Front drive shaft issues

[JOEDEZZY]

Ok first off, I'm a newb so if this is a stupid question then well what do you expect. I just bought a 77 k5, put a engine into it, everything seems ok, but when i go into 4 high (what i think is 4 high, the gear shifter is pulled back as far as it will go) I hear a loud clunking noise, after looking under the vehicle while it moves, it looks like the drive shaft is getting into a bind and as the bind turns towards the top it breaks out of that bind and falls into another one, which is whats making the noise, when I crawl under the truck I can easily see the spline sticking out about 2-3 inches. I know the trucks been lifted but I dont know by how much, but its nothing crazy maybe 3-4 inches and I'm riding on 32 inch tires (dont know if that makes a difference). What do I need to do here to fix this, do I need a longer drive shaft and if so where do I get one?

 

[JOEDEZZY]

Ok I pulled the drive shaft and the spline fell right out of the yoke, the splined section is really short (about 4-5 inches) and with the 2 inches that was already hanging out while it was on the truck makes me realize how close this thing was to falling out. I have also found out that my lift is 2 to 2.5 inches, so what do I need to do here?

 

[rick88blaze]

It sounds like someone put too short of a shaft up front. I would either get that one lengthened or get a new one built to the right length. If you get the one you have lengthened you better go ahead and put new joints in it while you are at it.

Rick

 

[JOEDEZZY]

Thanks for the input, I'll do that.

 

[Desert Yeti]

I may be way off base here, but I had an old 4x4 at one point that the front shaft was so worn out and tired that it had "flex" at the splines and it would be "bent" in the middle as a result causing it to bind and pop while engaged.

Check to see if there's any lateral movement to the shaft itself that doesn't invovle the U-joints.... the splines could be all chewed up and toast...espeically if it's been wheeling in that condition or if (as pointed out above) the shaft was too short to begin with and not engaging enough of the splined section.

Good luck man! I know a guy parting out a '74 1/2 ton pickup here in Tucson... don't know if he has the front shaft or not, or how much he'd want for it, but if you need one let me know.

 

[blazinzuk]

front shaft was so worn out and tired that it had "flex" at the splines and it would be "bent" in the middle as a result causing it to bind and pop while engaged.

I have had the splines so worn out they did something similar to this. If the shaft was already too short and it was wheeled at all I have no doubt the splines are toast, they should be tight. If they are loose and you can afford it replace the shaft

 

[JOEDEZZY]

I know a guy parting out a '74 1/2 ton pickup here in Tucson... don't know if he has the front shaft or not, or how much he'd want for it, but if you need one let me know.

If its K2mslskier thats parting out the truck, I already got the drive shaft from him and it was too short, I'm gonna take it back to him one of these days when I get the time.