Snapped My Driveshaft

Why wouldn't it drive with the front driveshaft only? I have had to do it twice in my 87 Blazer when I have broken u-joints on the rear driveshaft and it fell out. Just make sure your rear driveline is totally removed mas well as the yoke or splined part that slips into the rear of the transmission. Put it in 4-HI with the hubs locked and off you go!

MD4x4 Fireman said:

I was moving my truck from my grandfathers house( 2streets away) and I snapped the rear drieshaft about 1ft from the transfer case. And that made me learn the hard way that my '87 wont drive with just the front driveshaft. ERR! Sorry guys had to vent cause I am very frustrated.

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Matt, that reminds me of the time years ago when i took off at a stoplight in my 79 K-10 Chevy and just as i took off it snapped the pinion gear and it fell behind the ring gear and locked the rearend up. I jumped out and locked the hubs in and shifted to 4 wd and it drug itself out of the intersection and over to the shoulder of the road.I`m surprised i didn`t destroy anything else but i had to get it out of the intersection.

MD4x4 Fireman said:

I dont know why it wouldnt do it in 4L, it has the auto locking hubs. I put it in 4Low and its made a WEIRD clicking and clanking sound and wouldnt drive. Heres a picture of the rear half of the broken driveshaft

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Just to see the carnage again, sorry. Any idea if it is the original and how old?

its original from 1986 from my 1987 Sierra Classic...my grandfather thinks my transmission and/or transfercase might be trashed, anyone near maryland who knows how to rebuild a 700R4 if its my transmission?

Wow, I've never seen one get mangled like that. What were you doing again when this happened?

Sorry for the trouble on that, a driveline is one thing you never think about until something like this.

I was driving my truck back from my grandfathers (2streets over) and I had to turn in my alley and a car was coming toward me so I slowed down and when I went to accelerate to turn in I heard clunk clunk clunk SNAP. The area where it snapped the metal was kinda thin so it was a matter of time. Now when I put it in any gear it whines and clicks and clunks even when I put it back into park until it sits for a while. Tomorrow after I calm down and go get one from the junk yard I will see if it will work with the front one like other people said since now I got the front piece of the shaft out. I am just praying it aint got transmission issues since I still aint found a job.

When I blew up my rear end, my '98 sort of did the same thing. I'm not sure why, but it seems that, even in N, the rear will spin when there is no load on it (like when the driveshaft is broken). Did you try putting the tcase in 4wd before starting the engine? When my rear end blew up, that was the only way I could get the front end to engage so I could move it about in fwd.

I wonder if the rear axel didn’t do the real damage to the shaft. You know locked up and that was just enough strain on the shaft to snap it because it was so rusty.

Did it move, roll at all after this happened?

84fiero123 said:

I wonder if the rear axel didn’t do the real damage to the shaft. You know locked up and that was just enough strain on the shaft to snap it because it was so rusty.

Did it move, roll at all after this happened?

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We pulled it to my house after with my grandfathers truck with no problem. My grandfather said get the driveshaft from the junk yard then we will see what happens with it.

Ouch!! Look on the bright side... Be glad you weren't in the middle of nowhere.

Matt did a neutral dump...Matt did a neutral dump :na:

Don't worry I won't tell your grandfather...:lol:

Don't worry if thats all thats wrong, it won't cost much at the bone yard

Cableguy said:

Matt did a neutral dump...Matt did a neutral dump :na:

Don't worry I won't tell your grandfather...:lol:

Don't worry if thats all thats wrong, it won't cost much at the bone yard

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:rofl:OMG that is too funny!

actually i was just driving, i am waiting til i get it to pass inspection and on the road to do dumb stuff like that... i hit 3 bones yards and none had a rear drive shaft on a 4X4. I am also already looking into a used 3spd trans since the trans might be bad, anyone else have a 3spd in their truck? anyone know anything about taking apart a transfer case cause the problem might be in there.

how do i figure out what transfer case i have? someone looked at my truck and said its the 4wheel drive not kicking in which is why i couldnt get it to pull with the front wheels.

i used an RPO decoder and there were a few it didnt have here they are if anyone knows them: B3W, CMD, E60, SLL, TFE, TT5, XFL, YD3, YD5, YD6, YFL, YH3, ZFL, 23D

OUCH!!!! How did you manage that again???
My 88 drove me to my brother's house when I lost a rear u-joint! and that was on the front drive shaft only!! I lost some fluid out of the transfer case, but she lived to tell the tale just fine!!! This is a golder opportunity to upgrade to a new drive shaft with a double u-joint front and a slip yoke eliminator. believe me, they are worth it!!
By the way, my baby is alive and well again with a 383 stroker for a heart!! I'll post the pics one of these days!!

Toymyster said:

OUCH!!!! How did you manage that again???
My 88 drove me to my brother's house when I lost a rear u-joint! and that was on the front drive shaft only!! I lost some fluid out of the transfer case, but she lived to tell the tale just fine!!! This is a golder opportunity to upgrade to a new drive shaft with a double u-joint front and a slip yoke eliminator. believe me, they are worth it!!
By the way, my baby is alive and well again with a 383 stroker for a heart!! I'll post the pics one of these days!!

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i think its my front hub or something cause the front driveshaft will spin but the wheels wont move.