The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop converting torque tube

I would like to change the torque tube to a open drive . I have a 4 speed trans with the torque tube. I am going to bag the rear axle on my 1949 chevy truck. I need to find a drive shaft with a carrier bearing for my half ton short bed. this will save me from having to cut into the cab where the the one piece drive shaft would hit. I will be changing the rear axle to a nissan hard body. This will let me us the factory wheels. Has anybody done this I sure could use some help finding parts. Thanks

There is another option that will allow you to keep the original rearend; a third member from a '55-'62 will bolt right into the original housing. Since you're looking at a non-stock rear suspension (I'm assuming a 3 or 4 link), the pivots will be a non issue. Check out the Parts For Sale section, you may be able to find one there. The common gear is 3.90, but there is a 3.38 available for it. Either will most likely be a better gear than the Nissan, as Japanese trucks tend to be even lower geared that USA truck (I've seen them with 4.55 and lower on 1/2 tons). The driveshaft is a different issue, may have to have it custom made. Ask the local stock car racers where they get their shafts made, that's usually the best places to get one, both in cost and quality.

I don't know if all 3/4T AD's had a torque tube from the trans to a hanger and then an open shaft from the hanger to the rear end but my 53 does.

So I won't have to change the rearend? The axle shafts just slide right in? That's the way I want to go! I didn't know nissan rearends had such low gears. The guys that are doing the notch kit have an open drive and a half shaft waiting for me. They're just waiting for the rearend to get started.
Thanks for your help!

Well everthing fell apart! The guy who had the half shaft and the open drive for my torque tube, doesn't! I need help! Can anybody help me find parts? I have a junk yard looking for a third member out of a 55-62 chevy which "longbox" suggested. The guy at U-I junkyard said That was the first time he had heard of that Idea but he's looking for me.
Thanks

On the left coast,birth of the hot rod, I would think it would be ez to find that stuff, but maybe not. Try Craigslist too.

I think your right. I think the parts are out there. I just don't know what I'm looking for.

There are other rears that can work. Here's a link.

http://www.quickperformance.com/Technical%20Info/sus_measure.htm

Thanks for the link!