zeitgeist57 Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 My '82 Ford is running! Now, I need a driveshaft option. the stock one-piece shaft is 69" long, and the front was a slip yoke. 1) I need a fixed yoke input for the new T18 output shaft. 1) lengthened overall from 69" to 80". 2) Add a slip joint somewhere. Can it be done? does anyone know of a fullsize vehicle with a one-piece (or two piece) driveshaft that long? If I can't find a used/new driveshaft, I'll have Columbus Joint and Clutch modify my stocker. Any help appreciated. Transmission is a T18 4-speed. Rearend is a Ford 9", with 2.47 gears. Fixed yoke at each end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overclocker Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Although I've not had the need to use them, I've not heard a bad thing about Columbus Joint and Clutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckeye1647545503 Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Columbus Joint and Clutch and no were else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flybye Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Driveline one for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1slow-z Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Columbus Joint and Clutch and no were else X2 I have used both places several times and will only use Columbus joint and clutch from now on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 What is it going to cost you to modify the stock shaft? I think your chances of finding exactly what you need from another vehicle are slim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboRust Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) columbus joint and clutch FTW fuck driveline 1 Edited April 9, 2012 by TurboRust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbracing81 Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Driveline one for me I've used drive line 1 for years. They built the shaft for my Cutlass back in 2000 and I've never had one problem with it. It has withstood thousands of hard launches and even more hard miles on the road. (back when I drove the car everywhere) I've never even done anything to the u-joints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Last week, I met a guy at Autozone in Clintonville who had a late '70s F150 LWB. The driveshaft was HUGE, and one piece. My stock DS is scale-rusty and not a looker...no sense spending the money to modify it when another Ford DS option could be available. Anyone that finds something bolt-in would be my best friend 4 lyfe. I was searching car-parts.com yesterday to no avail... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Just called Bill at CJ&C. He's going to research 2-piece shaft options with a center carrier bearing...NO WAY a lengthened one-piece would survive, he said. Combine that with the slip-joint now needed (since the 9" rearend and tranny output yoke are both fixed) and a 2-piece just makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/607163-t-18-in-80-f-100-driveshaft-questions.html Ugh...now I'm waffling back to the one-piece drive shaft and a "F-it" attitude: if it fails, it fails. HELP ME CR...YOU'RE MY ONLY HOPE... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbracing81 Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 If you have a fixed yolk at both ends without a slip joint, the first bump you hit will be catastrophic as it will try to shove the driveshaft into the end of the transmission. A fixed yolk at both ends= a two piece driveshaft. Theres just no way around it unless you want to delete your rear suspension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbracing81 Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 IDK about a the DS in that other forum. Sounds sketchy. Like it would develop excessive play at the slip joint and become very weak??????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supplicium Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 i used driveline 1 to lengthen my Jeep. Shitty shop but the product was better then expected and price was good. I would use them again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/607163-t-18-in-80-f-100-driveshaft-questions.html Ugh...now I'm waffling back to the one-piece drive shaft and a "F-it" attitude: if it fails, it fails. HELP ME CR...YOU'RE MY ONLY HOPE... What is the cost of doing it right? Guarantee it won't fail in your driveway, and when it does how much collateral damage will there be? Add the cost of going cheap to the cost of a ruined afternoon and the tow truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckeye1647545503 Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 "Do the job correct the first time or don't bother at all." A motto to always remember when modding a car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Welp, I've come to a "fork in the road"...or as I'm more affectionately going to call it: a "F&&K-in-the-road" GOOD NEWS: I've been doing a lot of researching online, and car-part.com: The solution is to put the two-piece driveshaft from an F-250 into my truck! BAD NEWS: The only cost-effective way of doing that is through used/JY parts, which still will cost me at least a couple hundred dollhairs in the end. SooooooOOOOOOOOOOOO...I've come to the conclusion that the T18 is a little more trouble than it's worth for now. I don't want to piddle about for the next month trying to jury rig a driveshaft. No doubt the T18 is a beefy unit, but it's not worth driving 150+ miles to get used parts. Honestly, my gut feels good on this one. CR, do I... 1) Continue moving forward with the T18 - It's worth another month or so off-the-road to try and find the pieces/$$$$$ to make a driveshaft work. 2) Swap in the stock 3spd for now - Cheap, Easy, Drivable by the weekend! Not the best tranny, but it'll do for now. 3) Try to sell the T18 (and 3spd) for a 4spd SROD - bolt-in for crossmember, driveshaft, get's an OD gear for the highway (though with a 2.47 rear gear I'm not too worried about final drive ratios). Plus, I can still swap in the 3speed for now while I search for a 4speed: the truck stays drivable! PLEASE KEEP IN MIND: This Cleetus will be a light-duty hauler. No towing, or if so it'll be less than a ton. It's more of a cruiser. I'm trying to - aside from the engine rebuild - stick in a budget... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patterson Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Throw the three speed back in it for now, and gather the parts for the T18 in the mean time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWW$HEEET Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 i would consult madhatter, i hear they do good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckeye1647545503 Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Or bolt in a T5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboNova Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 use the 3speed for now and then work on collecting parts for the t18 swap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Talked to the wife (like she cares)...I'm swapping out trannies as soon as I come back from Pittsburgh tomorrow-Friday...possibly have it drivable for Cars and Coffee Saturday morning??? Should I still stick with the T18...or get an SROD 4-speed? Bolt-in, baby! Same reverse light connector, same speedo gear, same driveshaft!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckeye1647545503 Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Does that use of the z bar clutch linkage or what? I have a z bar bell with a adapter for a t5 should make it bolt up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbracing81 Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Talked to the wife (like she cares)...I'm swapping out trannies as soon as I come back from Pittsburgh tomorrow-Friday...possibly have it drivable for Cars and Coffee Saturday morning??? Should I still stick with the T18...or get an SROD 4-speed? Bolt-in, baby! Same reverse light connector, same speedo gear, same driveshaft!!![/QUOTE] Sounds like a no brainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Do it, get that thing running and start enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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