drive shaft
drive shaft
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,613
Likes: 6
From: Coal country
The type of shaft it had depends on what transmission was in it originally.
Jim is corrrect, they came with different setups. My son's '72 has a 360, C-6 with the short tail shaft. The output shaft is a U-joint, not a slip joint.
The drive shaft is 2 piece. The front half is bolted to the transmission yoke with a U-joint; it is supported by a carrier bearing and has a solid (non-jointed) male splined shaft at the end.
A female splined coupler is U-jointed to the rear half of the driveshaft, the ohter of which mounts to the differential yoke with a U-joint.
I had a '76 with a 390 and C-6 with the long tailshaft; the driveshaft ws one piece. the splined coupler with a U-joint slipped into the rear of the transmission.
Jim is corrrect, they came with different setups. My son's '72 has a 360, C-6 with the short tail shaft. The output shaft is a U-joint, not a slip joint.
The drive shaft is 2 piece. The front half is bolted to the transmission yoke with a U-joint; it is supported by a carrier bearing and has a solid (non-jointed) male splined shaft at the end.
A female splined coupler is U-jointed to the rear half of the driveshaft, the ohter of which mounts to the differential yoke with a U-joint.
I had a '76 with a 390 and C-6 with the long tailshaft; the driveshaft ws one piece. the splined coupler with a U-joint slipped into the rear of the transmission.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,335
Likes: 1
From: waco
72 Ford, I have a 73 SWB F100. I went from a 240 with a 4 speed to a 302 with a c6.
I went from there to a 390 with a 4 speed, then on to a 460 with a c6. In every case I needed a different drive shaft. I took the slip yoke for the automatics, and slid it all the way in to the transmission as far as it would go. Then I pulled it back out about a 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Then I measured from the tranny yoke to the third member yoke to determine the required length. Then I went to a wrecking yard with my tape measure and measured until I found the right length. I paid $20 bucks a piece. I installed new U joints, and bolted it in. This should be all you need to do. Watch out for the U joint size. There is a big u joint and a little one. Make sure you get a drive shaft that will match what you have. If you can't find the right size ends on the drive shaft, but you can find the right length, your still in business. They make a ujoint where 2 sides are big, and 2 sides are little. That U joint is twice as much money, so find the right size if you can. Let me know if you have any questions. I hope this helps you.
I went from there to a 390 with a 4 speed, then on to a 460 with a c6. In every case I needed a different drive shaft. I took the slip yoke for the automatics, and slid it all the way in to the transmission as far as it would go. Then I pulled it back out about a 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Then I measured from the tranny yoke to the third member yoke to determine the required length. Then I went to a wrecking yard with my tape measure and measured until I found the right length. I paid $20 bucks a piece. I installed new U joints, and bolted it in. This should be all you need to do. Watch out for the U joint size. There is a big u joint and a little one. Make sure you get a drive shaft that will match what you have. If you can't find the right size ends on the drive shaft, but you can find the right length, your still in business. They make a ujoint where 2 sides are big, and 2 sides are little. That U joint is twice as much money, so find the right size if you can. Let me know if you have any questions. I hope this helps you.
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