47 hudson pickup drive shaft

wanderer23464yahoocom
wanderer23464yahoocom Expert Adviser
edited February 2013 in HUDSON
I am in need of a drive shaft for my 47 pickup. I am using the 2 lever transmission with overdrive. I do have 2 drive shafts. The longer one is from my parts car, which is a 46 super six with the drivemaster transmission. The shorter one is the one which came with the truck, but it is about an inch short. The shorter one is about 57.5 inches and the longer one is about 59inch or so. If a hudson one is not available, do I have any options to use one from a different car?

Comments

  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    You should have some local 4wheel drive guys or driveshaft business that can make one to fit using your ends if needed. I just had a 5.0 Mustang aluminum drive shaft shortened to fit a 61 Studebaker Hawk with T5 transmission.
    Google drive shaft business in your area.
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    edited February 2013
    Since you're putting the 308 in your truck (which wasn't original to the truck) it may be that no Hudson shaft exists in the correct length. So, simply take the longer one (which you know will fit your truck, right?) to a place that can shorten driveshafts (you might try a heavy duty truck garage). But be sure they balance the thing after it's shortened. Mine was shortened and the guy swore it was balanced but it had some vibration afterwards. Took it to another place and they said it was balanced as far as they can see. Took it to a third place and they said it was way out of balance, and fixed it!

    Be sure to take an accurate measurement from the center of the U-joint bearing at the front of the shaft, to the center at the back -- when the engine and transmission or precisely in place. This will be your median length. The shaft is designed to have a little play lengthwise, so after the shaft is shortened you can slide it out so it's longer than you need, then compress it so it's shorter. You want to hit it right in the middle, I think.
  • wanderer23464yahoocom
    wanderer23464yahoocom Expert Adviser
    Jon, you maybe right about not finding the right length . Anyway i put it back in today for the measurements. It needs to be about 1/2 inch longer. I dropped it off at the shop. I should know in a couple of days if my measurements are correct.
  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/how_to_measure.html
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    The engine you have doesn't have anything to do with it. The yoke at the end of the overdrive is the same, which is 8 1/2 inches longer than a standard. The truck is 7 inches longer than the car, so a car shaft w/o OD should be 1 1/2 inches too long.

    As Jon mentioned, there is about 1 1/2 inches in the extension to compensate for minor variations. Make sure you have that half way in the travel when measuring. Your half inch may be right there. This is after you take the extension apart, clean out the caked grease that prevents linear travel, and re-grease it so there is adjustment..
  • wanderer23464yahoocom
    wanderer23464yahoocom Expert Adviser
    Ok Thanks, did not get a call today, so guess he did not get to it yet.
  • LanceB
    LanceB Senior Contributor
    Hi there, I have a '46 truck with the 308 and overdrive. I had to have my driveshaft shortened. The local driveshaft place came out and measured it and took the original back with them. Cut it down and welded it back, balanced and painted it then returned it to me. Worked great and was not that expensive.
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