Whats the going rate for shortening a driveshaft? I think I got....shafted

[Carbie]

Last year I was quoted $240 - $280 JUST IN LABOR to cut, shorten/lengthen, and balance a driveshaft. No U-joints, no slip yoke, and no new tube itself. I wasn't going to pay that, so I found a NOS driveshaft on eBay and had it shipped to my door for just under $200.

You did fine for $300.

wow, I have made at least 20 driveshafts and not had on problem with any of them. I used a piece of paper wrapped around it so the cut would be straight, drew a circle around the driveshaft used a hack saw, cut the end off and figured out how long it needed to be and did the same thing to cut off to length, timed the ears with the other end and welded it back on. Never had any vibration on any of them.

 

[Dezzracer]

I paid $600 to have a custom made double jointed DS made. Which is the correct way to get the angles correct and eliminate DS vibrations on a lifted truck.

 

[Craig Nedrow]

Elloit, love your 66. Doing the same to a 64 400 sport coupe, had it for years, did the body work like you, hope to paint it this next year and get it on the road. Thanks for the inspiration!!

 

[timbritton]

Just about right. I had mine shortened with new u-joints $250

 

[Originalthor]

wow, I have made at least 20 driveshafts and not had on problem with any of them. I used a piece of paper wrapped around it so the cut would be straight, drew a circle around the driveshaft used a hack saw, cut the end off and figured out how long it needed to be and did the same thing to cut off to length, timed the ears with the other end and welded it back on. Never had any vibration on any of them.

I worked for a farmer who use to make his own pto and drive shafts and they out lasted stuff from the factory. It was easier and quicker then driving to town and dropping off or waiting a week. 2 hours and we were back up and running.

 

[Grumpy]

Brand new everything: tube, yokes & two u-joints. Balanced and delivered was just under $810 CAD..... so about $28 USD with exchange.

 

[siataspring850]

WARNING: Partial Rant

I'm putting together an LS with a 5 speed trans (NV3500) 2WD in a SWB. The truck did not come with a driveshaft/drivetrain when I got it. I found an S10 NV3500 on craigslist. The guy sold me an aluminum driveshaft for $25 too that I knew I'd have to shorten. I installed the trans and got the shaft shorten by a local machine shop for $95 but they could not balance it as they aren't a driveshaft shop. Sounded all like a good deal until the transmission turned out to be junk. I found another NV3500 from a Sierra and went to put it in. I knew the s10 trans had different gearing than the 1/2 truck transmissions, but I did not know the 1/2 trans was almost 2 inches shorted than the s10 trans, or that it took a different slip yoke, or that the shifter location is in a different location (I know, I'm amateur)....I now needed a longer driveshaft. Looking online, a new custom shaft would be about $500, so I thought I could do better getting one used and shortening it. Maybe I'd get lucky and find one the right length and with the right slip yoke at the junk yard. Not so lucky, but I found one I could shorten, and this one didn't have the dumb nylon u joint clips the first one had. I paid $75 for the shaft. Then I bought the slip yoke online for $80. I took the shaft to a driveshaft shop (now there is a local one where I moved to). They charged $300 for shortening it, adding 2 u joints, and balancing. Seems high to me, but if you can't tell already, I'm building blind over here. To be fair, if someone gave me $300, its not like I could shorten a shaft. Plus, they seemed to have done a nice job and even polished this thing. Its the shiniest part on the truck. Photos include the shaft next to the older shaft thats too short for reference.

Apologies for the rant. But did I get taken for a ride or is that price reasonable?

Thanks for listening/reading.

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[siataspring850]

thanks for sharing your experience. Wondering how the NV3500 worked out for you, did the shifter line up or did you have to modify the floor? Myself I didn't know they came in two different lengths and/or the slip yokes were different. So, I learned a little today.

