X Frame & 1 Piece Driveshafts
- Thread starter Jim G.
- Start date
I have heard of guys using one piece driveshafts, but you should only need to clearance the rear end of the X, not remove it.
I thought about doing it, but I'm going to just use a billet center bearing with a slip joint shaft on my air ride equipped '61. I dont have tons of horse power with just a stock LS1 (325hp).
I thought about doing it, but I'm going to just use a billet center bearing with a slip joint shaft on my air ride equipped '61. I dont have tons of horse power with just a stock LS1 (325hp).
I believe in most cases two piece driveshafts are used due to length of shaft. There's a formula for figuring out the minimum shaft diameter due to length. When it gets too long the dia. required is too large so going to a 2 piece reduces the needed diameter of the tube(s).
I thought about this as well and found my low rider buddies have already been through this.
read up
http://www.lowridermagazine.com/tech/0304lrm_hydraulics_driveshaft/
read up
http://www.lowridermagazine.com/tech/0304lrm_hydraulics_driveshaft/
Good article. They confirmed the diameter to length ratio thing I mentioned. I forgot about that tele driveshaft. It's local to me and I have seen them before, just have not had a need for one, yet.
the concept is the same in the 60's chevy trucks. I may actualy use an old 63 truck drive line with the larger u joints and the better center bearing if, when, mine blows out. The standard ones with the newer u joints are good to 650 ft lbs of torq according to the drive line shop I had mine built at but the tube worries me some :-)
bubbletop1961
Well Known Member
http://www.iedls.com/
Aapco
800-648-1034
Long Beach, Ca
I would like to use the telescoping shaft also. Just havent got around to it. Its on the list of things to do before going back to the track. I have a solid carrier bearing I got from Aapco. It has no rubber or poly urethane. With a slip yoke shaft I could use it. It would alow the rear end to move freely. I would also give that polyurethane one a try.
I stared along time at the tunnel and a one piece shaft and decided against it for all the above reasons. By the time I cut enough out for it to fit the way i wanted, there wasnt much left.
Aapco
800-648-1034
Long Beach, Ca
I would like to use the telescoping shaft also. Just havent got around to it. Its on the list of things to do before going back to the track. I have a solid carrier bearing I got from Aapco. It has no rubber or poly urethane. With a slip yoke shaft I could use it. It would alow the rear end to move freely. I would also give that polyurethane one a try.
I stared along time at the tunnel and a one piece shaft and decided against it for all the above reasons. By the time I cut enough out for it to fit the way i wanted, there wasnt much left.
I have experienced egg shaping of the stock carrier bearing and went to Inland Empire billet aluminum with poly carrier bearing and it is the best. It costs about 3 times what a center carrier bearing at O'Rielly's but is well worth it. I think if you went to a one piece it would have to be somewhere about 6 inches in dia. 
Roy
Roy
Inland Empire makes a couple of driveshafts for out cars. One's a slip joint version of the stock sized driveline with a stronger center bearing, and the 502 series with bigger 1350 U joints. The 502 series also has bigger tubes and it should be just about unbreakable but I remember it was pretty expensive when I priced it a few years ago. http://www.iedls.com/page4.html
I got a 1350 series driveline from a one ton cube van and had it shortened. At that time Inland Empire wouldn't sell the center bearing from the 502 series separately, so I had to modify a stock style pedestal to take the larger bearing. (the horseshoe style center bearing mount's too big to fit in the tunnel)
If you wanted to mate a big driveshaft to the smaller yoke on the stock rearend you can get a special U-joint for that. Inland would certainly have them but almost any driveline place would too. The stock 1955 to 64 rearends used 1310 series driveline.
By the way, I got a really cool computer program for setting up drivelines. It's mainly used on big trucks that have lots of U-joints. All you do is input all the driveshaft angles and it will tell you if it's good or not.
