Repairing The `59 Driveline

The `59 driveline is a two-piece affair (front and rear shafts) and a carrier bearing in between.


The carrier bearing attaches to the inside of the "X-Frame Tunnel" between the trans and the differential. If you crawl underneath you'll see what I mean; the driveline runs through the frame in that spot. The carrier bearing often fails in one place, right where it attaches to the frame. When it fails the driveline flails around like a big floppy fish when you gun it. This is a common problem with all X-Frame Cars (1958 to 1964), and the carrier bearing is common part to order from your local parts store.

To remove the driveline, first back the rear wheels up onto a pair of ramps and set the parking brake. Block the front wheels once the brake is set, and then put the car in Neutral (I'll explain later). Look for two bolt heads on the underside of the X-Frame; these are the two bolts holding the carrier bearing inside the tunnel, and the holes through which they pass are slotted for adjustment. Remove these bolts completely. In addition, four bolts hold the rear universal joint in the differential yolk. Remove them and pry lightly forward on the driveline to unseat the u-joint from the yolk. Once it's free, just pull slowly on the driveline to remove it from the tunnel. When it's on the ground, look at the attachment point for the carrier bearing (it's upside down "T" with two bolt holes). Chances are the metal around the base is broken or torn (see picture). It's a weak point that has been addressed by the aftermarket, with the use of a billet aluminum support and replaceable bearing. These are available through periodicals like Lowrider Magazine, and are for specialized applications like hoppers or cars equipped with hydraulics. For most purposes however, a trip to your parts store will get you a carrier bearing with a support made of mild steel; this will likely last for many years and is not an expensive item.


Now the tough part. Because this driveline is an intricate press-fit deal, it's best to simply give the whole assembly -- along with your newfound carrier bearing -- to a machine shop and have them do the installation. While they're at it, have them install 3 new u-joints (also a very common Chevy part); that way your driveline is fresh and ready for battle. When you get it back, reverse the process to put it back into the car. At the front, turn the driveline with your hand to line it up with the back of the transmission and then insert the yolk. Since the transmission is in neutral, you can then spin the driveline to line up with the differential yolk. Fresh bolts on the differential yolk and the carrier bearing are also a good idea, since the ones on the car may be circa 1959.

A few years ago I created a PDF on Repairing the `59 Chevy Driveline. It lays out all the necessary tools and procedures involved in working on this important part of the car. Feel free to download this process and try the job yourself. It's not that hard...once you have done it several times ;-) I've done enough of these drivelines to know that they can be a weak spot for the car if left unserviced. It's usually the first thing I do without question when purchasing an X-Frame car. So make sure to grease the front & rear u-joints often, and try to service the one inside the X-Frame at least once per year. If you do that, you'll be driving your `59 till 2059!

Kurt Clark

Originally written October 13, 2001 Edited and updated for this blog