I have a 2002 duramax ext cab 4x4 shortbox with the pushbutton 4 wheel drive. One piece drive shaft.


This past weekend I twisted my driveshaft in 2. Luckily the yokes are still good. I am interested in the length of the drive shaft on similar trucks from the center of u joints on both ends.


I have to measure for the rebuild and I was curious as to how close the builder will come to stock specks.


Thanks


PS. Even though I pretzelled the drive shaft, we won the pull by 35ft.

60 & 7/8"

What mods were you running?


Power and Transmission for starters. How bout some PICS.





Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif

Yeah, what he said. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

That's some serious torque. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Shocked.gif

Were you hopping or bouncing when it broke hooked to the sled.

I had a drive shaft shop tell me they couldn't make the rear driveshaft out of thicker aluminum because it would be to heavy because of its length. Luckily mine is still in one piece. I just put heavier ujoints in it before the start of the pulling/dragracing season. The stock ujoints I took out were still in great shape.

Edited by: mtomac

Drive shafts are kinda a "fuse", when you start twisting them you need to rethink things a bit because you are getting close to the limits of other components. If you drop to a lower gear (like 4.10's) all things being equal you will have about 12% less driveshaft torque needed for any given tractive effort load (or bouncing/wheel hop load) and same reduction of stress on tranny and T-case too. You cannot boost torque too much without problems as the drivelines were never designed for larger tires and the amount of torque that some mods send through them. If you are a hard core puller, it could extend unit life too due to reduced driveline torque stress everywhere in the "envelope".

The newer trucks went back to steel driveshaft, u may want to look at a complete replacement.

Bronco, Thanks for the measurement.


On that run I was running 150 edge stacked with a duramaximizer. Both wide open. The truck was weighted up to 8100lbs with a 26" hitch height. Back end was blocked and clamped. Front end was dropped as low as it will go. Goodyear MTR 285.


Track was blue clay and it rained the night before. They worked all day to get the track into shape. I guess that they didhttp://dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big%20Smile.gif.


The truck was not bouncing but it did downshift to 2nd about 30 feet before the big twist.


A word of caution. I was able to spin the cap bolts off of the rear u joint with my fingers. That was probably the biggest problem. Double check those bolts every once in a while. I had slacked of the check and did not put locktite on them when I replaced the u Joints last year.


It seems as though my driveshaft is 3 1/2 in. steel. Are you having any luck with the aluminum versions?

isudiesel, I have the big aluminum shaft.

Dmax Tim, The EC LB and CC LB were always 2 piece steel with center carrier bearing. Did GM go back to two piece steel driveshafts on the EC SB and CC SB too? Edited by: mtomac

my steel drive shaft is one piece. slip yoke into the transfer case and 3 1/2" of steel tube back to the rear end. Or should I say was.

Both my CC SB were the big aluminum telephone pole drive shafts.

My 03 EC SB 4x4 is 1 piece steel.

Looks like CC shorties and EXT Cab Long beds get the light pole. EXT Cab shorties get steel.We all know what the CC Long Bed gets,the worst turning ratio.





Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gifEdited by: Mackin

I must have a steel one as it is rusting !

I have the 2 piece steel on my SB CC.

I don't see a pattern...

L8r

JP





That's interesting in deed. I wonder IF it is option derived?


GM for the most part do to driveline shudder I thought only used the two piece on the CC LB.





Mac

I have the 2 piece steel on my SB CC.

I don't see a pattern...

L8r


You have a ZF and we get 2pc. Steel if I remember correctly.

I have the two piece steel on my CC shorty.

I have the two piece steel on my CC shorty.

Yours is 2wd. I wonder if that is why?

do I have this straight?

CC SB gets aluminum if equipped with an allison & 4wd
CC SB gets 2 piece steel if equipped an allison & 2wd
CC SB gets 2 piece steel if equipped with the ZF, 2wd or 4wd

do I have this straight?

CC SB gets aluminum if equipped with an allison & 4wd
CC SB gets 2 piece steel if equipped an allison & 2wd
CC SB gets 2 piece steel if equipped with the ZF, 2wd or 4wd

Well I hate to further complicate things but....http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif I have never quite figured this out, and want to...

My 2001HD Regcab 4x4 longbed 8.1L/Alli - 1 piece steel
Dad's 2001HD Regcab 4x4 longbed 8.1L/Alli - 1 piece Aluminum
Identical trucks except for color. Same sticker price to the penny..

My 2002HD Extcab 4x4 shortbed 6.0L/4L80 - 1 piece steel
Dad's 2002HD Crew 4x4 shortbed Dmax/Alli - 1 piece aluminum
My 2003HD Extcab 4x4 Shortbed Dmax/Alli - 1 piece steel

Now the "trickyer" part. I have seen 4 CCSB 4x4's Dmax/Alli combos with both the steel and AL shafts. Different years, but no correlation.

I have also seen, 3 trucks identical to mine except for color, have 1 steel and 2 AL shafts.

I am kinda at a loss as to how they do this... I want an AL d'shaft at least once..http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif

Oh well..
JohnEdited by: 502_Jimmy

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif

All I have had was long bed trucks, 1 RC,4 EC and the last 4 CC and the earlier years had aluminum then about spring 02 they had steel.


I'm w/ u Mike http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif

Well there it is must be what ever is handy.You have to think there is some method to the madness.Eric ,Sid any chance of getting the scoop?





Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif

The guys at the factory get tired lifting those heavy steel shafts every day so they install aluminum shafts every other day to give them a break.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

Here I thought it was the body building women put the steel ones in and the wimppy geek guys put the aluminum ones in http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif

My truck is an 03, CC, SB 4x4. Has aluminum shaft. Edited by: andrewfessler

I have the original 2-piece steel. Supposedly, I should have launch shudder and go get it replaced with a 'phone pole, but I've never had the issue, towing or not.

I've had a friend of mine drop his driveshaft on I-80 before going about 75. He had to coast over to the edge and go out in traffic and get his driveshaft.