalk in OH. Be careful.

[captbrakk2]

Im from the detroit Michigan area and i had a 2 piece shaft snap on my dumba$$ so here i am with 2 options:1. I can have the double cardan joint eliminated and keep a two piece and I am actually gonna have the spring perches rewelded onto the rearend instead of using shims 2.I can have the 1 piece 4" aluminum 1996 chevy fullsize driveshaft made to fit(which doesnt fit presently) the guy told me the end caps off of it will actually fit into 5" aluminum tubing. I like the idea of the 5" one piece and i already clearanced the floor for the 4". But i have had problems with the midshift bearing in 2 different s10's ive owned. So i was wondering if the was a better midshift bearing out there? Also i was wondering if it affects the frame negatively when you cut out the carrier bearing cross member?

[zerogravity58]

actually thats a misprint i never noticed i have a 5" aluminum driveshaft from a 2500....there isnt really another carrier bearing the whole 2 peice driveshaft is a crappy design to start with. The fullsize driveshafts will be like 8" longer then you will need but anyplace can shorten it.

[captbrakk2]

Well after saving a little money and waiting a little bit, and then finally talking to a drive shaft shop/guy that isnt going to bullshit me. There is a drive shaft shop called CCI out about 30 minutes from detroit,MI. The whole operation is owned by a guy named mike and its a family operation. Well anyways unlike some of the local rear end guys and suspension guys when i told him of my problem....he came right out into the parking lot with me and crawled under my truck with me and took a look. So long story short he told me he can build me a 5 inch one piece aluminum or rebuild the back half of a two piece, either way I will NOT be able to break it. Well i told him that i was told a one piece is better/stronger he told me with alot of driveshafts he builds the cars are too fast to have a one piece...(not to sure what that means) so he makes them a two piece. If i used the one piece id have to clearance the floor more and remove the crossmember...he also told me that if I bottom out or hit that aluminum on anything even once it would be done. So with all that said he said he can build me a two piece to outlast my truck that will never give me a problem. Also from what i am told by local guys is CCI is the shit. Mike told me that that build hundreds of 2 piece s10 driveshafts more than anyone else in MI. So in all this I am not saying one way is better but I am getting it done this week. If i have any regerets or problems ill post and let ya know.

[zerogravity58]

This is true you do have to clearance the floor as stated above...plus if you hit the aluminum and dent it then you are pretty much done..Im running a single piece 5" and my truck is lowered 4" all the way around and i havent had any problems with it. With a single piece over a 2 piece there is less drivetrain loss. I dont understand how a car is to fast for a single piece driveshaft?

[developed]

Quote: Originally Posted by zerogravity58

I dont understand how a car is to fast for a single piece driveshaft?

It may be the shop makes MORE money doing two pieces

[captbrakk2]

Quote: Originally Posted by developed

It may be the shop makes MORE money doing two pieces

Not so much, it would be the same price either way i go.
like i said im not saying which way anyone should go i just said the way i was gonna go. As far as being too fast for a one piece ill have him explaing to me and get back to you guys...either way this guy does nothing but driveshafts day in and day out and hes been noting but helpful ...so all the mechanics and shop guys around me say they are The shop to go to. So i guess well have to see i'll be the test subject

[poconojoe]

No update on this?
I think what the driveshaft shop might have been refering to, in going too fast for a one piece shaft, is because of the longer length and the lower u-joint angle, the shaft would be allowed to vibrate more.