driveshaft center support bearing

[SWEET7T]

I found my vibration... My center support bearing is completely shot. The rubber is all chewed up, so my driveshaft can move around in there.
My question is, what all do I need to replace it? The truck is my daily driver, so I'm hoping I can do this in a couple hours on a weekend. I already know I will need to pull the driveshaft out, but do i need to seperate front & rear piece of the shaft? Does the bearing assembly just slide down the shaft? I've never owned a truck with a support bearing before so all info is apreciated. Thanks.

[lukecp]

If you have never done it before i suggest you find someone that has done it help, or take it to a shop.

It can be done in a couple hours in a weekend. It is a good idea to go ahead and rebuild the driveshaft as long as you have it out with new U-joints. Might as well get it balanced too.

U-joints are very tricky the first time you do them, especially on a 2-piece driveshaft. I know from many frustrated hours of doing them.

You need to take out the driveshaft. To do that, first brake loose the driveshaft at the rearend by removing the U-joint caps. Make sure the trans is in neutral and the truck has the wheels blocked, if it is in park and parked on any kind of an incline, the rear end will be able to move and the truck can start rolling.
Anyway, after you have it disconnected at the rearend, unbolt the center support (carrier) bearing. Then simply slide the driveshaft out of the rear of the tranny.

You need to seperate the driveshaft in the middle, and remove one of the yolks, then pry the old carrier bearing off. Make sure you mark the two halves of the shaft and the positon of the yolk on the driveshaft. If you put them together wrong, it will vibrate very bad.
Once you have the yolk off, you need to remove the pressed on carrier bearing. I just pounded mine off with a hammer, seemed to work OK. Then put on the new carrier bearning, i put mine on by putting a piece of pipe over the bearing and pounding it on with a hammer.
Once the new bearing is on, reassemble the driveshaft in exactly the same manner you took it apart. Make sure to put the yolk on in the same positon, and put the two havles together in the same orientation. Then you are done.

The back U-joint is fairly easy to replace, just press with a vice or pound it out, remove the cap, then pound it out the other way. You should figure it out with a little trial and error, but it is pretty tricky the first time. Make sure you use good quality U-joints.....i would reccomend Precision U-joints (about $10 each) and a good Federal Mogul carrier bearing (about $30).

You may find a driveshaft shop that will install new U-joints, carrier bearing, and then balance the shaft if you take it out. Taking it out and putting it on only takes 20 minutes or so, so this might be the easiest route.

[Longhorn Man]

Yeah, what he said.
plus, a welcome from the board from central Ohio...where you located?

[SWEET7T]

Thanks guys!!! I've done plenty of u-joints (used to run a Jeep at the dunes). I always use a C-clamp and some ratchet sockets to press u-joints. I have just never done a 2 piece shaft before. Thanks for all your help!!!

Longhorn Man... I'm at Logan, Ut. Going to college at USU (2 more years).

[lukecp]

If you are good at doing U-joins, it will be no big deal at all
Good luck!

[Longhorn Man]

Heck, if you are good at it, take a road trip to Ohio and do mine.
I hate messing with them with a passion.

[SWEET7T]

Take a road trip huh? If I could get something better than 12-13mpg... Besides, I have to save my $$$ for more truck parts

[MightyFine69]

Hey SWEET7T, have you ever been through Duchesne? It's about 100 miles east of Salt Lake. I gruaduated from high school there in 1989.

[krue]

Welcome to the board from South Mississippi!

[VTKidder]

Sweet7T,

Is your truck a SWB or LWB? If it's a SWB, the way I got around this issue was to get a solid driveshaft without the center carrier bearing. I have a 3 on the column manual transmission in mine, and put in a solid driveshaft that used to be mated to a TH350. That's what you have, right?

If you have a longbed, then I'd say follow the above instructions. Welcome to the board from Vermont.

[67chevemall]

Once you have the yolk off, you need to remove the pressed on carrier bearing. I just pounded mine off with a hammer, seemed to work OK. Then put on the new carrier bearning, i put mine on by putting a piece of pipe over the bearing and pounding it on with a hammer

Does this work ?
I have to do this job real soon!
My buddy says you should have them pressed in a t a shop! How ever the press thing works. I'd much rather do it at home if the hammer thing works?
What size pipe did you use???

Cheers

[VTKidder]

I just unbolted the whole shanannigans from the rear end, unbolted the center carrier bearing then slid it out the back of the tranny, and installed the solid shaft. 10 minute job. It's a stock driveshaft out of an auto C-10. The pipe is maybe 3" OD?

[lukecp]

67chevellmall,

Yes it does work. If you have access to a press, i would suggest using it instead of the hammer method. I don't have press so i used the hammer method.

I don't remember what size pipe i used, proably 2" though. Just put the pipe over the metal bearing on the carrier beaning (the one that is pressed on the driveshaft) and pound it on.

Like i said, a press would be much better to use, but if you want to save the money, the hammer method works. It is a driveshaft, so the hammer is more ok than pounding on a harminoc balancer instead of using a insaller.

[Hotrod70C10]

Beating the crap out of the carrier bearing worked for me... then I used the yolk to press it back into place.

[ckenwright]

I replaced the carrier bearing twice before I fiqured out my u-joints were bad. I used a hammer and screw driver to tap it into place. make sure you have the slines clocked, it might get you out of balance if you don't.