About what does it cost to have a driveshaft re-tubed? And is balance that significant in a rear shaft, seeing as it is so short? These are 4 speed shafts, btw..
Ed
Ed
Re-Tubing Driveshafts
- Thread starter Degnol
- Start date
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I had my drive shafts re done this week, the rear was shortened and the front was lengthened, both by two inches to make up for an sm420, they cut and welded the rear and retubed the front, the cost was 205.00 which was slightly higher than I expected but everything seems to be going up, the also rebalanced the shafts. Larry
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks Larry. That seems reasonable. I was quoted $150-$250 EACH!
Just did the same as well...4spd in for a 3spd...$260 with 4 new Toyota U-joints and a fresh coat of blue paint...
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Look for a place like six states or driveline services that does only drivelines and it will be a lot cheaper than a generic shop. a friend of mine had both of his jeep drivelines done, they charged him 150 or 200 and put all new joints in for him
i got mine done for 160 for both, dont let them talk you in to new u-joints them will put chepo GMB joints in there instead of OEM witch are way stranger.
- Thread starter
- #7
I have brand new OEM U joints in both of them. Another question...
I've never worried about wrecking u joints when removing them because i was replacing them anyway. Question: can they be removed without damaging?
Ed
I've never worried about wrecking u joints when removing them because i was replacing them anyway. Question: can they be removed without damaging?
Ed
LukeZero
Deeply Confused
There's a place up here (South Bend, IN) called Action Machine that does driveshafts for the Hummer plant. Drop it off one day, pick it up the next, shortened and balanced for $40. Lengthened and balanced for $60. No new U joints at those prices.
Yea $100 for Both retubed at the local shop here in CS.. They do not remove the u-joints at all..
YES! Balancing is VERY important on the rear shaft!
YES! Balancing is VERY important on the rear shaft!
LukeZero
Deeply Confused
isotel said:
Unless you have a passion for replacing pinion and transfer case output bearings. The loads generated from an out-of-balance shaft are incredible. You can shake things apart in a real hurry. Front drive shaft, because it is engaged at much lower speed typically can be run un-balanced, but its still nice to have it balanced.
not to hijack, any one know of a good shop in utah, soon as my sr kit gets here, im in the market.
Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
On a Cruiser driveshaft, the only reason it will need balancing is if the shop did a poor job of making the shaft. If it is straight, it will not need any balancing. I've had about 5-6 dozen shafts made in the last few years. My driveshaft guys (two different shops as tme went by) and I, do not accept non-straight shafts and have never used a weight on any of these.
Mark...
Mark...
LukeZero
Deeply Confused
Mark W said:
How are they checking for balance? I've never seen a shaft that didn't have some sort of balancing done, either with a die grinder to take off a bit of metal or a weight spot welded on. not disputing what you've seen I'm just wondering if the shop I use does their balancing in a different way than the shops you use.
Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
We check it for run out and keep it under.005. We used to chuck the shafts up in a spin balancer made just for balancing driveshafts, because I was not comfortable with my driveshaft guys assurances. 
Never had a problem with one and have never had on run less than smooth and true once on a rig. I've quit putting them in the balancer these days. if it's straight I expect it to run true and smooth... And they do.
Mark...
Never had a problem with one and have never had on run less than smooth and true once on a rig. I've quit putting them in the balancer these days. if it's straight I expect it to run true and smooth... And they do. Mark...
LukeZero
Deeply Confused
IIRC- the guys I take my stuff to will spin balance them up to 9000 rpm. I have no engine that would live to 6500 RPM, let alone 9000- but they do a lot of stuff for race cars and that's their test. I'm guessing there is vibration at real high speed that doesn't show up in real life. Maybe they (my guys) are just perfectionists.
Another thing I learn is to measure your original driveshafts and have exact lenghts you wanted specified explicitly it on the receipt. A very well-known shop (South Bay Drive Line in San Jose) here couldn't have them retubed with the correct lenghts (both drivelines were shorter than my specifications) and had to return my money and the shop kicked me out also asked that I not to return.
Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
I don't remember what rpm we used to take the shafts to. Pretty high IIRC. But when you figurer that 6000 rpm at the driveshaft on a rig with 4.11s and 31 inch tires equals 135 mph, and 9000 would equal over 200 mph... Yep, I'm not worrying too much about vibration at those speeds.
Mark...
Mark...
- Thread starter
- #20
Well, here is my situation...
Rear driveshaft has a shock boot on it as I cut off the metal dust shield. Therefore more splines are showing than would be with the metal dust guard.
The front has the metal dust guard on it. I have about 3.5 " of lift and I think that may be the problem. I hava a vibration in the rear at 30 mph. Shafts are in phase and the u joints are brand spanking new.
???? I think I need to get them lengthened, Poser said this might be the cause as there may be very little spline engagement.
These pics are taken with the cruiser flat and level in my garage.
OH and I did a SR on the front, so it swings mainly towards the TC. The front may be OK? Don't wanna smash any nosecones
Ed
Rear driveshaft has a shock boot on it as I cut off the metal dust shield. Therefore more splines are showing than would be with the metal dust guard.
The front has the metal dust guard on it. I have about 3.5 " of lift and I think that may be the problem. I hava a vibration in the rear at 30 mph. Shafts are in phase and the u joints are brand spanking new.
???? I think I need to get them lengthened, Poser said this might be the cause as there may be very little spline engagement.
These pics are taken with the cruiser flat and level in my garage.
OH and I did a SR on the front, so it swings mainly towards the TC. The front may be OK? Don't wanna smash any nosecones
Ed
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