Anybody else run one of these?

So, my two piece driveshaft has been squeaking a lot lately and after pricing out all the bushing, U joints, and then considering that I don't have access to a press, I decided to go one piece.  The end cost was about 400 additional for the one piece, and it came with U joints.  neato.  I haven't driven it yet, but it looks nice.  

I know I probably could have done it cheaper, but oh well.  Hopefully it runs smoothly.  On a related note, finding the correct 241DHD tailshaft seal was a major difficulty.  RockAuto sent me the wrong part.  Autozone drove me all across the city (1 hr of driving to store to store) chasing the wrong part.  Finally, after googling it and finding the right part number, Oreilly had one in the town I am living in.  NAT 710771 for nearly $50!  

The seal shrunk in shipping... its a swell to fit seal right?

I hate it when that happens!

What did it ended costing? is the one piece good for towing heavy? All my u joints and the carrier bearing are OE and I have been thinking about replacing them all and having it re balanced. I am thinking going that route will be near $300 of more. Not sure, have not done much pricing on it.

A local driveshaft shop was going to charge something like $450 to build a one-piece for me back when I was planning to run a 16" lift and 44's. 

Edited November 26, 20159 yr by The_Hammer

3 hours ago, dripley said:

What did it ended costing? is the one piece good for towing heavy? All my u joints and the carrier bearing are OE and I have been thinking about replacing them all and having it re balanced. I am thinking going that route will be near $300 of more. Not sure, have not done much pricing on it.

It was expensive at about 700.  I would have liked to shop around or had one made at one of the Denver hot rod shops.  Probably could have saved some if I had.  Unfortunately, I am living out of state for a few months and didn't have that option.  

I am told it is a good driveshaft for all use. The main gain is less moving parts, less weight, and no carrier bearing.  Other than that I expect no differences.  I do expect some minor and brief vibration during break in, but we shall see.  I think ah64id has a one piece as well and that the newer trucks have gone to one piece drive shafts. 

Is that driveshaft aluminum?

3 hours ago, Royal Squire said:

Is that driveshaft aluminum?

Yes.  

Kitt,

I know there are some good driveshaft shops in Denver and might be more in Grand Junction.  I don't know if steel would be an option given the length, but steel would have been preferred.  Aluminum is kinda cool though. 

I used to work up in your neck of the woods, back when the gas fields were booming.

Edited November 27, 20159 yr by CSM

Steel is pretty heavy.... Even some chevys came with a stock one piece that was aluminum. 

1 hour ago, TFaoro said:

Steel is pretty heavy.... Even some chevys came with a stock one piece that was aluminum. 

The shop said that steel would be getting close to the natural frequency at that lb/ft on a long bed.  I don't think there is anything wrong with AL, except expense.

Used to have a Ford van with an aluminum ds. Amazing how light it was. Took great care changing u joints. 

5 hours ago, CSM said:

Kitt,

I know there are some good driveshaft shops in Denver and might be more in Grand Junction.  I don't know if steel would be an option given the length, but steel would have been preferred.  Aluminum is kinda cool though. 

I used to work up in your neck of the woods, back when the gas fields were booming.

I work in crude trucking. Transferred down here 2 years ago from southeastern Wyoming. 

ok you guys, if you're going to buy an aluminum one piece drive shaft and spend money, imho make sure you get a new yoke for rear end that is 1480  instead of 1410 like most of them are on dana 80 up to 02 and get your joints up sized to bigger stuff like newer 3rd gens did. I heard there were some failures with 1410, that is coming from a guy at sadler power train that builds these every day. you'll have to buy bigger slip yoke for tyranny side too. At that time I would put new bushing in tranny or transfer case and a new seal. This is going to increase price quiet a bit but in might worth it to some. 

2 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

ok you guys, if you're going to buy an aluminum one piece drive shaft and spend money, imho make sure you get a new yoke for rear end that is 1480  instead of 1410 like most of them are on dana 80 up to 02 and get your joints up sized to bigger stuff like newer 3rd gens did. I heard there were some failures with 1410, that is coming from a guy at sadler power train that builds these every day. you'll have to buy bigger slip yoke for tyranny side too. At that time I would put new bushing in tranny or transfer case and a new seal. This is going to increase price quiet a bit but in might worth it to some. 

Probably true.  When I looked at the prices though, I couldn't justify the bigger U joints.  The prices of the 1480s I looked at were quite a bit higher than the 1410s.  

I don't horse around enough to break a U joint, even with the TST.  I won't put that much rubber on my truck and I haven't broken a 1410.  

another thing to mention is some of the vehicles came with aluminum drive shafts and plastic cover over them, sometimes carbon fiber, if you have one of them take that plastic crap off it will eat away at aluminum underneath of it otherwise.