[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]

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]

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]

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.