Driveshaft blunder...

[reddog64]

hahaha... boy did I have fun... I was going down a street down a rather steep hill around a corner... Saw a big mud puddle, ok a swamp... it was big... So what would any fun lovin K-5'r do... speed up Well getting closer, and fast, I noticed a big sumthin in the middle of this new found lake... So I deciede, having new tires, that I didnt want to tear a tire up on what looked like a big chunk of exhaust in the middle of my puddle... So I stopped... I locked up the rear brakes in the loose dirt/gravel as i slid off the road through the drit... I stopped abpiut 4 feet from a 7 foot piece of exhaust, complete with muffler and all... would of not been pleasant to drive over... Well I put it in park when I heard a really bad noise.... A thud, thud, thud, thud, commin from under my truck... I got out in the pouring rain and looked... I saw my rear drive shaft seperated and the rear part hanging off the ground, and the fromnt off the rear of the xfer case was hanging in mid air. It had pulled apart.... Now I knew when I lifted it 4 inches it was gonna be shorter... but I never gussed this... I had been in the snow tearing it up, in huge mud holes rompin around and never had a problem... Why did it pop out when I locked the breakes up??? I walked home 2 miles in the rain, gut a few wrenches, walked back (in the rain) dropped the rear u joint, slid it back together, and put it all back in place... I droove it all weekend no problems, Yes I need to have it lengthened... How much is this gonna cost??? I need, I guess, 4 inches longer since it was a four inch lift??? What made it pop out anyways???

Um... yes officer I know it's too big...

 

[Zepplin]

Well, my rear driveshaft broke on the highway and it left a good dent under the body. I went and got a completly new one made for it, it had a 6 inch lift and it cost around $270 with a warranty.

Communication Breakdown
74 Blazer
Zeppelin

 

[Emmettology 101]

Thats weird, I have been running a 6" lift with my stock shaft for 2 years now with no problems other than some quick wearing u-joints..


You could take your shaft to a shop and have it lengthened. I doubt you will need it lengthened 4 inches, but you will need a few inches.

Around here, it costs about $150+ to lengthen a shaft.. Or you could do like Zepplin and get a custom one built and keep you stock one for a spare for those rainy days when you dont want ot be stranded!

Mike

See <font color=green>EMMETT</font color=green> -&gt; <A target="_blank" HREF=http://emmett.coloradok5.com>http://emmett.coloradok5.com</A>

 

[ftn96]

I have a 4" lift and I only had to lengthen my DS by 1 inch. Do you have a solid piece DS or one with a CV? If it is a one piece, you need to dis-connect the DS from the rear axle yoke, push the slip yoke all the way into the rear of the T-case, letting the rear of the DS hang down, then turn the slip yoke until the u-joint caps inside the slip yoke, are horizontal, where you can see them from the side, then take your tape measure and measure from the center on the cap straight back to the center of where the cap will be in the axle yoke. Tkae this measurement to a driveshaft shop and tell them the measurement you have taken, and I believe they will subtract 1 inch from that, and they will make you a new shaft using your old slip yoke, un less you need a new one.
I believe the reason you shaft came out under hard braking is that the axle gets put under serious forward roll type bind. Like a reverse axle wrap, and by this happening with your DS being so short, the axle yoke gets further from the T-case thus pulling it out of the T-case. Your DS must be pretty damn short. Get some prices around there. I have a guy here that will make them wiht 3" tubing, new ears for the back, and new u-joints and painted for $185. If you can figure shipping for this kinda weight and all.... well the guy only takes cash and checks. So that may rule that out. Anyway hope this all helped.

I miss my Ex, but my aim is getting better!
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[UseYourBlinker]

I installed a 2.5in. lift from Procomp about 3 years ago (new springs in front & Blocks,add-a-leaf in rear. I used to chew up about 6 U-Joints in about 4months, untill I took it to a driveline shop. They said since lifting it almost 3in. in the back the driveline was an 1 1/2in. too short! Well I decided to get a new one made with a warranty for about $200. I have not chewed up a U-Joint for about a year 1/2 now....

If it ain't a Chevy, don't raise it up!

 

[HarryH3]

Make sure that the u-bolts holding the axle to the springs are tight! I've never heard of anyone dropping a driveshaft like that just by slamming on the brakes. Either that shaft is just way too short (not the original perhaps?) or something moved a LOT when you slammed on the brakes!

<font color=black>HarryH3 - '75 K5</font color=black>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://ThunderTruck.ColoradoK5.com>http://ThunderTruck.ColoradoK5.com</A>

 

[ftn96]

Hey red, how much slip yoke do you have showing with the truck just sitting there on level ground? You shouldn't, (ideally) have more than about a 1 to an 1 1/2 showing. Now I know Emmett has a little more than that. And that is cool, but it sets you up for situations like this. You need to measure it like I pointed out and go get a longer one. And like Harry said, make sure your u-bolts are tight. Did you do like the instructions said? To re-check the torque on all the hardware after every 100 miles or so for the 1st 500.

I miss my Ex, but my aim is getting better!
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://mccordhouse.freeservers.com>http://mccordhouse.freeservers.com</A>

 

[reddog64]

It has about an 1 inch of the slip yoke showing... I just called and they said 150 to lengthen the tube... ouch... why is it that us guy's will do anything for these trucks... ??? Awww.. it's all worth it!!! I did re torque everything down... is there a stronger u-joint i can buy than the cheap 11 dollar ones... I dont wanna break one of those ...

Um... yes officer I know it's too big...

 

[ftn96]

Ok, I just read your post again. You have a 2 piece driveshaft right? YOu must if you had a piece hanging off the rear and a piece hanging off the t-case. You are now Outta my league. I have a one piece shaft. But theory is theory, It sounds like your shaft is too short. And that price doesnt sound too bad.
I'd go for it, and I will bet 10 dollars to a donut that that will fix the problem. Or you can just carry those tools with you from now on. LOL!! Good luck bro.

I miss my Ex, but my aim is getting better!
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[90K5]

You might want to lower the t-case too. You'll still need a new shaft, but you'll eat u-joints less quickly, and have a smoother feel to the truck going down the road.

90K5

See my truck at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Albumindex?u=1329584&a=9886502>http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Albumindex?u=1329584&a=9886502</A>

 

[ftn96]

Well, I might dis-agree till we get more info. He hasn't complained of any vibrations or ruffness. Just that the damn shaft fell apart. MAn, thats almost funny. I bet you had a big freaking crazy look on your face.
But If your ride is riding ruff, then yes drop the t-case down with those stock spacers if you haven't already. But I'd be willing to bet that wiht 6" lift there would be no way around it unless you got one of those CV style drive shafts. Which is what Im thinking about doing. My said she thinks it rides fine (for what it is) but I don't like vibrations. And I can still feel them damn critters under there. But this is all my 2 pennies. and they are tarnished ones at that.
Lengthen it!!!!

I miss my Ex, but my aim is getting better!
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[Derf00]

fnt95 & HarryH3 are right on. After a 4" lift, I had both drive shafts lengthened for $160.00. Sitting on level ground you shouldn't have over 1" of play in the slip-joint. Be sure all of your u-bolts are tight, I had what I thought was a braking problem, but found out that it was loose u-bolts.