Transmissions and Drivetrain Need help with your trans? Problems with your axle?

drive shaft help for th400

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-11-2005, 08:41 AM
  #1  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
SPIKE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: FLORIDA
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 CAMARO
Engine: 92-350 +.030
Transmission: 86-th400
Axle/Gears: 3.73
drive shaft help for th400

just built a 350 with a th400. installed it in a 86 camaro with 305. 700r, lots of fun. im looking for a cost effective drive shaft. original is 3" to short. th400 has bolt on yoke. looks like i need a shaft 44.5 ". are there any cars out there i can scavage one from or should i get a longer one and have it shortened. also will i have any problems with a yoke to yoke bolt up. thanks any ideas will be appriciated.
Old 02-11-2005, 12:07 PM
  #2  
Moderator

 
Apeiron's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Mercedes Norte, Heredia, Costa Rica
Posts: 20,981
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 8 Posts
Car: 1984 Z28 Hardtop
Engine: 383 Carb
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44
Almost certainly nothing stock you could use. With a bolt-on yoke you'll need to get a custom a 2 piece driveshaft made, or you'll need to change it to a slip yoke to use a 1 piece shaft.
Old 02-11-2005, 01:31 PM
  #3  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (8)
 
TTOP350's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Il
Posts: 11,870
Received 895 Likes on 587 Posts
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Un bolt your yoke on the 400 and use a stock slip type yoke or you will have a bind problem
Old 02-11-2005, 09:25 PM
  #4  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
SPIKE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: FLORIDA
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 CAMARO
Engine: 92-350 +.030
Transmission: 86-th400
Axle/Gears: 3.73
thanks was leaning towards a 2 piece from a 4 wd truck and having it cut to length and ballanced. seems like the most cost effective way.
Old 02-11-2005, 11:12 PM
  #5  
Moderator

 
AlkyIROC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Posts: 17,165
Likes: 0
Received 136 Likes on 114 Posts
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
You won't find any cars with a 2 piece driveshaft nor will you find anything other than a third gen that's the proper length. If you try to have a truck 2 piece driveshaft cut down to length then rebalanced, it would be better to just have a new one made.

Find or buy a TH400 slip yoke and use a third gen driveshaft that's close to the proper length. Better yet, have a custom driveshaft built that either uses 1330 or 1350 series u-joints. You should also use the same series yokes on the tranny and diff but adaptor u-joints are available.

Factory driveshafts are not as strong as they could be. Get one made from 3" x .083 steel with yokes for whatever series u-joint you want to use.
Old 02-13-2005, 10:53 AM
  #6  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (13)
 
Night rider327's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Bowdon, GA.
Posts: 2,535
Likes: 0
Received 16 Likes on 14 Posts
Car: 1988 Camaro
Engine: 355, 10.34:1, 249/252 @.050", IK200
Transmission: TH-400, 3500 stall 9.5" converter
Axle/Gears: Ford 9", detroit locker, 3.89 gears
I done the th-400 swap in mine. I used a short shaft th-400 and slip yoke from a 74 vette.

The vette yokes are diff than most. It's still a slip yoke, but where the U joints fit is more like the rear end pinion yoke, than a norm slip yoke. It has U joint straps, and 4 bolts.

As far as a driveshaft. I used one from an 82 or 83 camaro that had the th-200 (or was it th-250) auto 3 speed trans. It was the right lenght for mine

I did have to get a bastard joint for the front though. The driveshaft had smaller U joints plus held in with plastic (reinstall with inside clips) and the slip yoke had bigger joints and needed the outside type clip. I found the right U joint for this at auto zone in thier brute force solid body line for around $20
Old 02-13-2005, 11:21 AM
  #7  
jmd
Supreme Member

iTrader: (4)
 
jmd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Aridzona
Posts: 6,330
Received 49 Likes on 48 Posts
Car: `86 SS / `87 SS
Engine: L69 w/ TPI on top / 305 4bbl
Transmission: `95 T56 \ `88 200-4R
Originally posted by Stephen 87 IROC
You won't find any cars with a 2 piece driveshaft nor will you find anything other than a third gen that's the proper length.

Find or buy a TH400 slip yoke and use a third gen driveshaft that's close to the proper length. Better yet, have a custom driveshaft built that either uses 1330 or 1350 series u-joints. You should also use the same series yokes on the tranny and diff but adaptor u-joints are available.

Factory driveshafts are not as strong as they could be. Get one made from 3" x .083 steel with yokes for whatever series u-joint you want to use.
Fourth gen V6 f-bodies in some instances had 2 piece driveshafts. Their carrier bearing is bolted to the tq. arm (that's why their tq. arms have the welded on threaded nuts in the centre.)

