drive shaft conversion

[Mrbrylcreem]

Hello. Has any body done a drive shaft conversion on an old truck. I am think of change my Cleveland style u joints and yokes to a more modern system.

[desoto1939]

When you say cleveland style are you refering to the old Pin and trunion style ujoint witht he metal housing and the pin in the end of the Driveshaft then has the end caps with the needle bearing and a rubber or leather boot?

 

There are a couple of compnaies and one in Texas that can make you a modern drive shaft that has a slip joint on the one end. They use the new spicer type cross style u joints and these can also be lubed with a regular grease gun.

 

I think the cost for the entire unit runs around $400 plus shipping.  The old style Detroits UJ with the housing and internal parts also run around 150 so then you have approx $300 and then the rebuilding and an old DS.  Yoiu can just remive the old DS and then install the new one and it should just bolt right up.  Nice part about the new DS is that you should get an extra set of the ujoints as spares and the modern joints are easier to get and cheaper and can be luberd   easiser and you do not have to take them apart. 

 

See no reason why you can not convert.

 

Rich HArtung

desoto1939@aol.com

[Merle Coggins]

The trucks didn't use that type of joint, as far as I know, Rich. I believe he is referring to the u-joints that are pressed in and retained with a plate and bolts on each end cap. These are getting harder to find every passing year. That size is no longer produced, or so it would seem. The later trucks, beginning in 1950, started using a u-joint that is retained with cir-clips and is a popular size to this day.

 

Merle

Edited June 5, 2014 by Merle Coggins

[Dodgeb4ya]

Early B- series light duty dodge trucks did use the Cleveland type of U- Joints.  All the heavier dodges up to the 4 tonners use them too.

 

These are a very hard to find U-Joint.... thats for sure!

 

I have found them on flea bay though.

Bob

[Mrbrylcreem]

This is the type that I have. It is a Cleveland. I have discovered a lot of bad ware on the on both yokes. Plus trying to fiddle and faff around with the old U-Joints. To me does not make real sense. Plus the difficulty in getting replacement U-joints. That's my reasoning behind  wanting to upgrade the drive shaft & joints.

 

The problem is that we would all like to keep our trucks as original as possible. But in all practicality a few modern upgrades would actually do no harm and keep the trucks going for longer.