The yokes on my rear driveshaft of my 74 F250 Highboy are toast. Having a shop replace them is an option, but I can't seem to find the price of a new driveshaft online for my application as I would like to compare options so I'm not paying more than I have to. The driveshaft is "telescopic" (my description) and it mates to a NP 205 transfer case to a Dana 60 rearend. The dimensions of the U joints aren't "square", but "rectangular" if that makes sense to anybody. If anybody out there knows a good driveshaft supplier for my application and what my best bet is as far as new vs repair goes, plus what is a reasonable amount to pay, I sure would appreciate any input. Thank you.

 

IMHO it's best to look locally for this kind of stuff, I'd be surprised if one could find anything online given the length/size variations and the amount of maintenance & support that'd be involved in attempting to keep such purchasers happy.

Might try an online site such as car-part.com to see if you can find any general price ranges.

 

There are two main kinds of driveshafts for older Solid axle applications: Slip-yoke and splined/telescoping.

Slip yokes aren't found on the Ford Trucks (EDIT: these may be found in some 2WD applications, unsure!). The most common place is on the 87-95 Jeep Wranglers. Basically, they have the axle end u-joint as normal, but at the front, there is another piece of the driveshaft ahead of the axle that slides into the back of the transfer case, and can "slip" in and out when the suspension cycles. This is also very common in car applications (like the 99-04 Mustangs for sure, and probably true for *all* mustangs) where the suspension doesn't move very much. In a truck (or Jeep!) when you flex the suspension really far, there's a chance the driveshaft will fall out of the vehicle. Been there, done that, bought the parts to fix it.

The splined or telescoping driveshafts are much more common on trucks - they don't fall out! It's basically a u-joint at each end with yokes, and a tube in the middle. Then, to make it fancy, they weld a telescoping section into the driveshaft, usually up near the transmission/transfer case.

As for a replacement? There are LOTS of shops online that will build a driveshaft to your specifications/application. The fact that your u-joints aren't "square" is kind of odd - a Dana 60 should have a 1330 or 1350 series yoke, and your driveshaft should have a matching flange. If one dimension is smaller than the other, then if you ever break a u-joint, it's going to be the smaller side. A driveline shop can fix that for you, and weld on yokes that are appropriate to keep the u-joints "square" (i.e. "standard size"!).

You should measure each of the u-joints in all four aspects: Width of the cross (with caps on!) and cap diameter, and then height of the cross (with caps on), and that side's cap diameter. Those measurements will allow you to figure out what "series" u-joints are being used, which you can use to tell a shop which flanges to use when building your new driveshaft

With that info, a driveline shop can either 1) make a new driveshaft to stock specifications, or 2) make a driveshaft that has upgraded yokes/tube for a bigger u-joint, or 3) fix up the stock shaft with new yokes.

The cheapest route is going to be putting new yokes on your existing tube locally. If you're heartset on a new shaft, and want to spend some coin on an upgrade, you might consider talking to/emailing the guys over at Tom Woods ( Tom Wood's Custom Drive Shafts - Tom Woods Custom Drive Shafts Custom Driveshafts Specialist If the link is a problem I will gladly remove it, I don't think FTE has a driveline sponsor?). They normally do Jeep stuff, but I know they could make something for a big old ford truck

Hope this helps!
~Brad

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with linking to a service provider (or anybody else, for that matter) who isn't an FTE sponsor, nothing wrong with that at all....

The OP is in Durango, Colorado, something of a mountain town on the western slope, not sure what kinds of facilities for this kind of service exist there, he may need to go to a larger city....

 

There is no "yokes" on the rear of the driveshaft. You are actually referring to the companion flange. This is only available by itself, since it is not part of the driveshaft.

The splined end of the rear axle's pinion gear slides thru the splines of the companion flange, a washer and nut retain it in place. On the backside of the companion flange is the pinion seal, pinion bearing and etc.

Two cups of the U-Joint connect to the driveshaft, two cups connect to this flange. (2) U-bolts retain the two U-Joint cups to the flange.

 

Don't you mean the Pinion Bill? Just saying

 

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Tricky, I didn't mean the Pinion Bill, I meant the Pinion Gear. Post edited, now look at it.

 

Both ends of the shaft are damaged. On one end a chunk of metal is broken away, which keeps the snap ring in place. On the other end, the machined bores for the U joint cups, are smashed in.

 

When I typed "Pinion Bill" I anticipated your come-back, Bill. And that's not a "come-back bill" either. Lord knows I get enough of them.

It's good to see that you are feeling well my friend.

I am off on an all day trip to town. Usually I'm layed up for two days afterwards.

 

I did both of my drive shafts and I had them custom made by Steve of South Bay Driveline in San Jose, CA. Locally he is the driveline guru and the guy to go to for any drivetrain work. My rear driveline ended up costing me $500 but it was brand new and I have had no issues with it since I installed it. I would highly recommend this shop even if you have to have it shipped.

 

expensive, but oh so worth it. Find a local shop that can do a totally new driveshaft build.
new yokes, new carrier bearing, new driveshaft balanced to infinity and good for 500hp should be in the neighborhood for $400-$500

like I said, really worth it, it's like putting on a new set of tires, you can feel how nice and tight it is.

 

Driveshafts are pretty expensive to have made from scratch. It's a bunch of little things add up to a substantial cost. The weld yoke on the rear, as well as the candle stick and corresponding yoke on the front constitute much of the expense. If you can locate any driveshaft local to you that has suitable yokes, then these can be used to make a shaft of the correct length for your application. When you are referring to the joint being rectangular, you are right on the money there. Ford used a conversion u-joint on the highboy on the rear shaft, and the middle shaft too if I remember correctly. I believe these joints were a 1310/1330 conversion joint, with the axle side being the 1330. Keep in mind that your new shaft does not need to be that way. If the wider end of the joint is on the axle, you can search out a shaft with normal 1330 size joint, or "square" as you put it, and not have to deal with the conversion joint. Either option is fine.

So to sum it up, there are driveline shops in every major city in this country. If one is not close to you, than I'm sure one would be willing to ship something to you directly. If cost is your overriding concern, then find a junkyard shaft with the appropriate yokes, and try to locate a local shop to make it the correct length for you. Otherwise, new yokes are generally between $50-$80 per end for an automotive type shaft, plus the tubing and labor to build it. Balancing is usually an option, and it an extra $50 around these parts. I break so many that I have become proficient at making them myself, but the last one I had built was a 1410 yoke heavy duty shaft, and I believe it was $500 including new spicer joints.

It should be easy to find a decent junkyard shaft that is too long for your truck. The divorced t-case makes that possible. You could always try shortening one yourself. With a few tools and some knowhow, my shafts always end up within .002-.004 of being dead nuts. The slip yoke has much more deflection than that. Good luck.

 

There is Drivetrain Industries in Colorado Springs. They do complete driveshafts. It can get pricey though. 719-260-7992

I've heard of JP Factory, but I think they source thru Drivetrain, so not positive.

Might search Pueblo, Canon City or Alamosa for shops as well.

Other than that, if the shaft is straight and not dinged up there should be no reason to replace it. By "recatnagular" you mean conversion joints then you likely have 1310-1330 joints.

Josh

 

Thanks a bunch guys. I appreciate all the info I received.