Chevy C10 Driveshaft Length Measuring Guide
What is the Length of a 67-72 C10 Driveshaft?
Well the answer, of course, is that it depends. As you can see in the video, we measured 62” on our ’68 C10 short bed. That’s with our LS Swap Motor Mounts, a 5.3 mated to a TH350, and a Speedway Motors 9-inch rearend. Any change to any of these components will yield a different result.
That’s where the measuring strategy comes in. If you’re ordering a Speedway Motors Custom Length driveshaft kit, this measurement may look a little different than what you’re used to. Our driveshaft kits are spec’d based on the measurement from the seal surface on the back of the transmission to the flat part of the yoke on the rearend. That flat also equates to the center of the rear u-joint. It’s important to note that this may look different than what you’re used to if you’ve worked with your local driveline shop in the past.
Can I Use a 1-piece Driveshaft on my C10?
This one is simple. If it’s a short bed, then yes. A one-piece driveshaft will work well. It’s worth noting that on our ’68 C10 short bed, the 62” measurement necessitated a 3 ½” driveshaft. Smaller diameters are only offered in shorter lengths, ensuring that the strength of these custom-made kits. While ours fit well, it’s important to pay attention to the clearance where the driveshaft passes through the center crossmember. On lowered trucks, pay close attention to the clearance at the top of the crossmember. If your modified rear suspension allows too much travel and the driveshaft hits the crossmember, very bad things will happen. It’s best to remove the springs and fully compress the rear suspension against the bump stops to verify clearance here.
This is not an issue with the 2-piece driveshaft that will be required on long-bed trucks. The carrier bearing in the center will allow only the rear portion of the driveshaft to travel up and down. We don’t recommend attempting a one-piece driveshaft on a long-bed truck. It’s just too much ground to cover and the clearance issue at the crossmember is made even worse by it’s more rearward position relative to a SWB C10.
The driveshaft puts us one step closer to driving on our C10 project. Note that these driveshaft kits are universal. As long as you know what transmission you’re running, what rear u-joint you have, and can measure as shown, these custom driveshaft kits work well in just about anything!
