3/4 ton Driveshaft

[78 Chevyrado]

My drive shaft now has a really noticeable clunk and a new vibration in it and it's the slip-joint at the carrier bearing in the middle of my 2-piece drive shaft.  It's not the new wheels and tires as this started a week or so before I got them.  The U-Joints are still good and only have about 5,000 miles on them.   So with me having a sloppy slip-joint  which way should I go?

I'm not real big on getting a junkyard unit  so I'm looking at having one made up.

Any opinions on weather I should keep the 2 piece or just get a one piece unit?

I have a th400 with a bolt on yoke, and I've read on the net that you can just stick a slip yoke in it and it will work fine.  Do yall agree with this?  If so I think I might as well get a good 1 piece unit, but It has to be strong and solid enough  to go 80MPH on the freeway regularly and it will have to move a 5000lb truck towing an 8000lb trailer now and then.

How much should I expect to pay for a good 1 piece shaft?  Should I get the aluminum?  is it worth the extra cost and how much more should it cost?

What are some good companies to check out?  I've been looking at dennys driveshaft, I've hear they were good.  Any others?

Thanks fellas

[VileZambonie]

Did you see the one I had made for my 74? Go with the slip yoke design.

[78 Chevyrado]

I'm looking for it now... 

[78 Chevyrado]

I found it
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=7334.60

Where'd it come from, how do you like it and how much damage would one of them do me?

[Irish_Alley]

78 did you check your carrier bearing

[78 Chevyrado]

78 did you check your carrier bearing

Forgot to mention that...    Yep, the bearings still good, though the rubber surround part isn't very tight (fairly loose) in the bracket it mounts to.  It's an aftermarket carrier bearing, and it too has about 5000 miles on it.

[Irish_Alley]

Would you want to try to fix your problem or you want a new ? Also if you do chose between two piece or one I would go with one less things to worry about going bad

[78 Chevyrado]

Would you want to try to fix your problem or you want a new ? Also if you do chose between two piece or one I would go with one less things to worry about going bad

I like the 2 piece drive shaft because if I ever get towed, When they pop out the drive shaft the tranny fluid doesn't spill everywhere.  That's the thing I like about it.  

I don't care for the slip joint because its an extra part to grease, and slings grease all over the tanks and under the cab.  And it had 1 more U-joint to mess with.  The rubber in the carrier bearings shrinks up and is loose after a while (this ones looser now than the OE one was after 28 years).  <- I'm not sure if i would like the polyurethane bearing though; what do you think?  

That's about all the pros and cons I can think of.  Oh and I did lift the truck, so I probably need about a 1/2" to 3/4" longer shaft anyway.

But that center slip joint is lose to where it wobbles ever so slightly in the female part and the clunks coming from the splines being loose and you can turn the male end in the female end far enough to make it clunk by hand.   I can't find replacement parts for this anywhere.  The seal has long since went bad on the slip joint and they're like finding hens teeth.

I figure I'll end up buying something either way, so I just want the most reliable least maintenance solution, and I know I don't like the slack on the carrier bearings rubber surround.  I've been seeing some 1 piece units ranging from $350 to $550 depenging on the options.  That's not too bad overall cost as it's a permanent part of the truck.