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80-82 driveshaft length?

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Old 06-09-2010, 09:46 PM
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Bee Jay
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Default 80-82 driveshaft length?

Could someone with an 80-82 700R4 Vette with aluminum rear end please measure their driveshaft for me. I measure center of u-joint to center, but any method you use is fine.
Thanks in advance
Bee Jay
Old 06-09-2010, 09:58 PM
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MN-Brent
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Just happen to know this as I had to adjust mine up 1 inch longer for the LS1 swap.

The 82 original driveshaft is 25.0 inches U-joint ctr-ctr.
Old 06-10-2010, 10:16 AM
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25"? Wow, my '79 with 700R4 and iron rear end is 26 3/4". Is the aluminum rear end longer than the iron rear end? I'm about to go to aluminum driveshaft and aluminum rear end.
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Old 06-10-2010, 11:53 AM
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hugie82
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My 82 is still up in the air for the next couple of days. Let me know if you need another measurement
Old 06-10-2010, 11:55 AM
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MN-Brent
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Must be a difference from the iron to alum rear?

I imagine the driveshaft will be about the last thing you do, so you can sanity check the distance you need.

I have to say the yoke coming out of the rear end with the stock CFI motor-700r4 set-up was further out than I would have thought it should be. This picture below is with my LS1-4L60E set-up and original 25.0in ctr-ctr driveshaft. The trans-motor is 1 inch further forward, and you can see where the original seal lines were with the CFI-700r4 motor set-up:

After 1 inch driveshaft extension to 26.0in ctr-ctr for the LS1-4L60E swap and drives very smooth with this extension distance:

Last edited by MN-Brent; 06-10-2010 at 11:58 AM.
Old 06-10-2010, 12:36 PM
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Van Steel
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I just measured my 80 auto and my driveshaft is 28-3/16 c-2-c.

EDIT: My bad. Just read 700R4. I don't have that tranny.

Last edited by Van Steel; 06-10-2010 at 12:39 PM.
Old 06-10-2010, 03:13 PM
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Bee Jay
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Originally Posted by MN-Brent
Must be a difference from the iron to alum rear?

I imagine the driveshaft will be about the last thing you do, so you can sanity check the distance you need.

I have to say the yoke coming out of the rear end with the stock CFI motor-700r4 set-up was further out than I would have thought it should be. This picture below is with my LS1-4L60E set-up and original 25.0in ctr-ctr driveshaft. The trans-motor is 1 inch further forward, and you can see where the original seal lines were with the CFI-700r4 motor set-up:

After 1 inch driveshaft extension to 26.0in ctr-ctr for the LS1-4L60E swap and drives very smooth with this extension distance:
Looks like you could use a 26" driveshaft.
Old 06-11-2010, 09:34 AM
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KENS80V
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I just checked my driveshaft length too. I had a 3" inch aluminum shaft made up from a shortened C4 driveshaft. It's length is 25" center to center. My car is a 1980 with stock aluminum diff. I had a 700R4 and now I've installed a 4L60E (same length).

Last edited by KENS80V; 06-11-2010 at 09:36 AM.
Old 06-11-2010, 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by KENS80V
I just checked my driveshaft length too. I had a 3" inch aluminum shaft made up from a shortened C4 driveshaft. It's length is 25" center to center. My car is a 1980 with stock aluminum diff. I had a 700R4 and now I've installed a 4L60E (same length).
That is exactly what I'm about to do. I have a C4 aluminum shaft that is 27 1/4" long. The shaft in the car now is 26 1/2" long. I was thinking that it would be easier to trim the tranny yoke 3/4" than having the aluminum shaft shortened. But if I have to go to 25", shortening the driveshaft is a must. Was it hard finding someone to do it?
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Old 06-11-2010, 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by hugie82
My 82 is still up in the air for the next couple of days. Let me know if you need another measurement
Sure, if you don't mind.
Thanks
Bee Jay
Old 06-11-2010, 06:54 PM
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KENS80V
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Originally Posted by Bee Jay
That is exactly what I'm about to do. I have a C4 aluminum shaft that is 27 1/4" long. The shaft in the car now is 26 1/2" long. I was thinking that it would be easier to trim the tranny yoke 3/4" than having the aluminum shaft shortened. But if I have to go to 25", shortening the driveshaft is a must. Was it hard finding someone to do it?
Bee Jay
In Winnipeg where I live there is only one shop that would work with aluminum driveshafts out of about 6 shops. He knew it and charged accordingly ($200). I even provided him a new Spicer yoke.

I'm sure you'll find a cheaper shop then what I did. Just look in the yellow pages under "driveshaft".
Old 06-12-2010, 09:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Bee Jay
That is exactly what I'm about to do. I have a C4 aluminum shaft that is 27 1/4" long. The shaft in the car now is 26 1/2" long. I was thinking that it would be easier to trim the tranny yoke 3/4" than having the aluminum shaft shortened. But if I have to go to 25", shortening the driveshaft is a must. Was it hard finding someone to do it?
Bee Jay
When you get an aluminum shaft ready for your car, post up the weight on that. I'm curious how that compares to the steel shaft. (My '69 shaft with u-joints weighs 10 1/4 pounds.) I entertained using a C4 shaft in my car, but the C4 shaft was too short (My driveshaft is about 30 inches).
Also, I'm curious what the wall thickness is on the C4 driveshafts. When I put narrowed C4 halfshafts in mine, the shop said they were (IIRC) about .095" (Instead of narrowing the shafts I had them cut out both yokes and weld in .138" wall tubes instead). If you know the wall thickness, diameter, and length you can do some decent calculations to compare the torque capability of your new shaft versus the original.
Old 01-02-2013, 12:26 AM
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Mark Russell
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Originally Posted by MN-Brent
Must be a difference from the iron to alum rear?

I imagine the driveshaft will be about the last thing you do, so you can sanity check the distance you need.

I have to say the yoke coming out of the rear end with the stock CFI motor-700r4 set-up was further out than I would have thought it should be. This picture below is with my LS1-4L60E set-up and original 25.0in ctr-ctr driveshaft. The trans-motor is 1 inch further forward, and you can see where the original seal lines were with the CFI-700r4 motor set-up:

After 1 inch driveshaft extension to 26.0in ctr-ctr for the LS1-4L60E swap and drives very smooth with this extension distance:


I can not find a slip yoke for my 4L60E that has open ends for my U-bolts. Where did you find the slip yoke?

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