Stinky is a 2000 4x4 EC LB with 2 pieces, to add to the discussion.

 

Currently seems like 2WD from 2000-2003 and long beds have a 2 piece shaft and possibly the 4x4 short beds have a 1 piece from the factory. Waiting for others to chime in before we can get a solid answer on this.

Thanks for those who have participated.

 

Mine is a 4x4, Crew cab, Short bed with a 2 piece shaft. Might be because it's a crew cab. The distance between the transfer case and yoke is so short as it is I can't imagine a need for a two piece shaft if I had a shorter cab.

 

Speaking with a driveline shop, their view was a single shaft is for single cab trucks only FWIW.

 

Would extended cab/short bed have the same wheel base as single cab long bed?

 

I would bet it is pretty close, but would have to look into it.

 

My 99 Ext cab short bed 4x4 also has a one piece shaft. Just got it back two days ago from getting rebuilt for the second time.

 

I almost called you yesterday, to see what's new. My drive was through some bad cell service, though.

So your single driveshaft has been repaired more than once? If so, was all the damage done before you reprogrammed back to stock? Have you chipped back up yet?

 

I have almost called you as well

Ya. Had it done in 2011 and again just this past week. Did my front driveshaft in Jan of this year as well. I don't think the chip he anything to do with the damage. I might be wrong though. Truck is still stock right now. I really need to do some work to the ol girl but the money isn't available right now. I am guessing the driveshaft problems are pulling a trailer and snowplowing related. The driveshaft itself it okay but the joints are always bad it seems. I normally got grease able joints because I thought they would last longer. But the guy at the driveline shop (which I trust) said that the greaseable joints are not built to as tight of tolerances as the non-greaseable ones. So he recommended the non greaseable. So that's the route I went with all new spicer everything. He said it should last 100,000 miles at least. So we will see.

 

All the experts I talked to agree with your guy - no zirks allowed.

 

I had my carrier bearing grenade on me a couple days ago, it was replaced by my mechanic last spring.

I'm done with 2-piecs shafts, seems the only benefit is "less vibration" but that doesn't seem to be the case with me. Sick of dealing with this crap.

I'm going 1-piece, ordering Monday from one of 2 shops after I get the old shaft off and get some measurements.

 

I will remember that no zirks part.

My two cents on the two piece vs one. I like simplicity. I have never had drive shaft troubles but I am not hard on my equipment. But I have always felt that the u-joints and the yokes were the weak links in the chain there. One piece drive shaft has two yokes and two u-joints. Two piece has four yokes, three u-joints and a carrier bearing. To me that just sounds like trouble waiting to happen.