Does anyone here have a listing of common driveshaft lengths, I'm looking for a donor shaft that'll work in my Son's 70 Nova with Ford nine inch conversion. Needs to be 53-53.5" long. If I can't find an oem one off of a donor car I'll get one made but figured I'd look around a little first. Thought I seen a chart with published lengths posted at one time but can't find it. Thanks, Bob

Depending on what tranny the Nova is running but I'd assume GM. My guess is you're going to have to make a new driveshaft anyhow just to get the trans yoke of the GM hooked up to the rear yoke of the Ford.

dewey

I have a few shafts now that all share the common joint with the nine inch pinion yoke and BorgWarner St-10 trans that'll be in the car so I don't see any problems getting one to hook up. There's also conversion joints available that are sized to ways for joining odd parts together so that's another route. If there wasn't so much snow up here now I'd just hit the yards and start measuring shafts. Might just have to get one made up I guess. Bob

I just received a new custom driveshaft for my T-Bucket from Denny's Driveshafts. Excellent piece of work and fits perfectly. You can find them on the web with all the details on how to measure and order. Included the driveshaft, slip yoke, rear U-joint, and U-joint straps.

Just wondered if you thought about doing one yourself? They are fairly cheap at the bone yard!! Also wondering, I am in the process of building a 37 ford with Vet rear end, I have shortened my half shafts-aluminum myself as well as shortened my drive shaft-steal. I have not had them balanced as of yet, I measured and re measured and when I was done I measured again. Has any one ever had luck doing it themselves and any thoughts on what to look for before I send them in to have them balanced. It was way too easy to do and Im afraid there may be something im missing here. Thanks

Yea Ive shorten a few but like you said I never saw them get Re balanced {old junkers}

Basically figure out which end you want to take the length out of and whack it off using a 14' makita chop saw making good & sure to cut it square? plum? (those words dont sound right here)

* note* if there is a balance weight try to leave it & make sure you don't cut out a down size in the tube*

Then I took my cut off wheel & cut the weld to the yolk staying out of the yolk as best as I can You can use a sawsall too.

I used a cutting torch and slowly melted the junk tube off & cleaned it up real good

Then put a chamfer on the inside of the shaft making sure to get the weld of the tube down concave so the tube slips over the yolk with ease{This is the biggest PITA }

Make sure the shaft fits snug & square to the yolk!

Line up the yolks [front & back] and 4 tack welds remeasure to make sure!! and weld it up!

Except for a couple of my crappy looking welds Badda Bing Badda BOOM no problem

Maybe a little buffing up with one of those Scotchbrite disks & some black spray bomb

measure it until your sure you only get to cut once!


Rob

__________________
"SlowRide66"

"Illegitimis non carborundum"
Don't let the bastards grind you down!

Like Rob Keller I have shortened a few driveshafts in my day. Some wound
up on the street and a few on drag cars. I always shorten from the front end
and take one extra step before tack welding. Mount the driveshaft in the car
and place a dial indicator on the very front of the tube. Rotate the shaft by
turning an axle and adjust with slight hammer taps until the needle only
wiggles when it crosses the weld seam of the driveshaft tube. Not a difficult
project at all.



http://www.picturetrail.com/yelrah_dave

after you cut the shaft and make sure it fits,then weld it up. take 2 or 3 hose clamps and put them over the center of the shaft. put the screw ends all together and put a mark on the shaft.drive the car you will be able to feel the vibration if its out of balance,if not balanced,move all 3 clamps 1 in. try again,keep moving clamps until the vibration goes away. you might even be able to remove 1 or 2 clamps. ive done it 2 times and both times it worked for me.

Tip on keeping yokes aligned; you can mark a straight line along a round
tube by laying a straight piece of angle iron on it.


http://www.picturetrail.com/yelrah_dave

And also use the weld on the length.

__________________
"SlowRide66"

"Illegitimis non carborundum"
Don't let the bastards grind you down!

From the land of "Been there done that":

You can get a new shaft built for less time/hassle than roaming the yards or making it yourself.

Easy is better.

I would have to agree with that,I made up my own shaft for an old pickup that I put a 250 in,and even tho it felt fine at all speeds,it eventually broke all the mounting hole flanges on the automatic transmission,from not being balanced I guess.

I've done a couple of shafts myself, one worked perfectly but the last one I did for the front of my Chev 4X4 has a vibration over 55mph so I just keep it in 2wd on the highway which is no big deal. If I can't find one the right length I'll just have one made up. I thought maybe somebody here just might have info on shaft lengths out of various cars. Thanks, Bob

But not nearly as much fun

I think I will make a wind chime out of old "D" shafts just to piss of my neighbors,

It will be a FAT GUYS wind chime!

__________________
"SlowRide66"

"Illegitimis non carborundum"
Don't let the bastards grind you down!

I have had much better luck using a large tubing cutter like a plumber uses {hand type} which leaves a "square, plum" cut for the end cap to fit back in, maybe not much better than a chop saw, but a minor flaw in that cut can cause a big problem.

I've always cut the rear cap off if for no other reason than if it does wind up a little out of balance, the rear pinion shaft will tolerate vibration better than a tranny output shaft. JMO