kansas123

My small block Vette has 2 1/2 inch half shafts. Will 3 inch easily replace these? I know it is probably overkill but for the price, the 3 inchers I am looking at are pretty attractive.... Thanks.

redvetracr

yes, direct bolt in

Crimson Thunder

Actually big and small blocks used the same half shafts. The early sharks used the 2.5 inch shafts and the later(i can't remember the year) used 3 inch shafts. I've heard that the 2.5 shafts are actually stronger.

Alan 71

Hi,
I believe I remember reading that the original larger diameter half-shaft tubes are made with thinner material than the original smaller diameter half-shafts.
Is that so?
Don't know if or how this might affect their strength.
Regards,
Alan

FKING1

Fort Wayne Clutch has heavy duty half shafts for C3's.
Have a pair on my 70.

BKbroiler

I have them on my 77. They come with Spicer solid u joints

Crimson Thunder

I have them on my 70 as well.

kansas123

Ordered a pair today from Fort Wayne Clutch today.

69427

Someone a while back posted what he was told was the wall thickness of the two different diameter shafts (the 3" units supposedly had thinner walls). There wasn't actual factory info to verify the claimed numbers, but for amusement I did a quick couple of calculations and the 3" tubes were theoretically stronger (due to the bigger diameter), but also lighter (due to the thinner wall material).

I would be interested in actual factory numbers if they were available, just to confirm those calculations. (Just simple logic tells me it would have been foolish for Chevrolet to go to all the trouble of making a new design/size part if it was weaker than the original part.)

JMO

Richard Daugird

If it's cheaper, simple logic goes out the window!

69427

Perhaps. Does anyone know if it's cheaper for Chevy to make/source 3" halfshafts versus 2.5" halfshafts? I know it's frequently less expensive overall for GM to stock/warehouse a single part number for multiple models versus multiple part numbers for those same vehicles.

LT1M21Vette

3.5" Aluminum half shafts?

dennysdriveshaft.com/c3_rear_axle_half_shaft_3.5_inch_6061

bmans vette

Here is the response direct from Ft Wayne Clutch about the 3" half shafts I bought a couple years ago.
I have increased my HP plans (600+) so I am going with Tom's Differentials half shafts where the wall thickness is .134".
As recommended by Gary Ramadei to match the 1350 rear axle setup and Super 10 rear he is building for me.
I'll be running sticky tires at times. And a stick shift.
There is considerable price difference between these 2. Tom's runs $475.

I'll be happy to sell my Ft Wayne half shafts that have been sitting on the shelf since I got them. They have the solid spicer u-joints in them.

PM if interested.
Txs
Dennis





Driveline 2 driveline2@fortwayneclutch.com via fortwayneclutch.onmicrosoft.com


Dec 6 (7 days ago)


to me

Dennis,

They would have / and still are = made with 3”DIA x .083”THICK

Unless, they were special built to a spec that you wanted at the time of order.…

-Steve



WORK_red60

Fort Wayne Clutch and Driveline

2424 Goshen Road

Fort Wayne, IN. 46808

>PH# 1-800-258-8243

>FAX# 260-484-8605

Grahamred70

Just curious but do you need to change the diff stub shafts as well to fit the Fort Wayne Clutch half shafts as they seem to have a flat flange for the half shafts to bolt up to?
Nice looking shafts but I don't think I'll ever be able to justify them.
Graham

bmans vette

The Ft Wayne half shafts are duplicate of the stock ones. Ujoint connects to the inner axle yoke and the flange connects to the outer flange.
No change in length.

The Tom's Differentials are different as they have the flanges at each end that match up to the flange of the inner and outer axles.

Hope that helps.

69427

The price looked damn good until I noticed that it was for each, not per pair. I paid a touch over $400 several years ago for the pair of 3 1/2" shafts on my '69.

I didn't see anything where it mentioned the wall thickness, though.

chevygod

As my basket case had mismatched half shafts with baaad surface pitting, and I would need new u-joints as well, the price I paid several years ago was competitive to finding a matched pair and rebuilding. Adding in that these were new and I was sold. I'm not afraid to rebuild anything, but these where a nice time savings.

They were a direct bolt in, joint at diff, flange at wheel. Really nice parts, and good people to deal with.

Grahamred70

Looking at those in the photos seem to bolt up to a flange at the diff end, mines a sbc so my shafts have the u bolt fixings but even with the straps of the bb I couldn't see how a flange would fit?
Graham

Crimson Thunder

My car has 30 spline axles that require a flange on both sides. I had to add the flange on the differential side. If you removed the flange it would bolt right up to stock U bolt axle.

bmans vette

Look at the outer end of your half shafts....they should have a flange that bolts to the yoke coming out of the wheel bearing support on the trailing arm. The u-joint end bolts to the yoke coming out of the differential.
Like I said.....they are duplicate to stock half shafts, just newer and have the solid spicer u-joints which are stronger than the ones with the zerk fitting.

Look at an AIM or one of the vendor catalogs to see what I am talking about.

Bman