Okay, this seems like the right place to get some history lessons about drive shaft swaps.
I have a '98 s-10 v6 extended cab 2WD. The drivetrain needs work, u-joints replaced and all that. I went to a shop that does nothing but supension, steering and driveshafts. The truck is stock, and I have no plans to alter the ride height or engine. I am, however, wanting to change the drive shaft from the double cardan triple u-joint to a simpler single shaft. Steel, 3 or so inches in diameter, with greasable u-joints. I want this truck to outlast me. I don't expect any several thousand miles roadtrips anytime soon, and I rarely put over 200 miles on it in a month. I will rent or borrow a bigger truck if I need to haul a half-ton of anything.
I went over all this with the guy who is going to do the work. Replacing the whole length of the driveshaft won't cost me any more than fixing the back end of the current drive shaft, and it seems like simpler beats out complex on something like this. He is comfortable making the change, but he'll do either.
So, is there anybody out there who has made this very same swap and can speak from first-hand experience on what the pros and cons are? Most of the posts I find here go back a while, and no one seems to update with glee or despair after having swapped and lived with it for awhile. Whatever I'm going to do is going to happen in the next couple of weeks. I'd like to not be second and triple-guessing along the way.
So, anyone..?
I have a '98 s-10 v6 extended cab 2WD. The drivetrain needs work, u-joints replaced and all that. I went to a shop that does nothing but supension, steering and driveshafts. The truck is stock, and I have no plans to alter the ride height or engine. I am, however, wanting to change the drive shaft from the double cardan triple u-joint to a simpler single shaft. Steel, 3 or so inches in diameter, with greasable u-joints. I want this truck to outlast me. I don't expect any several thousand miles roadtrips anytime soon, and I rarely put over 200 miles on it in a month. I will rent or borrow a bigger truck if I need to haul a half-ton of anything.
I went over all this with the guy who is going to do the work. Replacing the whole length of the driveshaft won't cost me any more than fixing the back end of the current drive shaft, and it seems like simpler beats out complex on something like this. He is comfortable making the change, but he'll do either.
So, is there anybody out there who has made this very same swap and can speak from first-hand experience on what the pros and cons are? Most of the posts I find here go back a while, and no one seems to update with glee or despair after having swapped and lived with it for awhile. Whatever I'm going to do is going to happen in the next couple of weeks. I'd like to not be second and triple-guessing along the way.
So, anyone..?
