another driveshaft length measurements request

[LCAM-01XA]

Your typical regular cab long bed IDI work truck, with a ZF or a 4-speed, and a BW1356 t-case with a slip-yoke rear output - need rear driveshaft length between centers of U-joint caps. This is a single piece shaft, basically just a tube with a yoke welded to each end.

Managed to get a hold of a real nice PTO-capable 1356 but it's a slip-yoke tail, it came with a shaft that's supposed to be the right one but don't really wanna do all the work just to realize the shaft is actually wrong for the application.

Thanks!

 

[79jasper]

Well I was about to ask if a chassis cab would work, but realized my truck is nearly 1000 miles away. Lol

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[LCAM-01XA]

Chassis-cab is a no-go even if it were right next to you, wrong wheel base. Need measurements for the long bed pickup box. Preferably a short-pinion rear axle, so '92 or older.

 

[79jasper]

Ah, gotcha.

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[Leeland]

I want to say the one I had made for my regular cab was 58" or some where there in the 50's. Was a hair longer then stock I think. Still have it kicking around if you want a measurement and some one hasn't given a more difinitive answer.

 

[riotwarrior]

Get me weld to weld measurement will confirm as thats F350 part have in stock

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Leeland, yeah, if you have it in an easy to get to place please grab that length for us. Thanks in advance!

Riot, what is up with you and your weld-to-weld measurements? You shouldn't really use that, it's grossly inaccurate - for one thing the length of the yokes depends on the size of U-joint being used, and then even yokes using the same size U-joint still aren't always identical - for example we have two shafts with 52" cap center to cap center length, both use 1330 U-joints, but their yokes are actually different designs, so their weld to weld distances differ by 3/4" or so. That's why length is taken between centers of U-joint caps, or the holes for them if shaft is bare, then it doesn't matter what size the joints are or who made the particular caps being used, the length is what it is. But to answer your question, we have hoarded about 10 different shafts (the aforementioned two 52" ones and some others) piled up all in one spot, and I don't recall which one of them all was supposed to be the one for a RCLB IDI 5-speed BW1356 truck. If someone gives me an exact cap to cap number I'll lay them all out and start measuring and find the one that's closest. Heck it may not even be the one the t-case seller gave us (whichever that one is), who knows, we may have one that fits better...

 

[Leeland]

51.75" center to center. Put my slip yoke to where no clean was showing in the t-case on a 93 reg cab f350 zf/1356 and I don't know if it makes much of a difference but my pick up had a long pinion 10.25.
Sure glad I measured it, the shaft is 6" shorter then I remember it being......

 

[IDIoit]

Riot, what is up with you and your weld-to-weld measurements? You shouldn't really use that, it's grossly inaccurate

i second this...
center to center of u-joints is what my driveline guy wants.
when dealing with a slip yoke on a non adjustable suspension (hotrod and such) i put the slipyoke all the way into the trans,
measure from the back of the front u-joint, to 3/8" before the rear yoke.
gives you plenty of room to set the rear u-joint into the yoke and the maximum amount of splines on the output shaft.

but theres 10 million ways to skin a cat, all depends if youre going to BBQ, smoke, or fry that cat....

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Not sure what the nose length difference, if any, is between short and long spline axles, but one of the two 52" shafts should be the right one. Actually I know which one it its. the one with the torched u-joints - the other is the rear half of the drive shaft for a 2wd crew cab, still has the yoke for right behind carrier bearing attached to it. Alright, sounds like we're good to go!

 

[riotwarrior]

Leeland, yeah, if you have it in an easy to get to place please grab that length for us. Thanks in advance!

Riot, what is up with you and your weld-to-weld measurements? You shouldn't really use that, it's grossly inaccurate - for one thing the length of the yokes depends on the size of U-joint being used, and then even yokes using the same size U-joint still aren't always identical - for example we have two shafts with 52" cap center to cap center length, both use 1330 U-joints, but their yokes are actually different designs, so their weld to weld distances differ by 3/4" or so. That's why length is taken between centers of U-joint caps, or the holes for them if shaft is bare, then it doesn't matter what size the joints are or who made the particular caps being used, the length is what it is. But to answer your question, we have hoarded about 10 different shafts (the aforementioned two 52" ones and some others) piled up all in one spot, and I don't recall which one of them all was supposed to be the one for a RCLB IDI 5-speed BW1356 truck. If someone gives me an exact cap to cap number I'll lay them all out and start measuring and find the one that's closest. Heck it may not even be the one the t-case seller gave us (whichever that one is), who knows, we may have one that fits better...

Used this method for years . We use it in autowrecking and it has never failed yet.

You dont have to **** my method and if you wont provide me weld to weld thats fine then the measurement I cant be bothered to measure comparatively.

It is a hell of alot more accurate than yoy think.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Riot, if it works for you that's fine, however this is our truck and therefore I can ask to have things measured my way. I didn't randomly choose it, I chose it because it's the U-joints position that determine whether things will bottom out or not. Therefore I don't wanna waste both of our times by first making you crawl under your truck, then us following your numbers and throwing a matching shaft in there just to find out your truck had the short yokes and our shaft has the long ones and as a result the t-case yoke is now riding against the rear seal all the time. Yes the 1" difference the yokes can make is enough to cause that to happen.

Btw I told you the reason I couldn't provide you with weld-to-weld measurements - too many driveshafts, didn't which is which (and for some I still don't). But now that I have Leeland's cap to cap distance I know which shafts would fit, and I was able to measure them - one has 48" weld to weld distance, the other almost 49", factory welds on both are kinda bloated and not anywhere near as nice and straight as how our driveline guy makes them so not very easy to take precise measurement. But like I said, both shafts come up to 52" cap to cap. So which one you got, 48" or 49"?

 

[riotwarrior]

I dont know can walk out n measure it...sitting on ground next to silver red f250

50 1/2 ujoint to ujoint centre & 47 3/8 weld centre

1990 F350 RC 4x ZF/ 1356 Shaft

 

[LCAM-01XA]

K, half an inch longer than what we got, shouldn't be a big deal. Bet that's cause yours is the F350 shaft whereas ours could have come out of a F250 for all I know. Regardless, thanks for the measurement, seems like what we got should work well enough. Especially if we flip the rear shackles and thus slide the axle a tiny bit forward, that should make things fit pretty good.

 

[riotwarrior]

K, half an inch longer than what we got, shouldn't be a big deal. Bet that's cause yours is the F350 shaft whereas ours could have come out of a F250 for all I know. Regardless, thanks for the measurement, seems like what we got should work well enough. Especially if we flip the rear shackles and thus slide the axle a tiny bit forward, that should make things fit pretty good.

Uhm 1.5 inches shorter dude 52 vs 50 1/2