Jcl_96TA

iTrader: (1)

I got a good deal on a 97 Trans am so i bought it. It was not running so i had to tow it home from delaware. I asked the dude i bought it from to disconnect the d/s and tie it to the torque arm so i could put it on a dolly when i got there. None the less i get home with it to discover the drive shaft is gone. I was pretty scared at that point because i was towing it at about 90mph for a good ways down the turn pike and a twenty pound drive shaft cartwheeling through someones windshield at 90mph could be ugly. But anyhow bought a ls1 drive-shaft from a member on here and it wont fit my rear. WTF!! Pissing me off cause everyone said they were a direct swap. Not the case at all the u joint on the ls1 shaft is way to big to fit into the 97 yolk on my stock rear. So i bought a 97 u joint hopeing i could peice the two together and make it work, but no dice. I found this thread, but it kind of trailed off with no real answer as to how i can make it work.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...-question.html


Anyone got a clue what i can buy cheep that will make it work on my 97Ta???

gjohnsonws6

iTrader: (12)

maybe someone put an adapter joint in it,1310 to 1350?take the shaft to your local driveline shop for info of the u joint size in the new shaft you are trying to use,what is the tube size on it?Might be an aftermarket shaft?

Jcl_96TA

iTrader: (1)

Hmmn i talked to the guy who i bought it from and he said he has a 12 bolt in his car, so should i get a stock ls1 U joint? The stock lt1 wont work and the one thats on it wont work..

ElkySS

iTrader: (6)

thats what it sounds like to me.

Wicked94Z

iTrader: (26)

yea the stock u-joint is a Saginaw 3R, you have a 1350 on there i'm sure

James Montigny

iTrader: (13)

I agree, the 12bolt uses a larger Ujoint (1350), that's why it doesn't fit.
Just get a new Ujoint that adapts from 3R to 1350 and you'll be fine.
I'm sure that you'll find the PN if you search for "12 bolt U joint", I went though that a few years ago.

I've installed quite a few Fbody driveshafts over the years, everything from 83 to 02 is interchangeable until you change the rear end.
(82s with 200R4 do not fit)

WS Sick

So why did the stock 97 u-joint not fit in the driveshaft?

James Montigny

iTrader: (13)

It should have, unless the driveshaft you have is not stock and has a 1350.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you have a 12-bolt.