Drive Shaft Length Help

-

carfreak6970

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2014
Messages
544
Reaction score
194
Location
Pittsburgh
Hello Folks!!

This past weekend I tried to throw a bunch of parts at the 67 GTS (383 and a A833) I am working on in hopes of getting that sucker running. Well ran in to a couple issues that prevented me from hitting that goal, including this one(?).

So I got a drive shaft out of a junk yard for this car and tried to install it last month and saw it was too long. When looking at page 16-7 in the 67 Dodge Service it only lists a 273 with any available transmission and an 8 3/4 rear end. That length is 52.58. It doesnt list what the length would be with a 383. Now I believe the drive shaft length should be the same since the mounting point for the 4 speed transmission is in the same location (there werent different transmission mounts between big block and small blocks to my knowledge) for a big block and a small block. The transmission tail shaft is the same between big block and small block (it is believed to be the original 67 transmission. Correct casting numbers for this vintage) so therefore the drive shaft should be the same length as a car with a 273.

However Does this look right?

image31-2.JPG


I had a hard time trying to get the rear universal joint aligned with the yoke on the front of the axle. Now I know it is a slip connection into the transmission but is there enough available movement in this for the travel of the suspension? The axle is in its stock location with leaf springs of an unknown rate. I do not know if they were changed to the super stock ones or some other drag springs at one point. I have a fear of the drive shaft yoke bottoming out on the transmission output shaft and causing unwanted wear and tear on the driveline.

The picture was taken with the straps torqued into place with the rear wheels on skates and the front end of the car raised in the air.

any help would be appreciated.
 
Hello Folks!!

This past weekend I tried to throw a bunch of parts at the 67 GTS (383 and a A833) I am working on in hopes of getting that sucker running. Well ran in to a couple issues that prevented me from hitting that goal, including this one(?).

So I got a drive shaft out of a junk yard for this car and tried to install it last month and saw it was too long. When looking at page 16-7 in the 67 Dodge Service it only lists a 273 with any available transmission and an 8 3/4 rear end. That length is 52.58. It doesnt list what the length would be with a 383. Now I believe the drive shaft length should be the same since the mounting point for the 4 speed transmission is in the same location (there werent different transmission mounts between big block and small blocks to my knowledge) for a big block and a small block. The transmission tail shaft is the same between big block and small block (it is believed to be the original 67 transmission. Correct casting numbers for this vintage) so therefore the drive shaft should be the same length as a car with a 273.

However Does this look right?

View attachment 1715058627

I had a hard time trying to get the rear universal joint aligned with the yoke on the front of the axle. Now I know it is a slip connection into the transmission but is there enough available movement in this for the travel of the suspension? The axle is in its stock location with leaf springs of an unknown rate. I do not know if they were changed to the super stock ones or some other drag springs at one point.

I believe the correct way to measure is bottom out slip yoke inside trans then take measurement center of u-joint cap to u- joint cap. You should be able to bottom out slip yoke then have to slide it back an 1"- 1 1/2" before seating in the pinion yoke.
 
Ran into the same probably on a '63 c10 this weekend, drive shaft was just a few inches short with a different transmission.... frustration.
 
I believe the correct way to measure is bottom out slip yoke inside trans then take measurement center of u-joint cap to u- joint cap. You should be able to bottom out slip yoke then have to slide it back an 1"- 1 1/2" before seating in the pinion yoke.

This is the way I would do it having done plenty of them.
1 inch with the car sitting on the rear end would be pushing it a little, but if that yoke will slide in at least that much or more you should be ok. (and I believe it will since that boot will collapse and I know for a fact the yokes go that far in as to make them collapse.)
Like mentioned by the Riff Raff :D, 1.5 would be about perfect, but I have also seen people get away with just barely enough to get the rear U joint in the yoke.
 
The photo you showed looks fine to me. That rear boot moves a long way. I vaguely remember at least one car I had, "bone stock" either my 69 383 RR or 70 440-6....the factory setup was that tight
 
I now this is an old thread but was wondering what was your final decision as to length?
 
I believe the correct way to measure is bottom out slip yoke inside trans then take measurement center of u-joint cap to u- joint cap. You should be able to bottom out slip yoke then have to slide it back an 1"- 1 1/2" before seating in the pinion yoke.
w/ weight on all 4 wheels, 1" , as suggested above ---------
 
-
Back
Top