 

[Bextreme04]

Elliot,

How long is that shaft? I'm surprised you don't have a two piece shaft with a manual trans in a 2wd long bed? As soon as I swap my T case over from the 208 to 205, I'll be needing new shafts. According to my measurements, that puts it at like 65+ inches. Nobody will make me a shaft over 63 inches due to whipping (vibration) issues. I'm planning on a two piece setup cause I ain't spending 700-800 bucks on a big fat aluminum shaft.

There's no way that's right. My 350/TH400/NP205 in a K25 pickup uses something like a 53" shaft. How big of a lift do you have on it? I didn't need a new shaft with the 4" lift and will likely come out about even when I swap in the 4L80. Maybe that makes sense on a Crew Cab?

 

[Elliot W]

thanks for sharing your experience. Wondering how the NV3500 worked out for you, did the shifter line up or did you have to modify the floor? Myself I didn't know they came in two different lengths and/or the slip yokes were different. So, I learned a little today.

Glad my experience helped at least one person. The actual length difference was closer to 1.5 inches, the Sierra trans being shorter than the s10 trans. I think both were technically the gen 3 NV3500–they both had internal slave cylinders. I think the Sierra was a 2006 but not sure about the s10 year. The shifter location on the Sierra trans is about 5 inch forward of the s10 shifter, so I did need to punch a new hole in the floor. Also, the shifter is different between the two, so you can’t unbolt the 4 bolts on the s10 shifter and bolt it to the Sierra trans. Obviously the gearing is a little different as well. Who would’ve thought that these same transmissions would have so many differences.

 

[siataspring850]

I did some homework on the s-10's a few years back seemed like the smaller engine have lower 1st gears in them. All good information thanks again. I might just change my rear axle to a 3:73 and keep my 3 speed OD just because its different

 

[Bennyt]

Elloit, love your 66. Doing the same to a 64 400 sport coupe, had it for years, did the body work like you, hope to paint it this next year and get it on the road. Thanks for the inspiration!!

Elliot- you did a nice job, I like it.


Elliot/ Craig...you guys on the stevesnovasite.com? I'm, 63ssiisfv2dfw over there.

 

[SquareRoot]

There's no way that's right. My 350/TH400/NP205 in a K25 pickup uses something like a 53" shaft. How big of a lift do you have on it? I didn't need a new shaft with the 4" lift and will likely come out about even when I swap in the 4L80. Maybe that makes sense on a Crew Cab?

I'd like to discuss this further. I may be mistaken on the 65 inch statement but I am sure it was 60+. I only have a 2 inch lift so that's not an issue.
Is your 205 a fixed output yoke or a slip yoke? My fixed slip yoke 208 that's in it now is 7 inches longer than the 205 that's going in. Also the nv4500 mounts directly to the T-case so there is no adapter which reduces the overall length another 2 inches.
In addition, the FF 14 bolt it has now is 1.5 inches shorter than the SF 14 bolt it came with. All these mods results in a lot more space between the yokes. See what I'm saying?

@Frankenchevy What T-case you got in yours?

 

[Bextreme04]

I'd like to discuss this further. I may be mistaken on the 65 inch statement but I am sure it was 60+. I only have a 2 inch lift so that's not an issue.
Is your 205 a fixed output yoke or a slip yoke? My fixed slip yoke 208 that's in it now is 7 inches longer than the 205 that's going in. Also the nv4500 mounts directly to the T-case so there is no adapter which reduces the overall length another 2 inches.
In addition, the FF 14 bolt it has now is 1.5 inches shorter than the SF 14 bolt it came with. All these mods results in a lot more space between the yokes. See what I'm saying?

@Frankenchevy What T-case you got in yours?

Mine is also a 14BFF. Its a slip yoke NP205. The shaft I took out of the donor K2500 Suburban with a 454/4L80e/NP241 and 14BFF was only a 54" driveshaft and is longer than my stock K25 one by a few inches I think.

 

[SquareRoot]

Interesting. I pulled the shaft (s), 2 piece and crossmember with carrier bearing and mount out of a factory 89 suburban in anticipation of needing it for my swap. Then I started thinking it would be easier to use a one-piece but when I figured the length, it became an issue. Your slip yoke subtracts about 7 inches from your length.