I got a 1350 series driveline from a one ton cube van and had it shortened. At that time Inland Empire wouldn't sell the center bearing from the 502 series separately, so I had to modify a stock style pedestal to take the larger bearing. (the horseshoe style center bearing mount's too big to fit in the tunnel)
If you wanted to mate a big driveshaft to the smaller yoke on the stock rearend you can get a special U-joint for that. Inland would certainly have them but almost any driveline place would too. The stock 1955 to 64 rearends used 1310 series driveline.
By the way, I got a really cool computer program for setting up drivelines. It's mainly used on big trucks that have lots of U-joints. All you do is input all the driveshaft angles and it will tell you if it's good or not.
A while back someone posted a link to a web site on what is called " critical speed" . This is driveshaft lenght in relation to rpm & tube diameter, also has to do w/ tube materials [ mild steel , chromemoly , alum & carbon fiber ] . I beleive there information about this on the MARK WILLIAMS web site !!! Some of the info will scare the crap out of ya , and you'll want to alter the wheel base . :evil
I run a one peice shaft w/ 1350 joints that is chromemoly , I beleive it is a 3' tube . You do not have to slaughter the frame to make this work . The key to the whole deal is to keep the shock lenght short enough that when the rear end hangs on the shocks the tube does not hit the frame , I put a longer brake hose on & to install shaft i drop rear end down and slide shaft over top of rear end housing . Once the shaft is in to remove the trans just slide it back over top of rear end !
I did cut the flat part of frame where the two rails come together . I used a sawzall & followed the rail down the side , sounds confusing , but it is not. Also the 1350 yoke will not slide thru the round hole at the frt of frame , some trimming is required .
Any questions class??
I run a one peice shaft w/ 1350 joints that is chromemoly , I beleive it is a 3' tube . You do not have to slaughter the frame to make this work . The key to the whole deal is to keep the shock lenght short enough that when the rear end hangs on the shocks the tube does not hit the frame , I put a longer brake hose on & to install shaft i drop rear end down and slide shaft over top of rear end housing . Once the shaft is in to remove the trans just slide it back over top of rear end !
I did cut the flat part of frame where the two rails come together . I used a sawzall & followed the rail down the side , sounds confusing , but it is not. Also the 1350 yoke will not slide thru the round hole at the frt of frame , some trimming is required .
Any questions class??
Hey fellas, Remember that part of the maddness that we share is a very heavy car. because of this it takes less power to break things trying to move the wieght of the car. If you use your car hard ,one piece drive shaft is the only way to go.The more joints you have the weaker it will be. I am hoping to take pictures of my set up to give you ideas, I dont know whenthis will be Ill try to do it soon.A picture is worth a thousand words.
1 piece driveshaft
Jim G
I have been using a 2 piece drive shaft from Inland Empire now for 5 years.
1350 u-joints and alum center mount. the car weights in at 3950 with driver
and the 60 foot times are in the low 1.40 area on 10.5 tires.
I have no problems with drive shaft, yes it is a little on the pricey side, but it
works for me. yes I cut acouple inches out of thr rear of the X only because
I drop the rear more than stock when I jack the car to change tires.
Bluescreamer
Jim G
I have been using a 2 piece drive shaft from Inland Empire now for 5 years.
1350 u-joints and alum center mount. the car weights in at 3950 with driver
and the 60 foot times are in the low 1.40 area on 10.5 tires.
I have no problems with drive shaft, yes it is a little on the pricey side, but it
works for me. yes I cut acouple inches out of thr rear of the X only because
I drop the rear more than stock when I jack the car to change tires.
Bluescreamer
I use the Inland Empire rear stock dia. telescopic or slide type driveshaft on my 60 with a heavy "Inland Empire" carrier bearing. I have replaced the stock type 1310 greasable U joints with "Brute Force" non greasable 1310 U joints. I run a Ford 9" 4.56 rear with a Detroit locker and 31 spline Moser axles. My 60' times are 1.7. Car weights 4250 with driver. Ok so far!