I would get a Th400 slip yoke driveshaft and have it retubed with 1 length of new tubing to be the proper length just like Stephen said. Can't go wrong with Spicer 1350 joints.
Old 02-13-2005, 12:45 PM
  #8  
Moderator

 
AlkyIROC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Posts: 17,165
Likes: 0
Received 136 Likes on 114 Posts
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Slide the slip yoke all the way into the tranny. Pull it back out 1". Measure from the center of the u-joint on the slip yoke to the center of the u-joint on the diff yoke. That's the proper length driveshaft you need.
Old 02-14-2005, 03:28 AM
  #9  
Senior Member

iTrader: (1)
 
va454ss's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 785
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 90 454SS
Engine: 454 TBI
Transmission: TH400
Originally posted by Night rider327
I did have to get a bastard joint for the front though. The driveshaft had smaller U joints plus held in with plastic (reinstall with inside clips) and the slip yoke had bigger joints and needed the outside type clip. I found the right U joint for this at auto zone in thier brute force solid body line for around $20
Is the brute force you mention a brand name?
Old 02-14-2005, 03:42 AM
  #10  
Moderator

 
Apeiron's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Mercedes Norte, Heredia, Costa Rica
Posts: 20,981
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 8 Posts
Car: 1984 Z28 Hardtop
Engine: 383 Carb
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44
Brute Force is a line of heavy-duty U-joints made by Neapco.
Old 02-14-2005, 08:53 AM
  #11  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
SPIKE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: FLORIDA
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 CAMARO
Engine: 92-350 +.030
Transmission: 86-th400
Axle/Gears: 3.73
thanks for all the info.just started motor after 4 months of building . man what a rush, especially with open headers. the only thing left is drive shaft ! need a little more clarification on 400 yoke. mine has a center bolt but when i pulled it off it looked any other slip yoke. can any body edubicate me ? i think i will go with custom made shaft once i get length with conversion u joint up front.( th400 is a rebuilt 1973 from 1 ton truck.)
Old 02-14-2005, 09:16 AM
  #12  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (8)
 
TTOP350's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Il
Posts: 11,870
Received 895 Likes on 587 Posts
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
We had on in the shop and used a 200R4 length driveshaft with a normal turbo 400 slip yoke ... is it a short tailshaft trans????
Old 02-14-2005, 10:21 AM
  #13  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
SPIKE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: FLORIDA
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 CAMARO
Engine: 92-350 +.030
Transmission: 86-th400
Axle/Gears: 3.73
tony, yes it is a short shaft 400. would you know what year car i should look for for that drive shaft ? my shaft from 86 305 w/ 700 was about 3" short. could you explain the difference in yokes on the 400s or any links im still a little confused.
Old 02-14-2005, 10:55 AM
  #14  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
SPIKE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: FLORIDA
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 CAMARO
Engine: 92-350 +.030
Transmission: 86-th400
Axle/Gears: 3.73
im going nuts ! im looking at part web sites and there slip yokes look exactly like what i have but they have a plate welded on the u joint end where i have a bolt hole ? whats the darn difference ?
Old 02-15-2005, 12:43 PM
  #15  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (8)
 
TTOP350's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Il
Posts: 11,870
Received 895 Likes on 587 Posts
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Get a yoke from something like a 70 Chevelle with a t400 ..
what you have is for a 4wheel drive 2 piece driveshaft

Call a trans shop or a 4 wheel drive and they will help you out .. i think the yoke is around 80 bucks.. you might need a different U joint also
Old 02-15-2005, 02:04 PM
  #16  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
SPIKE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: FLORIDA
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 CAMARO
Engine: 92-350 +.030
Transmission: 86-th400
Axle/Gears: 3.73
thanks tony. your correct had 2 piece drive shaft. going to hit junk yard this weekend and look for slip yoke and drive shaft. i have a good shop here that can mod up the correct size. low on funds and did not want to have a custom one made from scratch.
Old 02-15-2005, 08:39 PM
  #17  
Moderator

 
AlkyIROC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Posts: 17,165
Likes: 0
Received 136 Likes on 114 Posts
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
The majority of the trucks that had TH400's also had 2 driveshafts. That's why the yoke is bolted to the output shaft. The front driveshaft was solid and held up by a center bearing. The rear driveshaft was a 2 piece.

This is what you want but it's only for a 1310 series u-joint which is all you're going to find in the junkyard anyway. Spend a little more and get everything in 1350 series.
http://store.summitracing.com/defaul...8&autoview=sku
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
1992rs/ss
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
16
01-28-2016 09:58 PM
Reddeath210
Firebirds for Sale
14
10-06-2015 08:20 AM
jharrison5
Engine Swap
5
08-19-2015 05:53 PM
Ozz1967
Transmissions and Drivetrain
4
08-16-2015 10:23 PM
transam84
Exterior Parts for Sale
0
08-14-2015 08:54 PM



Quick Reply: drive shaft help for th400



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:03 PM.