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input on rear driveshaft needed for the crew cab-need MORE advice

mrk5

mrk5

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Didn't have any issues the first 2 years with this truck but in the last year I have dinged up the rear shaft twice and it's expensive to re-tube. This is a street and highway driven truck so I need a rear shaft that can run smoothly at 75mph.

I would like some thoughts and input on trying to improve the set up I have now. Obviously a crew cab long bed is going to need a 2 piece shaft to work on the trail. In the picture below, you can see how the second section to the axle lays right now:

Side%20shot%203.jpg


I have a long bed K30 with factor 2-piece shaft here to compare to. One interesting difference is the K30 has the center support bearing (or carrier bearing) located below the back of the cab, whereas the crew cab's is in the middle of the cab. So it looks like they kept the intermediate shaft the same length and the axle half is lengthened or shortened to fit wheelbase. Here's a picture looking back along my rear driveshaft.

4194cc1e-3ade-4fef-86fd-fe9d03edbcb8.jpg


These are 2 ideas I've had so far:
  1. Move the center support bearing further back so it's under the back end of the cab. Then I would have the same angle as a long bed regular cab.
  2. Or add a second carrier bearing with another intermediate shaft. Then maybe I could get the angle closer to what I had in the K5.
My K5 driveshaft worked good with the axle moved back 4" and a SYE the angle seemed good for the highway and also stayed out of the rocks much better than I currently do. The second carrier bearing would add more pieces to the system and another part that could fail or need replaced due to wear. Plus an additional u-joint.

I am a little reluctant about moving or adding the carrier bearing. My concern is getting it aligned properly so it's not putting anything in a bind. Have to be careful the carrier bearing doesn't end up cocked at a bad angle.

Another thing I don't like is the 3.5" diameter of the shaft I have now. I'm 90% certain the K5 had just a 3" diameter and it was heavier wall. IIRC, the current axle section of the rear shaft is roughly 54". Is that length the reason why it has a larger diameter?

Anyway, curious about thoughts and experiences others might have had.
 
Funny I was thinking the same thing about the Rockwells this weekend. Haha!

I wondered some about pointing the pinion up some as well. Wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not.
 
Not sure if you would need to add a CV joint after the carrier bearing. I would think so. But I'm not an expert. Call a drive shaft shop and see what they say.
 
Yeah, I been thinking I would. Last time I fixed the shaft (after Holy Cross), the local didn't have any ideas for me. He does good work, but not an innovator.
 
Here's my thought.

As we spoke, I would use the solid carrier bearing like Tom woods has. After the carrier bearing, the CC shaft can mimic the K5 shaft, it will function the same
 
bent72 said:
Here's my thought.

As we spoke, I would use the solid carrier bearing like Tom woods has. After the carrier bearing, the CC shaft can mimic the K5 shaft, it will function the same
Click to expand...
This is the route my brother is going on his suburban.
 
Wade is right. Move the carrier bearing back.

I think you might be alright without a CV but until you move and measure it I don't know. A CV would allow you to point the pinion up.

Long driveshafts are typically made from a larger tube so if you shorten the rear portion a smaller tube should be fine
 
bent72 said:
Here's my thought.

As we spoke, I would use the solid carrier bearing like Tom woods has. After the carrier bearing, the CC shaft can mimic the K5 shaft, it will function the same
Click to expand...
I was looking at the 2 piece driveshaft info on their website and it says that shaft is not for high speeds. I don't know if that is because of the solid bearing or the way they do the slip on both shafts. But it got me curious.
 
mrk5 said:
I was looking at the 2 piece driveshaft info on their website and it says that shaft is not for high speeds. I don't know if that is because of the solid bearing or the way they do the slip on both shafts. But it got me curious.
Click to expand...
Well dang
 
Still on board with making the secondary appx same length as K5 shaft.
 
don't forget jesse at high angle driveline.

I have chatted with him many times on advice and he was always cool and right on point.

I have some of his stuff and when ready for shafts will be his even tho I have a shop in town for reg shafts .
 
sweetk30 said:
don't forget jesse at high angle driveline.

I have chatted with him many times on advice and he was always cool and right on point.

I have some of his stuff and when ready for shafts will be his even tho I have a shop in town for reg shafts .
Click to expand...
That's who I would call, he's a customer of ours.:D Plus he has that 60-something Chevy that I'll bet has a 2-piece shaft so he might have some insight from owning one. He built the front and rear shafts I had in the K5.
 
blazinzuk said:
Wade is right. Move the carrier bearing back.

I think you might be alright without a CV but until you move and measure it I don't know. A CV would allow you to point the pinion up.

Long driveshafts are typically made from a larger tube so if you shorten the rear portion a smaller tube should be fine
Click to expand...
If I could avoid a CV, that would definitely same me money on an already expensive driveshaft.

I noticed something looking through pictures trying to find some of the rear shaft. One thing changed before I dinged up the rear shaft these last 2 times. I swapped out the 2wd rear spring hangers and ditched the 5.5" lift blocks. Those lift blocks had a taper and the pinion looked like this:
20130418_174245.jpg

I would have to see what the pinion looks like now, but I wonder if it's pointed more down than it was before. Maybe that's why it's been an issue just recently and not before the suspension changes.
 
Or your getting used to the truck and pushing it more cause you know what it's capable of:dunno:

Or maybe that other thing
 
Yeah, I suppose they did happen on harder trails than I had been running.
 
Remember that's how I killed mine at Chinamans. Got to trying stuff I shouldn't have and munched the shaft.

What it really tells me is you need 44s
 
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